Women, Wealth and Influence:
The Emerging Role of Women in Philanthropy

Data from a speech made at the Rhode Island Foundation, September 28, 2000,
by Janet P. Atkins, President and CEO, Philanthropic Advisors, Boston, MA

1) 51% of the U.S. population is female and 47% of the working population is female.

2) Women make 72% of all consumer-related decisions in this country.

• Women purchase 47.5% of all new cars.
• Women account for 75% of all the healthcare decisions made in this country.

3) There are 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. and growth in women-owned businesses is double that of all businesses in the U.S.

• Women-owned businesses generated $3.6 trillion in sales and employed 27.5 million people in 1999.
• A women-owned firm employs 1 in 4 of U.S. workers.

4) In education: More than 1/2 of the classroom seats in the top law and medical schools are filled with women. Graduate business schools are enrolling on average over 40% of women in their classes.

5) 80% of all women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives.

6) Women currently hold 60% of the wealth in the U.S. and they can be expected to come into more money through earnings and inheritance.

7) Baby boom women and their aging mothers will determine what is to become of much of the intergenerational transfer of wealth expected in the next 50 years. Why?

• 22% of women never marry
• 52% of marriages end in divorce
• 75% of women become widowed

8) Women outlive men by 7 years and the current age of widowhood is 57

9) Women have the power to influence well over $50 billion dollars per year in foundation and corporate gifts.

• 51.4% of the CEOs of all U.S. foundations are women
• 71% of corporate giving programs are led by women
• 56.3% of community foundations are run by women
• 49.5% of all family foundations are run by women.