Why Appealing to Women Is a Must for Your Nonprofit

Think about the people who are the most ardent financial supporters of your organization. What do you notice about them? If most of your nonprofit donations come from women, you aren’t alone. As it turns out, women make more charitable donations than men—and the difference is striking.

How Much More Do Women Give?

According to research by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, women are more apt to make nonprofit donations than men, despite earning less throughout their lifetimes:

Among Baby Boomers, women make 89% more nonprofit donations than men.

Women with permanent income in the top 25% give 156% more than their male counterparts.

Compared to men, women are nearly two times as likely to agree that giving to charity is the most satisfying aspect of being wealthy.

Research has revealed that women almost always give more than their male peers, no matter their income. Although they live longer and have less to live on, women tend to give larger portions of their resources to charity than men. Therefore, it is imperative that your nonprofit fundraising appeal to this large group of potential donors.

Be Specific and Personal

Psychologists in Israel conducted a study that revealed differences in the ways men and women make nonprofit donations. Women on average said they would give $35 to help a specific person, while they would only give $16 to help a “group of people.”

To appeal to women, you need to personalize the need rather than speaking in general terms. Be specific about what their donation will go toward. Show them ways they can relate to the person or cause that is receiving the funds. If they feel a connection, they will be more likely to give a larger amount.

Be Sure to Use the Right Wording

How important is word choice in coming up with a nonprofit fundraising campaign? One study looked at the phrases used on collection jars in bakeries to find out. The jars either contained the words “donating=loving” or “donating=helping.” Researchers found that “donating=loving” made nearly twice as much money as the “donating=helping” labels.

The word “love” likely drew in more nonprofit donations because it appeals to a person’s emotions and compassion. The study wasn’t aimed at women, but appealing to women’s emotions can only help your cause. Keep this in mind when selecting your messaging.

Make Nonprofit Donations More Convenient

Women tend to lead incredibly busy lives. Many work full time jobs while trying to raise a family simultaneously. This often means that they are juggling many demands at once. They probably don’t have time to attend all of your fundraisers, and even if they did, they may not have a chance to drop by an ATM for cash.

Thankfully, you can make giving easier for these women through technology. With a mobile giving app, for example, you can enable supporters to give quickly and effortlessly on their phones, without demanding a great deal of time. Not only that, but they can give from anywhere, at any time—even if they aren’t present. To make the process even easier going forward, they can set up automatic recurring donations.

Keep the tips listed above in mind when planning your nonprofit fundraising campaigns. If you play your cards right, women will bring their support your way. Your organization likely can’t survive without them.