Press Room

WDN News

Welcome to the Women Donors Network Press Room

I want to dispel the myth that women’s philanthropy concerns a small group of elite and wealthy women. Women control 51% of the personal wealth in the United States. They own one-third of all privately held businesses. About 41% of the 3.3 million Americans with incomes greater that $500K are women. (IRS) This spells “NEW MARKET” for financial planners, executive directors of nonprofits, alma maters, and philanthropic institutes.

President & CEO, Donna Hall

Media Contact:

Laurel Potter

Tel 650.833.6750

Fax 650.325.2313

The Women Donors Network (WDN) creates a strong community for wealthy women, delivers timely and relevant educational opportunities, and catalyzes philanthropic action to build the movement for progressive social change.

WDN is a peer networking and education organization; however, we are increasingly engaged in collaborative funding.

Membership is open to women philanthropists who contribute a minimum of $25,000 on an annual basis to progressive nonprofit organizations, political candidates, issues and individuals, and/or have direct influence over charitable giving of a minimum of $25,000 annually, averaged over a three year period.

About WDN Members’ Philanthropy

WDN is a national organization of approximately 170 progressive women donors.
Our members collectively initiate over $100 million in giving annually, which is comparable to many large, national foundations.
We fund together through member-driven circles in the Gulf South, in Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Mideast Peace, and building the progressive infrastructure. We have awarded two Action Fund Grants of $1 million. The first Action Fund Grant was committed to encouraging "think tank" work, and was awarded to The Center for Community Change (CCC). The second grant focuses on media/communications, and was awarded to American Forum. The third Action Fund Grant will be awarded in the spring of 2009 and will focus on progressive leadership development.

Characteristics of WDN philanthropists

They give to numerous organizations, both national and international.
They express less need for public recognition.
They don't necessarily rely on business connections.
They often get involved with the organizations they support.
They feel they have few role models in philanthropy.
They value the sense of connection with one another and with the sectors they support.
They have a solid commitment to the causes they support.

Stay tuned for more updates to the WDN Press Room... coming soon!

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