Women and Philanthropy: Four Insights for Professional Advisors

At Kitsap Community Foundation, we are honored to work alongside hundreds of individuals, families, and businesses who support a wide range of charitable causes. The generosity and commitment across generations and demographics in Kitsap County inspire our team every single day.

March is an especially good time to reflect on the evolving role of women in philanthropy because it’s Women’s History Month. Increasingly, women are leading charitable decisions in their families. This isn't just a feeling we have; the data backs it up. According to Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Women Give 2024: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends, more women are serving as primary financial decision-makers than ever before.

As a professional advisor: whether you are an attorney, CPA, or financial planner: understanding these shifts is vital to providing the best service for your clients. We see two primary scenarios driving this change:

• The Gradual Shift: In many families, leadership transitions happen over time. A daughter becomes more engaged in family foundation meetings, or a spouse who once deferred to her partner begins to shape giving priorities more directly.

• The Sudden Transition: In other cases, the change is sudden and deeply personal. Following the death of a spouse or parent, a woman often assumes sole responsibility for stewarding both financial assets and charitable intent.

Here are four insights to help you navigate these trends in your daily practice, ensuring your female clients feel empowered and supported in their philanthropic journeys.

1. Help Your Clients Give Through Thick and Thin

The Women Give 2024 study revealed a fascinating trend: over the past two decades, single women experienced a smaller decline in charitable participation than single men. Even when economic times got tough: such as during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic: their average giving amounts held steadier or even increased for secular causes.

For you as an advisor, this means recognizing that philanthropy is often a non-negotiable priority for women, regardless of market volatility. When a client expresses a desire to maintain their impact through life’s ups and downs, we can help.

By partnering with us, you can help your clients develop a long-term charitable giving plan. Whether it’s setting up a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) to smooth out tax advantages or exploring deferred giving options, we provide the structure that allows their philanthropy to remain resilient.

2. Discuss National Trends and Local Needs (The Power of the Circle)

The national data shows a major milestone: for the first time, giving to women’s and girls’ organizations surpassed 2% of overall charitable giving between 2022 and 2023. This represents over $11 billion annually. However, when adjusted for inflation, the actual amount declined slightly between 2021 and 2023.

This is a perfect opening for a conversation with your clients. Many women are looking to move the needle on issues specifically affecting women and girls, but they often don't know where to start locally.

This is where Kitsap Community Foundation’s local knowledge becomes your greatest asset. We can share parallel local trends and specific opportunities for impact right here in our backyard. One of the best ways we facilitate this is through our Women’s Giving Circle of the Kitsap Peninsula.

The Women’s Giving Circle is a collective of local women who pool their resources to make a significant impact on nonprofits serving women and children in Kitsap County. It’s a collaborative leadership model: one that research shows women highly value. Instead of a top-down advisory approach, the Circle offers a space for curiosity, shared problem-solving, and deep community connection. If you have clients who want to see their dollars at work in a tangible, local way, the Women's Giving Circle is an excellent recommendation.

3. 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. The study notes that volunteers tend to give more and support causes more deeply: a pattern that is often significantly stronger among women.

When you sit down with female clients, don't just ask about their checkbook. Ask about their time.

• "What causes are you spending your weekends on?"

• "Where do you currently volunteer your expertise?"

By understanding where they are investing their physical energy, you gain a clearer picture of their core values. This allows you to build a more comprehensive financial and estate plan that aligns their assets with their passions. We often find that a client’s volunteer work is the "training ground" for their long-term legacy.

4. Tailor Advice for Single Women and the Wealth Transfer

The "Great Wealth Transfer" is no longer a future concept; it is happening now. With trillions of dollars expected to shift generations by 2048, women are positioned to control a significantly larger portion of this wealth. Research shows that participation trends vary by household type, with single women maintaining more consistent giving patterns over very long periods.

Building a thoughtful charitable giving plan for single-woman households requires a focus on both impact and financial security. These clients are often looking for ways to ensure their legacy continues even if they don't have direct heirs, or they want to create a "shared decision-making" environment for their nieces, nephews, or chosen family.

We can help you maximize their impact. Whether they want to donate appreciated stock, real estate, or other non-cash assets, we handle the administrative heavy lifting. This allows you to focus on the high-level strategy while we ensure the local impact is maximized and the tax benefits are fully realized.

Partnering for Evolving Purpose

As is the case when you are working with any charitable client, our team at Kitsap Community Foundation is honored to be your partner. We understand that philanthropy is deeply personal. For women especially, it is often about building an ecosystem of support rather than just funding an isolated project.

Whether your client is establishing a new fund, building a strategy around an inherited responsibility, or looking to join a community of like-minded donors, we are here to ensure their giving reflects both an enduring legacy and an evolving purpose.

We invite you to reach out to us anytime to discuss how we can support your practice and your clients. Together, we can make sure that the future of philanthropy in Kitsap is as bold and empowering as the women leading it.