When it comes to finances, many women can say “We’ve come a long way, baby!” Today, regardless of whether a woman contributes to the family’s income, it’s common for both the husband and wife to make financial decisions together. Along those lines, many women now also have a larger say in how the family’s charitable dollars are spent as well.
In an effort to inspire and empower Jewish women of Kansas City to play a substantial role in the family’s financial giving, the Jewish Community Foundation and the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation has planned the G-3 Summit: A Woman’s Guide to Good Giving. It will take place on Oct. 30 and is being co-chaired by three women who are tremendously involved in philanthropic endeavors in Kansas City: Debbie Sosland Edelman, Polly Kramer and Alana Muller.
Sosland-Edelman said the program’s goal is to give women the tools they need to understand their charitable giving. She believes the program will help women learn to:
• Make giving more important and more central parts of their lives
• Give women an understanding that their giving can have a significant impact in changing the world (tikkun olam)
• Help give women the tools to best align their values with their giving of both time and money
• Give women the tools so they give with confidence
• Encourage women to set an example for their families
All these issues, Sosland-Edelman said, will be addressed in either breakout sessions or the speech given by the event’s keynote speaker, Andrea Pactor. Pactor is the associate director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University and her speech will cover how women can best align their giving — of both time and money — to their own values, and to develop confidence when it comes to giving.
Sosland-Edelman explained that the Women’s Philanthropy Institute is the preeminent center for the study of women and philanthropy.
“The moment you meet Andrea, you realize this woman knows what she’s talking about. She is smart, intuitive, knowledgeable and passionate,” Sosland-Edelman said.
As Sosland-Edelman and the committee researched the impact of women’s philanthropy in preparation for this event, they learned many things. One thing they learned is that reliable evidence shows women who participate in donor education programs are more likely to give larger gifts, to give unrestricted gifts, to develop a long-term giving plan, and to hold leadership roles on nonprofit boards.
Kramer said the committee hopes at least 100 women will attend the G3 program. From advanced reservations, she believes there is a very good chance they will exceed that number.
Among the many goals of this program is to show women how philanthropy can change throughout their lives, thus making the program multi-generational. They hope young women just out of college will attend, as well as women who are enjoying their golden years.
“It’s going to speak to different generations about how to give in your lifetime because what you do in your 20s is not the same as what you will do in your 50s or your 70s. But there’s always a way to be philanthropic and support things you are passionate about. It doesn’t take a lot of money to make an impact,” Kramer said.
She believes the event will be a great way for women to learn how to make a difference with their own gift.
“I think it’s nice to realize that you can give it in your own right and make your own choice about it,” Kramer said.
To Kramer, another important piece of the program is to help women learn how to choose who they want to give time or money to.
“A lot of times you give because you have a friend who is working on this project or that project. I think it’s important to give not because your friend likes it, but to really figure out what that group is doing, to learn how they spend their money and figure out if it is something that you really want to support,” she said.
Kramer also pointed out it’s not always the dollar amount that makes a gift meaningful.
“A gift can be meaningful if it’s what you can do, and it makes you feel good about what you’re doing and what you’re supporting,” she continued.
The upcoming event excites Sosland-Edelman.
“I am excited to bring a group of Jewish women together who are motivated to learn and grow in their understanding of how they can make a difference individually and collectively. When I think about that morning, I imagine a room full of energy, a kind of energy that only women working together can generate,” she said.
The G-3 Summit
The G-3 Summit: A Woman’s Guide to Good Giving will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Jewish Community Campus. It is co-sponsored by Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City and the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
The G-3 Summit will feature breakout sessions, networking with other women and a kosher brunch. Registration is required. For more information about cost or to register, contact Beverly Jacobson, Women’s Division director at 913-327-8108, or visit www.jewishkansascity.org/g3summit2011.aspx.