Pentera Leads Industry in Understanding the Unique Needs of Women Donors

New statistics reported by The Chronicle of Philanthropy add to the cavalcade of recent research documenting the burgeoning role of women in philanthropy—which makes it more crucial than ever that nonprofit organizations know how to reach women donors. And that means working with experts in the field such as Pentera President & CEO Claudine A. Donikian, JD, MBA.

Pentera CEO Claudine Donikian Appointed to Women's Philanthropy Institute Council

Claudine A. Donikian, JD, MBA, President & CEO of Pentera, Inc., has been appointed to the Advisory Council for the prestigious Women's Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University School of Philanthropy.

Webinar offers "Cliff's Notes" on Simple Gift Plans and How to Help Donors with Assets

Pamela Jones Davidson, an attorney and experienced planned giving consultant who has presented nationally, will conduct a Pentera Webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 30, providing a “Cliff’s Notes” version of gift plans.

Four Vital Tips for Cultivating Women Donors

Women’s experiences in planned giving often differ from those of men. For instance, many women from the Silent generation or Baby Boomer generation may not be directly involved in financial planning until a crisis—such as the death of a spouse or parent. But according to financial experts, waiting until a woman is widowed or in the midst of a crisis to plan her estate is too late. Smart estate planning is on-going.

That’s where planned giving professionals can be of service. Follow these four tips to better cultivate your women donors:

Three Simple Ways to Encourage Donor Gifts

Like most things in life, philanthropy is learned. While people may readily appreciate your organization and the work that you do, they may not fully realize that planned giving can allow them to create and achieve visionary philanthropic goals, which they might have assumed was only for “rich philanthropists.” They also may not know how various charitable gift options work to benefit both their family and your organization.

How can you convey the importance of philanthropy to your potential donors and motivate them to make charitable gifts? Below are three sure proof, simple methods.

Get Women Together to Turn Potential Donors into Actual Donors

Barbara Stanny grew up wealthy—her dad was the “R” in H&R Block—so she assumed she would never want for anything, and she let her husband take care of all the finances. Big mistake. She says that in 15 years her ex gambled away all of her wealth—which she discovered when she tried to get $60 at an ATM and found there was no money left. In her colorful retelling of the story, she relates that she went to her father for help but he told her she needed to solve her own problems. She had three kids and was more than $1 million in debt.

Navigating the Gender & Philanthropy Landscape

Enormous progress has been made in gender equality in terms of women’s education, wealth, and employment opportunities. Yet, women are still reporting that they encounter outdated attitudes and stereotypes that hamper their full and equal treatment. In the planned giving field, there’s no room for these kinds of preventable errors with prospective female donors. Gender tips to keep in mind:

Tips for Understanding Donor Fears about Money

In the planned giving field, much more goes into obtaining donor gifts than simply “the ask.” You have to know your donor’s ability to give, their interest in giving, and their blocks to giving. While planned giving professionals often explore a donor’s ability and interest in making a charitable gift, understanding a donor’s fears related to money (both rational and irrational) is also crucial. Such insight helps you adequately address those fears, rather than simply ignore them. Once you identify the blocks to giving, you can then work toward planned gift arrangements that best meet your donor’s financial and philanthropic objectives.

Female Donor Behavior: Online Conference Begins Sept. 20

SHEMAKESCHANGE, a three-part online conference for those who wish to better understand the factors that affect female donor behavior, begins Sept. 20, sponsored by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute.

Women of Influence: Are You Reaching These Donors?

Women who are Baby Boomers and older are more likely than men to give—and give more—to charitable organizations, according to the new report Women Give 2012. As the report states, “The face and shape of philanthropy are changing.”

Women: The Force for Changing the World

Gender matters. Women are not a niche audience. Women are the audience. Current research indicates that across income brackets, women are more likely to give to charity than men, and that women give more than men, nearly twice as much.