It’s Time We Recognise Women in Philanthropy
Women are already shaping philanthropy in Australia, but their impact isn’t always recognised.
From household giving decisions to community leadership and volunteering, women play a central role in how generosity shows up across the country. Yet many don’t identify as “philanthropists”, and public recognition still tends to favour large, high-profile donations.
The She Gives campaign highlights a clear opportunity to change this. Its recommendations focus on reshaping how giving is understood and supported, including broadening the definition of philanthropy, improving visibility of women’s contributions, and building more accessible pathways for women to engage in structured giving.
With a significant intergenerational wealth transfer of $5.4 trillion, women are set to control a growing share of wealth, representing a major opportunity to expand giving in Australia.
The intent is already there. Many women want to give more, driven by a sense of purpose and impact. What’s missing is visibility, recognition and systems that reflect how they choose to contribute.
For a stronger culture of giving to grow, how philanthropy is defined needs to be broadened, and the people already driving it need to be recognised.
