Giving Tuesday Insight: Why & How You Can Help Women Lead
Giving Tuesday offers a proven avenue to fund programs designed for women and girls, including Take The Lead.
The disruptive challenges of the past year culturally, economically and politically, highlight the fact that independent funding for resources aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of women and girls makes a difference. More is needed.
Giving Tuesday, December 2, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is the vehicle that powers many non-profits, institutions and movements. That includes Take The Lead, with the mission to “prepare, develop, inspire, and propels all women of all diversities and intersectionalities to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors.”
Individual donations make a huge difference.
Donate here to Take The Lead on Giving Tuesday
“On Giving Tuesday, we focus on giving back — not just in charity, but as an affirmation of our role in shaping the world,” says Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead. “If you’re passionate about intersectional gender equality and leadership, consider supporting Take The Lead.”
“On #GivingTuesday, we focus on giving back — not just in charity, but as an affirmation of our role in shaping the world,” says Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of @TakeLeadwomen ”
Feldt adds, “Our mission is bold, and with your support — a reflection of the power you inherently hold — we can continue making significant strides.” Many donations will be matched (doubled) by sponsors.
Read more in Take The Lead on Giving Tuesday
With increasing donations, more is possible.
According to Giving Tuesday, “In 2024, U.S. donors contributed $3.6 billion on Giving Tuesday, a record-breaking 16% increase from the prior year’s $3.1 billion. Within that surge, crypto giving hit historic highs, surpassing $1 billion in donations for the year, with one-third of that total given in December alone.”
Founded in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y, the inaugural Day of Giving was meant to “bring focus to the charitable season in the wake of the commercialized Black Friday and Cyber Monday.” Boosted by social media, the goal was to think beyond personal needs (and sales on coats and mattresses) in order to dive into philanthropy.
Read more in Take The Lead about Giving Tuesday CEO
For the first time, “giving to women's and girls' organizations exceeded 2%” of total dollars donated. And the “Dobbs decision sparked 40% increase in reproductive health donations.” That was the reversal of abortion rights for women across the country, according to Biz Journals.
A new study from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the Women & Girls Index, is “the only comprehensive dataset tracking charitable organizations focused on women and girls.” The study shows “$11.4 billion in philanthropic support was directed to women’s and girls’ in 2023.”
“Women & Girls Index @WPIinsights shows “$11.4 billion in philanthropic support was directed to women’s and girls’ in 2023.” That is 2% of all giving. @takeleadwomen #GivingTuesday”
Read more in Take The Lead about giving
The increase in giving to causes that support women and girls is good, but the nuance is that it is not good enough. According to the Women & Girls Index, “While the proportion of giving to women’s and girls’ organizations has grown, these organizations still receive around two cents of every charitable dollar. Donors seeking to maximize their impact can use the WGI to identify organizations that align with their values and consider providing unrestricted, multi-year support that allows organizations to plan for the future and weather funding fluctuations.”
The inspiration for many donors as well as recipients of her philanthropy, Melinda French Gates this year again is “offering to match up to $1 million in gifts to two nonprofit organizations to help spur donations on GivingTuesday, which has become a major annual fundraising day for nonprofits,” according to AP News.
Read more from Gloria Feldt on giving for women’s leadership
“It’s a great time to remind people that we’re better off when we give something back and we all have something to give back,” said French Gates in an interview, AP reports.
“It’s a great time to remind people that we’re better off when we give something back and we all have something to give back,” said @MelindaGates @AP #GivingTuesday”
Take The Lead relies on sponsorships and donations to offer a bounty of resources, that include virtual and in person courses and trainings such as the 9 Leadership Power Tools Online Course; and 50 Women Can Change the World. Premium Coaching and mentorship are available, along with Workshops & Programs for Companies and institutions. A treasure of content include the award-winning Movement Blog, newsletter, podcasts, LinkedIn Live series and more.
“Take The Lead has trained over 5,000 women to accelerate their leadership journeys,” says Feldt. “With your support, we reach even more—creating opportunities, building communities and driving progress that lasts.”
“Take The Lead “has trained over 5,000 women to accelerate their leadership journeys. With your support, we reach even more—creating opportunities, building communities and driving progress that lasts,” says Gloria Feldt, co-founder, pres. @takeleadwomen #GivingTuesday”
That progress toward equity has not yet reached the initial Take The Lead mission at its founding in 2014 of gender parity in leadership by 2025, but progress is visible and viable.
The global goal to close the gender gap is in progress, but not yet reached. Harvard University reports, “The World Economic Forum’s global gender gap score, which measures gender parity around the world, stands at 68 percent. At the current pace of improvement, it will take 268 years to close this gap This means that in our lifetimes, our daughters’ lifetimes, and even our granddaughters’ lifetimes, we will not see a gender equal world.”
Read more from Gloria Feldt on philanthropy
It is not the time to quit pushing, when challenges to defund DEI, erase laws that provide justice in access for women and instead eliminate opportunities are reaching higher intensities. It comes down to funding and acknowledging urgent needs.
“Globally, micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises owned by women are underfunded by $1.7 trillion. Closing the global credit gap for women would result in a 12 percent increase in average annual income across all genders by 2030,” Harvard reports.
“Globally, micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises owned by women are underfunded by $1.7 trillion. Closing the global credit gap for women would result in a 12 percent increase in average annual income across all genders by 2030.” @HarvardU #funding #genderequity ”
“Greater women’s economic participation is important because women typically reinvest up to 90 percent of their earnings in their families and communities compared to only 30 to 40 percent among men. This in turn can help expedite development and overcome societal poverty,” according to Harvard.
Read more in Take The Lead on women giving
The good news to applaud is that the number of women entrepreneurs launching new businesses is increasing greatly. According to Biz Journals, “Women started 49% of new businesses last year, increasing 69% since 2019.” Additionally, these businesses “es need more support from banks, policymakers, and business infrastructure.”
Biz journals reports, “This trend is manifesting as a broader, critical economic shift happening: women quietly building small-but-sustainable, service-based businesses that power families and communities.”
Read more in Take The Lead on women philanthropists
At Take The Lead, Feldt is embarking on a first for #GivingTuesday, something she has not done quite like this before. Here’s the catch: you’ll only get to see what happens when you donate. It is an act of courage to raise funds for women’s leadership you can watch live on Wednesday, 11/19 at Noon EST.
“Every dollar fuels @TakeLeadwomen programs that help women rise, lead, and close the power gap. Our mission is bold, and with your support — a reflection of the power you inherently hold — we can continue making significant strides,” says Gloria Feldt, cofounder, pres. Take The Lead #GivingTuesday”
Feldt says, “Every dollar fuels Take The Lead’s programs that help women rise, lead, and close the power gap.” She adds, “Our mission is bold, and with your support — a reflection of the power you inherently hold — we can continue making significant strides.”
