On December 17, Washington Area Women’s Foundation released our latest issue brief: The Unprecedented Power and Potential of Women’s Philanthropy in the Washington Region.
Our research h
as lead us to some remarkable conclusions and suggests that turning the corner on poverty for women and girls in the Washington region is within our grasp.
The key is understanding the challenges disproportionately faced by low-income women in building economic security and tapping into the unprecedented giving potential of female philanthropists in the Washington region.
About one in five women and girls in the Washington region lives below or near poverty. At the same time, however, women in the region have gained and will continue to gain more wealth than ever before. The report estimates that the collective net worth of women in the Washington region is more than $253 billion! If women in this region with a net worth of $5 million or more contributed just one-tenth of one percent of their wealth to philanthropy they could collectively invest at least $45 million—more than enough to reach the nearly half million women and girls living below or near poverty in the region.
During this season of giving, and throughout the year, we encourage you to learn how you can engage in philanthropy (both big and small) to help us close this gap and ensure that all women in our region have the opportunity to thrive.
Read the entire issue brief, here.