Date: Friday, October 7, 2016
Category: Apra News
On September 15, ADRP and APRA partnered to offer the webinar “Harnessing the Power and Influence of Women” presented by Jennifer Filla, President, Aspire Research Group LLC; CEO, Prospect Research Institute; Preeti Gill, Prospect Research Practitioner, St. Paul's Foundation; and Michal Shaw, Assistant Vice President of Donor Relations and Director of Women for OSU, Oklahoma State University Foundation.
With more than 450 registrants across the two organizations, this topic proved popular with ADRP and APRA members alike. Attendees were provided insights on female philanthropy practices during the hour-long webinar.
Jennifer Filla kicked off the session with research and data that shows how vital females are in giving today. The transfer of wealth to the female population is a true trend. From inheritances to increased independence, women have a heavy influence in the decisions around the money in a household. Paying attention to how women give and how an organization can foster these relationships should not be taken for granted.
Trends of how women give include:
- Giving across causes and organizations
- Experience based vs. transactional
- Volunteering, but not necessarily in leadership roles
- Giving collaboratively with other women
So how can a prospect development professional add more women into research and advocate for female philanthropy? Preeti Gill offers a variety of takeaway tips:
- When searching on a male prospect, look into the spouse or daughter independently, to discover where she is volunteering and giving.
- Include variations of name considering maiden names and blended names.
- Personal networks and education institutions are typically strong connections in this research.
- Review for top lists of influence and reputation, not necessarily top executive positions.
Finally, Michal Shaw talks about building an organizational culture that embraces and advocates for female giving. Starting by asking questions that help you understand how far your organization is and how far it may have to go, like: Are your donor strategies tailored to include women and families? Do you believe women are credible sources and make transformational gifts?
Women’s Engagement Programs, such as the Baylor Women’s Network and Women for OSU, can take the giving experience to the next level by focusing on leadership and development for its members.
For many more tips and trends, APRA members can access the presentation slides and view a recording of the webinar by logging into this page with your APRA credentials.
APRA is proud to partner with industry organizations like ADRP to expand the reach of prospect research education. For more information on APRA partnerships, click here.