The campaign was catalyzed by a bold and visionary group of women donors, sparked by the inspiration of Swanee and Helen La Kelly Hunt, who together contributed a $10 million 'spark' gift to the campaign.
Together they are encouraging other women to flex their creativity and financial power to achieve lasting advances for women and girls. Their intention was that women, giving at historically new levels to women and girls, would help propel the collective financial assets of women’s funds through the $1 billion mark by raising $150 million in new gifts of a million dollars and above.
In May 2009, Women Moving Millions announced that more than $176 million has been raised through partnerships between 101 donors and 41 women's funds!
This massive infusion of investment, represented by the Women Moving Millions campaign, will be a force for lasting change in the life chances and opportunities of women and girls across the globe, with major reverberations for entire communities and countries. Together, women's funds will create lasting advances in areas from community leadership and education to poverty eradication and healthcare access.
Investments of $1 million or more can be given to a single Women's Funding Network member fund, several member funds, the Women's Funding Network or a combination of your choice. To find out more about how to take your place in history, visit the Women Moving Millions Website.
Background to the Initiative
Women Moving Millions highlights and taps two crucial trends:
The increased financial power and philanthropic potential of women
It is estimated that women hold more than 51% of the personal wealth in the United States, and they are set to inherit trillions of dollars more as the World War II generation begins to transfer its wealth. Women are expected to control 60% of the wealth in the United States by 2010.
An understanding that women's empowerment is the key to lasting, positive social change
The Economist has reported that increased economic activity of women in developing countries is stimulating more economic growth than China. Authorities from the World Bank to the United Nations confirm that positive return on investment on programs directed to women improves the conditions of family units, communities, and even nations.
Women Moving Millions is the catalyst and expression of these combined powerful forces, setting a vision for global change that can be achieved by a new infusion of social investment in women.
