Today, March 8 ^th, is International Women’s Day which is a “global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.”  It has been observed since the early 1900s and has grown in popularity over the years due to increased public attention about women’s equality issues.  

Women also have a significant role in philanthropy as well. As reported in the NonProfit Times in 2015, research completed by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Foundation School of Philanthropy found that women are more likely to give to charities than their male counterparts across generations and “are more likely to spread their giving across more organizations, while men concentrate their giving.”  These findings are not surprising to us.  In BBB WGA’s experience, we generally receive more inquiries about charities from women than men.  

So, one way to honor International Women’s Day is to follow their lead in supporting charities.  Of course, we also urge donors to visit Give.org to verify if the selected charities meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. 

On a related note, as part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Jennifer Windsor, CEO of  Women for Women International (a  BBB Accredited Charity).  This organization was founded twenty years ago to help the most marginalized of women in conflict affected countries to rebuild their lives.  The heart of their program is a 12-month training program that helps provide basic skills such as economic, literacy and knowledge of health and basic rights.  

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit  Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Kiwanis Children’s Fund
• New Venture Fund
• Seeing Eye 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to  https://give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.   

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance