Don Taylor wasn't surprised by a new survey showing that women are more likely to donate to charities -- and to donate more money to charities -- than men.
Although men such as Bill Gates typically score headlines, women have been quietly writing checks to charities for years, said Taylor, a veteran Twin Cities nonprofit fundraiser.
There's the busy professional woman with little time but some extra cash, he said. The widow looking to do good in her final years. The idealistic 20-somethings who want to network and change the world.
"It's important for us to realize that this is not a male-dominated decision anymore," said Taylor, now a vice president at the Minneapolis Foundation.
The Women's Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University concluded the same thing. In its biannual survey of 8,000 households, it pulled out giving patterns for heads of households who were widowed, single, divorced or separated. It divided respondents into men and women, and into five income brackets.
The survey, entitled WomenGive 2010, found in four of five income brackets, women were more likely to donate.
Karen Leonard, a retired St. Paul businesswoman, wasn't part of the survey but exemplifies the trend. She began her philanthropic career as a kid, donating used clothing to her church. As a young professional, she helped launch the Women's Foundation of Minnesota. Now in retirement, she's created an annual "giving plan" and a private fund at the women's foundation.
"This is money I earned myself, and I'm proud of it," she said. "But I want to give back."
