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Unleashing women's philanthropy
Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing,
7
(4),
345-350
(2023)
Abstract
Women are gaining power and prominence in almost every corner of society, and philanthropy is no exception. As women's philanthropy continues to grow in all areas such as healthcare, education and humanitarian work, the need for advancement shops to pay particular attention to this phenomenon is critical. At James Madison University (JMU), Women for Madison (WFM), a women-led initiative, was formed in 2013 with a mission to promote investment in the future of JMU. In the last few years, JMU has embarked on a bold initiative to engage its women donors to become a visible and leading force in philanthropy. That effort eventually led WFM to create a women's giving society, the Amethyst Circle. The Amethyst Circle is the first-of-its-kind giving society at JMU. Together, JMU and WFM are harnessing the collective power of women's philanthropy to raise US$1m every two years through 200 women donors. Members will help open doors to high-achieving students who need scholarships to attend the university. This paper highlights what JMU has sought to achieve, and how other institutions of higher education might be inspired to make gender equality a focus of their giving.
Keywords: women's philanthropy; philanthropy; giving; giving circles; engagement; women in philanthropy
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Cannie Campbell has worked both in university advancement and student affairs at James Madison University (JMU) and is an adjunct faculty member at JMU, as well as for the Virginia Community College System. Cannie has spoken on the local, regional and national circuit on various topics regarding health and wellness issues, women's philanthropy, women's issues and leadership. She is passionate about the advancement of all women in higher education and creating meaningful leadership roles in their field. Her desire to lift up under-represented populations is evident not only in fundraising but in her personal endeavours as well. Cannie has a BS from JMU, a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) from the University of Oklahoma and a second master's degree and EdS in Clinical Mental Health Counselling from JMU. She is currently a PhD candidate at JMU. She is involved in a variety of community service organisations, both locally and internationally, serving as a foster parent, sitting on several non-profit boards and is an advocate for marginalised populations. She has two children, Grayson and Isaiah, and lives with her partner, Paul, in Harrisonburg.
Sean Clifford has over 15 years' experience in the non-profit sector, both nationally and internationally, working in Northern Ireland, Costa Rica, Honduras and in the US in Dallas and now Harrisonburg. Sean presented alongside Cannie at the 2022 CASE III Conference in Atlanta on women's philanthropy and in 2020, he facilitated CASE workshops focused on volunteer engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University. Originally from Northern Ireland, Sean is married to Jacqui, from California, and has two Texan sons, Odhrán and Cassian. All are happily living in the scenic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
