Donor Relations Through a Gender Lens: Focus on the Female

Suzanne Bellanger
Assistant Director, Stewardship Marketing
Brown University 

Untapped Potential

I’ve been reading a lot about the role gender plays in charitable giving and the significant contribution that the female population has made—and continues to make—across all non-profit sectors. It’s challenged me to think deeply about how my team and I approach our work in donor relations. And, I’ve learned that by not considering gender when crafting stewardship and communication plans, we’re missing a huge opportunity. We’re missing a chance to connect on a more meaningful level, in a way that feels authentic and personal: one that will keep donors engaged in our mission and motivated to give. Further, it’s even more important to keep closely connected with our donors now, as we face a global crisis that will profoundly change the non-profit space and fundraising in general, at least for the near future. And THAT means understanding who donors are and why they give.

Gender isn’t something that has historically played into how we talk to donors or what type of information we share with them. We spend a great deal of time dissecting our donor file and segmenting it based on latest contribution, capacity to give, class year and other things, but I can’t remember too many instances when we divided segments into donors who identified as female or male in order to develop strategy. And that’s a mistake. 

Why? Because men and women approach charitable giving in fundamentally different ways—both in terms of why they give and how much they give (relative to income). Understanding these differences is key to developing effective messaging and cultivation strategies that help keep donors committed. And that is key, especially now, in this moment of uncertainty and greater need.

Donor Powerhouses                                          

According to the Women Give 2019: Gender and Giving Across Communities of Color study, women are more likely to give than men across all races and ethnicities. Nonprofits Source cites that 64% of all charitable gifts are made by women. And the Boston Foundation finds that women make up 47% of this country’s top wealth holders (those with assets of $2 million or more), and these women control more than $5 trillion in assets. Women of all income levels give a greater percentage of their wealth to charity than men; will often outlive their spouses and assume control of the family finances; and tend to consult financial/wealth advisors when making philanthropic decisions, while men favor accountants. Women are also more emotional about their giving—they are more likely to give spontaneously when a cause or issue moves them.

During times of crisis, philanthropic giving naturally increases. New non-profits are formed to support a relevant cause, and existing ones expand their efforts to ensure they can fulfill their mission during trying times. As we face the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be women who shape how charitable giving evolves. According to Forbes, women drive 70–85% of household financial decisions, which includes charitable giving. Women donors will in large part choose who will receive support and how much they will raise. That could translate into revenue growth and deeper, longer-term donor relationships with donors who already support you, or it could mean donors leave to support causes they feel more emotionally connected to at this moment. It’s a critical time.

So, how do you ensure that these female decision-makers will stick with you? It’s all about demonstrating need, establishing a personal relationship and developing an emotional connection through messaging, engagement, and cultivation.

MESSAGING

Women are going to have a huge impact on how charitable giving shakes out this year and into next year (and probably beyond). Before the global pandemic hit, women were already making a significant mark within the non-profit space, contributing more than men on average, and giving more often. And women are more spontaneous in their giving and tend to give more smaller gifts across multiple organizations, rather than support a few causes with larger gifts (Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2018).

Fidelity Charitable’s Women and Giving: The Impact of Generation and Gender on Philanthropy report demonstrates that women have a heart-first approach to giving:

• 64% said: “I am more motivated by my heart when it comes to giving (versus my head).”
• 51% said: “I am often motivated to give in the moment (versus being more strategic).”
• 61% said: “I grew up giving (versus becoming a giver as an adult).”
• 68% said: “I consider myself highly engaged in giving.”

Because women, in general, have a philosophical approach to giving that’s centered around emotion and engagement, it’s reasonable to assume that they would appreciate and respond well to stewardship efforts that demonstrate how much you value their commitment to your organization.

For women donors, the message has to be personal, and it has to be relevant. When crafting a stewardship plan for female donors, it's important to consider which appeal motivated them. Was it a certain initiative that sparked a desire to give? A shift in your priorities? An external influence (such as a global pandemic, for example)? Looking at past donor behavior can provide clues as to what’s important to that individual donor. You can also survey your donors if behavior doesn’t give you enough insight to effectively craft a plan. Regardless of how you can identify them, it’s valuable to understand what these motivators, are so you can weave them into your messaging and give the donor what they’re looking for—a personalized message that reinforces their decision to support you by making them feel visible and valued, that makes them feel like they have a direct impact on the fulfillment of your cause or mission.

ENGAGEMENT

It’s important to be sensitive to the fact that some of your donors—even your most loyal ones—might not be in a position to financially support you right now. With an economy in turmoil and unemployment rates at record levels, donor capacity to give will naturally shrink. Now is a perfect time to offer “other ways to help” options that will help keep your supporters engaged, even if they can’t give a monetary gift. Overall, women volunteer at higher rates (27.8%) than men (21.8%). Now would be a great time to highlight the different volunteer opportunities your organization has. Use your social media channels, email your donors or call them. Make the opportunities prominent on your website and share through your organizational networks.

In an interview for NonProfit Pro, Jodi Patkin, VP of brand strategy and communications at March of Dimes, said “Women have always been stronger than men in fundraising for charities, but now they—and we really—want more options, more opportunities for creativity and partnership.” One of the ways March of Dimes encouraged engagement was through a DIY platform that allowed donors to share their stories. This provided donors with an opportunity to help others by offering encouraging words, in addition to supporting the cause financially.

Get creative in what you’re asking from your donors. Offering them ways to stay involved that go beyond writing a check will allow them to stay connected to your mission, and achieve your goals. Financial support is only one aspect of your valuable relationship. Advocacy and community-building activities also help further your cause. 

CULTIVATION

In a world where we can’t be physically connected, your supporters may be looking for virtual ways to stay close to the causes and missions they care about. We’ve been using Thank-View to send messages from students studying remotely at home to remind our donors that their gift is really making a difference in the lives of people in need. And, we’ve found that now more than ever transparency is key. Our donors want to know exactly what their gift is funding, and how and when it will be used. With so many worthy causes out there, donors want to make sure they’re supporting the ones that most align with their personal beliefs and philosophy, ones that they feel most connected to. Since women in particular are more prone to give in the moment, it’s important to demonstrate to them how the need aligns with their priorities and philanthropic objectives. And it’s important to remind them how valuable their gift is to the success of your mission. Personalized outreach—like the kind Thank-View can provide—is a great way to do that.

Another way to cultivate female donors is to offer opportunities for them to be involved in organizational decision making. Women donors tend to want to be more personally involved in the mission they’re financially supporting and look for ways to lend their personal expertise that go beyond check writing. Surveys are a great way to provide your donors with an opportunity to share their opinions and voice their concerns. Conduct surveys on a regular basis and then share findings and outcomes with your donors via personalized emails or (if possible) handwritten notes. Offering opportunities to contribute to newsletters or quarterly updates also provide an interesting avenue for donors who want to be involved in the “day to day”.

STAYING CONNECTED

As we self-isolate and practice social distancing, we’re all longing for connections—both on a personal level and as a community and a nation. We are all facing unique challenges and discovering individual ways to cope with our shared “new normal.” We should be especially sensitive to the fact that priorities might shift for a bit, and that our relationship with our donors might feel a bit different for a while as more and more people rightly focus inward on the health and well-being of themselves and their families. We should be understanding of that as we strive to maintain good relationships with donors. 

Focusing on gender isn’t the only way to better engage with and show appreciation for supporters, but it’s a really good place to start because it can provide some key insight into their motivations for supporting us and a better understanding of their expectations in terms of the relationship they have with us. And it’s important that they know how much they are valued and appreciated, especially now when there are so many worthy causes they could be supporting. That can be achieved via authentic, sincere messaging, deeper engagement, and personal cultivation. Clearly those are things we should always strive for, but as we close out this challenging fiscal year and head into next, considering gender as an added dimension to our segmentation strategy might make all the difference.