Women Give 2024 Report: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends

Women Give 2024 examines how giving by women and men in the U.S. has changed since the turn of the century. Numerous events have transformed society over the last two decades— including the attacks on September 11, 2001; the Great Recession; and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have also indelibly changed charitable giving, influencing who gives, how much, and to which causes. This study seeks to understand these giving changes by describing the gendered trends in philanthropy taking place from the turn of the century through the pandemic.

Examining these gender differences is key because of transformations in both U.S. households and in charitable giving. The structure and behaviors of U.S. households have shifted dramatically in recent decades; delayed marriage, declining birth rates, and increasing numbers of young adults living with parents are all examples of these changes. At the same time, women’s incomes have become more central to families’ economic wellbeing; women’s growing leadership in households, the workforce, and society more broadly is influencing patterns of generosity. And while women were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they have also exhibited remarkable resilience and adaptability.

Even as households are changing, charitable giving in the U.S. is also experiencing transitions and disruptions. Participation in charitable giving has declined overall in recent decades; while total giving has increased, it now comes from a smaller portion of the U.S. population. Women Give 2024 asks the question: How has giving by U.S. women and men changed over the last 20 years, and especially in response to COVID-19? In addressing this subject, this study allows for a better understanding of the philanthropic landscape prior to and during the pandemic.

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