Who Runs the World: Women in Philanthropy
Dear Diary,
As we have this engaging, smart, and empowering conversation with a donor, I want you to imagine that softly playing in the background is Beyonce’s song, Run the World (Girls). Today, we are having a conversation with Jennifer Vincent, Account Executive for Blackbaud and current President of Apra Carolinas, and most importantly a philanthropist and donor.
Q: To begin this conversation, can you tell us how you describe your philanthropic giving? What motivates you to give?
Jennifer: Absolutely! I fall firmly into the Annual Giving category of philanthropy with varied philanthropic interests. Growing up, I saw my parents giving to organizations with needs they could relate to. As an adult, I followed their lead and began to give to humanitarian and environmental causes. While my husband is philanthropically minded, I am the primary donor in our household. We both tend to follow the news quite closely and will make decisions around where to put our philanthropic dollars. I am usually the one who takes the step to actually make the donations. A prime example is that we are both alumni of the same university and annual supporters. I know how important alumni participation rates are and how much colleges and universities rely on those annual dollars – which is why I make donations in my name and his name. The Philosophy Department likely thinks he’s a very loyal alumnus, but really it’s me behind the scenes making donations to his area of interest on his behalf.
Q: In March 2020, I wrote about the power of influence, and how we have a lot of impact-driven donors who have been influenced by peers, their family members, and external factors, to become givers. What are your general thoughts on philanthropic motivations and influences? And, as you have already touched on your parents as motivators, and how you followed their lead – when or how did you realize that philanthropy was important? Did they pronounce it or explain it to you?
Jennifer: I think influence is a very powerful component in philanthropy. Among other things, it can be used to encourage friendly competition among donors and it’s a very effective peer-to-peer fundraising technique. This is why most organizations will have a “share” feature after you make a donation. There are so many charitable organizations that it’s tough to know how to vet them and find the right area to give. If I want to make a gift to combat climate change – where do I go? Which organization do I choose? Once I’ve made my choice, I want to share that with my friends and family so they will support the organization too. If it’s a giving day, I may share with them a match challenge that I want to unlock to access a donation multiplier. I save my friends a family a step because I’ve vetted the organization and I’ve made it easy for them to donate. Perhaps I’ll also share that I gave $250 to encourage them to give at that level as well – or higher, for those who like to be on top.
As for my familial influences, I grew up as an active volunteer. My dad would take us on the weekend to the food bank to volunteer, or we would help out with a build for Habitat for Humanity. My mom was often the one to give a dollar to someone on the street when they asked for money. As I got older, they introduced the concept of philanthropy and discussed areas of interest. When I was in high school I began volunteering at hospitals and other one-off drop-in volunteer programs. I began to donate blood regularly and, eventually, I began to donate my money as well as my time. I learned a lot about the importance of philanthropy when I started my first role with Advancement. I had always heard “every dollar counts” but once I saw the effects of participation rates and general funds, I finally understood that line. I now donate philanthropically and politically, knowing that my dollar not only increases a fund by $1, but it also shows my support. One of the reasons I chose to make the move to Blackbaud is because they have such a strong support of volunteering and giving back. They have an incredible matching gift program – so my donations are doubled – and I earn vacation time by volunteering. I hope these programs continue to catch on at other organizations.
Q: Let’s talk a little about how you drive you and your husband’s philanthropy. Does the Philosophy Department at your alma mater (or other nonprofits) acknowledge the both of you on these donations or just him? How are you stewarded, as someone who is making the donations on his behalf, and do you think you are stewarded appropriately?
Jennifer: When I donate to our alma mater, I make the donation on his behalf as if it comes from him [though the billing is through me], so the thank you goes to him. It’s a nominal donation, so I don’t expect it to gain much attention. I appreciate that the acknowledgment process honors that. My husband and I have different last names, so it’s always interesting to see what arrives in the mail. It usually arrives appropriately, but sometimes he shows up with my last name, and sometimes I show up with his last name. The only one that truly bothers me is when something arrives addressed to Mr. & Mrs. His-First-Name His-Last-Name. Excuse me? What century do we live in? Semantics aside, I often find that the best stewardship is the one that makes it seem like I am a part of the mission. A few of our local organizations have done a great job of stewarding through global impact of dollars, interwoven with specific impact stories. The same can be said for my alma mater – they do a wonderful job of shining a light on the impact of scholarship dollars. Some donors care more about the overall (global) impact while others care about the specific (individual) impact. Great stewardship programs will hit on both points to help keep donors engaged.
Q: Since you work in Prospect Development, you know how giving is analyzed. Does that knowledge ever effect how you analyze your experience with nonprofits and their solicitations?
Jennifer: Absolutely. I not only work in Prospect Development, but I specialize in Fundraising Analytics. I know the data that is available, and I am always interested to see what the standard dollar amounts are in every appeal I receive. If I make a gift of $250 to an organization, I am always interested to see what the next appeal is. Is it $25? Is it $500? Those numbers inform my next donation. I also pay close attention to the language in the gift receipt and next appeal. Are they telling me how my dollars drive impact? Does it seem like my gift matters? Without my professional experience, I’m not sure I would have noticed this before, but it definitely plays a role in my engagement with an organization.
Editor’s note: Please reread Jennifer’s brilliant answer above, this is an absolutely brilliant take on how she is analyzing appeals, and language in gift receipts and appeals.
Q: Recognition of women and their role in Philanthropy is top of mind for many in Fundraising, and has been especially in the last decade. How can we be better at centering and prioritizing women who give?
Jennifer: I think it’s important to note that many women are the driving factor in philanthropy, whether as the primary donor or behind the scenes directing the donation. There is often a difference in how men and women prefer to be solicited. It’s not as easy as saying “if a man, do Y; if a woman, do X” because gender does not decide behavior. I think one way to encourage women into philanthropy is to pay attention to your donors and do analysis around gender. Looking at your major donors, you may be surprised to see how many men are assigned as primary donors … while their wives are the ones making the decisions. Attempts should be made to cultivate both spouses, though it’s important to follow the lead on which is more interested in engaging. Solicitations, invitations, mentions etc. should always include her name. Unless she has specifically requested it, a wife should never be referred to as Mrs. John Doe; she is Mrs. Jane Doe. She is not Mr. John Doe and his wife. Whether or not she is calling the shots, those donations are coming out of their collective financial accounts, which means they should both be recognized.
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Jennifer, thank you for making this interview so fruitful. And, a major thank you to all of the women philanthropically shifting how people give, how giving should be analyzed, supporting critical causes, and being leaders.
Until next time, September 15th!
