By Jennifer Vickerman Akaolisa, CFRE, Gift Planner

March is Women’s History Month, and it’s a great time to check in on the increasing role of women in philanthropy.

At the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, we are honored to work with women across multiple generations. Women’s growing control over wealth is fueling transformative potential to reshape philanthropy. According to a research-based analysis published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, over the next decade, trillions of dollars will transfer to women through inheritance, earnings and outliving male partners in heterosexual couples.

What’s more, research from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, including Women Give 2024: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends, supports what many are seeing firsthand: women are increasingly leading charitable decisions within their families.

Sometimes this shift happens gradually — a daughter becomes more involved in conversations about family giving, or a spouse who once deferred decisions begins shaping philanthropic priorities more directly. In other cases, the transition is sudden and deeply personal, such as after the death of a spouse or parent, when a woman assumes sole responsibility for stewarding both financial assets and charitable intent.

You’re likely familiar with high-profile examples such as MacKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates. But the trend is much more widespread than just billionaires and a few big names.

Women often give more generously, more broadly and more collaboratively than men. Notably, the ways women approach philanthropy differ significantly from men, especially with respect to motivations such as empathy, personal priorities and firsthand involvement.

As women step more fully into philanthropic leadership, thoughtful planning can help ensure that their giving remains impactful and sustainable. Here are three ways the Foundation partners with women and families to implement philanthropic intentions: