One of the most significant barriers to women starting out in philanthropy is lack of knowledge about how and where to donate money. Women new to philanthropy, including women whose families may have ill-prepared them for the financial management of inheritance, may have trouble picking an organization or cause to focus on. They may be confused about which kind of donation will create the most value for an organization, or may simply not understand the tax ramifications of different forms of philanthropy.

That’s where Women Donors Network (WDN)comes in. A network of progressive women philanthropists, WDN focus on three themes: connect, collaborate, and catalyze. In other words, WDN helps women get into relationships that teach them about philanthropy — how to collaborate on philanthropic projects, and how to act as catalysts for progressive social change.

To women who lack the level of economic resources as members of WDN but still want to make a difference through a philanthropy portfolio, Hall recommends taking action. “Form groups and create communities,” she said. “Start with small dollar amounts, start locally, look at what interests are, and start making grants together.”

Read the full article by Jill Silos-Rooney on Philanthropy Women