Feminist Giving Day Inspires Support for Women & Girls+

This spring, we partnered with GiveMN to host the first-ever Feminist Giving Day on GiveMN.org. We were so glad to connect with 338 new and longtime donor-partners who gave $437,754 to grow our collective investment in women, girls, and gender-expansive people across the state.

More than 40 years ago, we were founded out of a deep conviction to transform our systems so that all women and girls can thrive. Our founders knew that investing in women and girls was the key to stronger futures for families and all Minnesotans. Forty years later, we continue to dedicate our resources to researching, advocating, convening, and investing in women, girls, and gender-expansive people across the state.

But yet, a report from the Lilly School of Philanthropy shows that less than 2% of all giving nationwide goes to causes centering women and girls. From the Pocket Change report by the Ms. Foundation, we know that organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and women of color receive far less, and less than 1% of all foundation giving focuses on women and girls of color.

As the first statewide women’s foundation in the United States, we know that we must give generously and without restrictions. Investing in women is the #1 means to increase safety, progress, leadership, and health for families and communities. Together, we can grow the power of the women’s funding movement so that gender and racial equity and justice are at the heart of our way forward.

We were thrilled to join with GiveMN for a big, bold idea that embraced our shared values—a statewide giving day focused on women as the center of our families and communities. On May 9, Feminist Giving Day launched to ignite generosity and grow giving to women, girls, and gender-expansive people. Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation made a generous $100,000 contribution towards our goal, and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation provided a $30,000 match that doubled the gifts of so many partners. Every gift, every share, and every act of solidarity helps build a more inclusive and supportive community where everyone can thrive.

To share why it’s so vital to center women, girls, and gender-expansive people in giving, we hosted a panel discussion with leaders dedicated to transformative futures. Our Grow the 2% conversation was moderated by Terri Thao, program director with Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, and included WFM board chair Chanda Smith Baker, host of Conversations with Chanda; Henry Jiménez, WFM trustee and president and CEO of Propel Nonprofits; Nicole Matthews, founding executive director of Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition; and J’Mag Karbeah, from University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

We are grateful to everyone who donated in honor of mothers, grandmothers, and ancestors who’ve helped build the world we live in today. Their legacies propel us forward as we learn and grow our grantmaking, policy change, research, convenings, and narrative change. We saw confirmation of what we know: our supporters are generous. More than 300 people came together to support Feminist Giving Day, 48% of whom were new to the Women’s Foundation! As we grow awareness about who we are and what we do, we are excited to connect with new and valued donor-partners to spread the message that when we give generously to our state’s women, girls, and gender-expansive people, we all win.

When we look at the data in the Status of Women & Girls+ in Minnesota and listen to our partners, we must do more to honor, resource, and amplify the work of our grantee-partners, organizations centering Black, Indigenous, people of color, new Americans, LGBTQ+, and rural people. Feminist Giving Day represented a rallying cry to resource our state’s amazing communities with abundance.

We are grateful to GiveMN, the Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, and to all our supporters and partners for being with us on this journey to transformative futures for everyone in Minnesota. As a collective, our legacy is our future — a passionate commitment to gender and racial justice that is transforming Minnesota for the better.