October 26, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
NEW BOOKS
The Transformative Power of Women’s Philanthropy
edited by Martha A. Taylor and Sondra Shaw-Hardy
The latest volume of New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising is a compilation of essays from 15 women — professors, fund raisers, philanthropists, business professionals, and charity leaders — that explore the “rise of women earning, inheriting, and controlling money” over the past few decades.
Sondra Shaw-Hardy, a co-founder of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, contributes the first chapter, “The Emergence and Future of the Modern Women’s Philanthropy Movement,” which traces the movement from its roots in feminism in the 1970s, to Ms. Shaw-Hardy’s predictions for women’s philanthropy, culled from interviews with several prominent women. One future trend, she writes, will be an increase in “women’s financial awareness, earnings, assets, and savvy.”
“Women will take control of their money and their finances while insisting that institutions and organizations be held accountable for their gifts,” she argues.
In another chapter, Eleanor Brown, an economics professor at Pomona University, analyzes the literature on married couples’ charitable donations, and studies gender differences in philanthropy, as women gain more influence over household decision making.
The other chapters review female philanthropic and corporate leadership, woman-headed family foundations, “giving circles,” volunteerism, higher education, and endowing foundations. Additional materials include tips for fund raisers, strategies for woman philanthropists, and a list of contacts for more information on charitable giving by women.
Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94103; (800) 956-7739; fax (317) 572-4002; http://www.josseybass.com; 224 pages; $29; ISBN 0-7879-8617-8.
