"When women give today, one thing they want to know about is the impact they are having," says Renate Davidson.
Renate is a long-term, respected volunteer with HCF and many other organizations across Hamilton. As a founding donor to HCF's Women 4 Change (W4C) initiative, she is struck by how women's philanthropy "has evolved to something very different from just writing a cheque," she says.
New research confirms women's growing influence through individual and family philanthropy, and provides detail on how they prefer to give. Women now want to contribute money as well as time, to connect with others as they give, and to have an ongoing relationship with the causes they support. They value learning about community needs and responses, and they want to see measurable results.
Meeting these expectations drives both Women4Change and HCF's engagement with individual donors. Since its 2012 launch, W4C has grown to more than 60 women collaborating to improve the lives of Hamilton's women and girls. At the same time, they are enhancing their own capacity as philanthropists through expert presentations, site visits, and conversations with grant recipients.
Click here to make a donation to Women 4 Change.