Generosity is a value shared by all communities and one that women across races and ethnicities are leading through philanthropy. As communities of color grow in wealth and influence, a new study underscores the importance of understanding and engaging donors from diverse backgrounds.
Research from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) of IUPUI (Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis) showed that households across all racial groups give to charity, and a donor’s race does not have a significant effect on the amount given, after adjusting for factors such as wealth, income and education. Gender patterns previously identified by WPI – specifically, that single women and married couples are more likely to give than single men – hold true within each of the communities studied (African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, and White households were included in the analysis).
The report, which was funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, demonstrates the unique perspectives women of color bring to philanthropy and underscores how important it is for charities to understand and engage donors from diverse backgrounds.
“Women Give 2019 highlights the universality of giving. Women in communities of color may take different pathways to their philanthropy, learning from their families or religious traditions, or starting to give later in life, according to the findings. But the act of giving their time, talent, and treasure is consistent for women across race and ethnicity,” said Debra J. Mesch, PhD, the Eileen Lamb O’Gara Chair in Women’s Philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.