At the wheel: Women in family philanthropy

In nearly 90 percent of high net worth households, women are either the sole decision maker or an equal partner in decisions about charitable giving. And as women create and control a growing share of wealth in the country, their influence in philanthropy is increasingly evident. It’s also clear that this influence carries over to other charitable giving vehicles – more grandmas, moms, and daughters are leaders of family foundation boards and advised funds than ever before. What does this mean for the future of family philanthropy, both for nonprofits and donor families? In honor of Mother’s Day, we’re delighted to present this discussion with several leading voices for women and family giving, based on findings from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women’s Philanthropy.