Mission:
Women United in Philanthropy maximizes women’s leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions, and strengthening our community through the impact of collective giving to support human services.
History:
Women United in Philanthropy was formed in Charlottesville in 2005, in partnership with the United Way – Thomas Jefferson Area. The group first gathered in April, 2005, with the goals of fostering women’s philanthropy and helping the Charlottesville/Albemarle area by addressing human service needs through collective donations. We developed the following Mission Statement:
Women United in Philanthropy maximizes women’s leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions,
and strengthening our community
through the impact of collective giving to support human services.
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Women United in Philanthropy currently has approximately 120 members. We are a heterogeneous group in age, vocation and income. Our members range in age from the late twenties to the early seventies, and we work all over town – in businesses, at the university, in private practice, in social service agencies, and as volunteers.Because the financial status of our members varies, we offer two levels of membership: General ($75) for those wanting to attend the yearly programs and assist in underwriting expenses, and Donor ($575) for those wanting to contribute $500 of their fee to the group’s Collective Fund.
In addition to making donations, Women United in Philanthropy offers an on-going series of educational presentations to help its members become better informed and more effective donors. In the past year, we have sponsored several excellent speakers. Laura Nash of the Harvard Business School spoke in April, 2005, about her book, Just Enough. Her research focuses on the challenge of balancing four key aspects life: happiness, legacy, achievement, and contribution. Steve Nock, Professor of Sociology at U.Va., spoke in August, 2005. He examined the demographics of our community, highlighting those populations in particular need. In November, 2005, Olivia Mellan, author, therapist, lecturer, and occasional guest on Oprah and The Today Show, explored the topic of "Women and the Psychology of Money." Finally, Ellen Remmer, Vice President of The Philanthropic Institute in Boston, spoke about "Women as Community Donors: Powerful Qualities of Women’s Giving" in May, 2006.
Since Women United in Philanthropy began, we have been fortunate to receive the support of various local institutions and companies. We thank the following groups for co-sponsoring our educational programs: The Batten Institute; The Darden School of Business at U.Va.; Hoffman, White & Kaelber, C.P.A.s and Wealth Managers; Hot Cakes; La Bastide; Northwestern Mutual Financial Network; Virginia National Bank; and Volvo of Charlottesville.
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Women United in Philanthropy was founded by a group of local women who believe that women’s collaboration in philanthropy, in numerous creative forms, can be a true force to make a difference.
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Women United focuses on encouraging synergy among like-minded women through events, discussions, and other outreach activities in order to collectively raise the level of giving in our community.
Who we are:
Mission: Women United in Philanthropy maximizes women’s leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions, and strengthening our community through the impact of collective giving to support human services.
