Women and philanthropy: Four insights to inform your practice

by SCF Team | March 1, 2026 | Siouxland Community Foundation Blog, Advisor Resources

At Siouxland Community Foundation, we’re honored to work with individuals, families, and businesses across Siouxland who support a wide range of charitable causes. The generosity we see—across generations, backgrounds, and experiences—continues to inspire our team every day.

March offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the evolving role of women in philanthropy as we recognize Women’s History Month. Increasingly, women are leading charitable decisions within their families and businesses, particularly as more women serve as primary financial decision-makers. Research from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (Women Give 2024: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends) highlights this important shift.

Several dynamics are driving this change:

• In many families, leadership evolves gradually. A daughter may become more engaged in conversations about charitable giving over time, or a spouse who once deferred decisions begins to take a more active role in shaping philanthropic priorities.
• In other cases, the transition is sudden and deeply personal—often following the loss of a spouse or parent—when a woman assumes responsibility for both financial assets and charitable intent.
• Many women are building wealth through their own careers or entrepreneurial ventures and bring a highly personal approach to philanthropy. A Siouxland business owner, for example, may shape her giving around the values, experiences, and community connections that contributed to her success.
• Women are also emerging as philanthropic leaders through professional success in fields such as healthcare, law, technology, and finance. As primary earners, they are proactively aligning their charitable giving with both personal passions and measurable community impact.- A growing number of next-generation women are engaging in philanthropy earlier in life. Through startups, investments, and leadership roles, they are contributing not only financially but also bringing collaborative approaches and a desire to see tangible results—often right here in Siouxland.

With these trends in mind, here are four ways this awareness can inform your work with clients:

Help your clients give through all seasons of life.
According to Women Give 2024, over the past two decades, single women have experienced smaller declines in charitable participation than single men, with giving remaining steady—or even increasing in certain contexts. As you work with single women in Siouxland, keep in mind that maintaining charitable giving may remain a priority, even during times of financial uncertainty. Siouxland Community Foundation can help structure giving plans that support long-term philanthropic goals through life’s ups and downs.

Connect national trends to local opportunities.
Giving to women’s and girls’ organizations has grown nationally, now accounting for more than 2% of total charitable giving—over $11 billion annually. However, when adjusted for inflation, that giving has declined in recent years. This is a valuable conversation to have with clients, especially when paired with insights from Siouxland Community Foundation about local needs and opportunities to make a meaningful impact close to home.

Ask about all forms of philanthropy.
According to the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households, 43% of affluent households volunteered in 2024, up from 37% in 2022—volunteers tend to give more and support causes more deeply, a pattern often stronger among women. Be sure to ask your female clients about causes they support both financially and through volunteerism.

Tailor guidance for single women.
Giving patterns often vary by household structure, with single women demonstrating particularly consistent engagement in philanthropy. Thoughtful planning is essential in these situations. Siouxland Community Foundation can partner with you to develop strategies that maximize both charitable impact and financial outcomes for these clients.

As with all charitable planning, we’re honored to work alongside you. Whether your client is establishing a new fund, building a strategy around an existing donor-advised fund, or stepping into inherited philanthropic responsibilities, Siouxland Community Foundation is here to help ensure their giving reflects both enduring legacy and evolving purpose—right here in Siouxland.