The Women Give 2020 report by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at Indiana University explores giving and technology through a gender lens. It’s no surprise that the study concludes that there are differences in how women and men give and how they use technology and social networks in their giving.
The study used data from four case studies—Charity Navigator’s Giving Basket, GlobalGiving, Givelify, and Global Impact’s Grow Fund—to discern how women and men give via online platforms and apps.
Regardless of gender, it’s clear that technology enables easier giving, allows donors to learn about new organizations and their missions, and facilitates social media connections focused on giving via virtual communities. But the study’s conclusions specifically about how women give might provide actionable insight for your organization moving forward.
More Gifts
Women give more gifts and a greater percentage of overall dollars than men. In fact, the report showed that women gave nearly two-thirds of all gifts. This larger number of donations translates to women giving more dollars than men through each of the online donation platforms studied—between 53 and 61 percent, depending on the case study.
Case in point: Women give 64.5 percent of gifts on Giving Tuesday.
Smaller Gifts, More Organizations
Three of the four case studies noted that women generally give smaller gifts than men, and women tend to give to smaller organizations. Men are most likely to give to midsize and large organizations.
Women Support Women
Women give between 60 and 70 percent of funds to organizations with missions focused on women and girls. Environmental causes are also of greater interest to women.
Online + Community Wins
Technology lets people donate in the way they like most, reduces barriers and cost of giving. However, building trust and engagement is also important, particularly with women.
Crowdfunding Appeals
Women-owned ventures receive a disproportionately low share of venture capital and other investment dollars. Crowdfunding has disrupted this pattern by creating a new venue for women to raise funds, both for their own endeavors and for causes they believe in.
According to Forbes, women-supported fundraisers are generally perceived as more trustworthy, which sets them apart in the crowdfunding arena. Women are also more likely than men to give via crowdfunding, particularly for disasters.
Challenges for Nonprofits
Women use online giving platforms more than men, so you must determine how to make your mission most appealing where women and technology intersect. Your donors can access all the information they need about your organization—and others—in a click. Make the most of that opportunity.
In addition, creating a sense of community with online giving is a must for the future. Sustained engagement will require this combination. It’s imperative to make online donors feel “seen” and appreciated. For local and regional organizations, in-person meetups might enhance the online experience—although the COVID-19 pandemic has made most people more comfortable with online meetups as well.
Source: Women Give 2020