“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
Have you ever experienced a moment when you realize you’re not alone in your values, your vision, or your desire to create change? Recently, I’ve been immersed with several groups of women who are channeling their collective power toward impact, and I’m witnessing something profound: when women come together grounded in community and trust, not only do they support each other, but they amplify their individual and collective capacity to transform the world.
This realization has coincided with compelling research showing that as women control an increasing share of wealth- expected to reach 70% of the $50 trillion wealth transfer by 2030- they’re approaching giving, investing, and civic engagement in fundamentally different ways than their predecessors. The future of philanthropy is collaborative, values-driven, powerfully collective, and increasingly female.
My own journey into women’s collaborative spaces has opened my eyes to what becomes possible when we move beyond individual action to collective impact. I’ve been blessed with a foundation for understanding this power through my “tribe” of camp friends that is comprised of 47 years of extraordinary friendships built on showing up for each other and cheering each other on through every season of life. This enduring community has taught me that when women commit to trust-building and supporting each other over decades, they create something unshakeable. Now, through investment circles, political engagement groups, and philanthropic communities, I’m experiencing how these same values can be a force multiplier for social change.
What I’m Reading: The Call for Collective Action
In “A New Era of Philanthropy,” Dimple Abichandani outlines ten practices for transformative giving, all worth unpacking and exploring, with the tenth being “All Together Now”—seeking and finding collective approaches to giving. Her invitation resonates deeply: “We come out from behind our desks, venture beyond our institutions, and find one another. Let’s truly engage one another on what is needed in this time, what we are learning, and how we can invest as an ecosystem in a more just and sustainable future.”
This ecosystem approach is reinforced by recent research from Stanford Social Innovation Review on women donors. The data reveals that women give more broadly, are more collaborative in their approach, and are more likely to engage multiple generations in their philanthropy. Women spread their giving across more organizations, volunteer more at places where they donate, and are significantly more likely to seek input from others on their giving decisions.
What strikes me most is how these patterns reflect something deeper about women’s approach to change-making. As the Stanford researchers note, “Women are more likely to give, to give more, and to give more effectively when they are in the company of other women.” This reality isn’t just about comfort or preference. It is about creating conditions where bold action becomes possible.
In my work with multiple families, I’ve seen this principle play out through what I call the 6 Ts of engagement: Time, Talent, Treasure, Ties, Testimony, and Tent. When women approach these six dimensions collectively rather than individually, each element becomes amplified through the ecosystem that Abichandani describes.
What I’m Learning: Building Investment and Advocacy Ecosystems
This past year, I’ve intentionally joined women-centered communities across different spheres of impact. Through Invest for Better, I’ve discovered that values-aligned investing starts with taking inventory of all your assets and ensuring they reflect your deepest convictions. My biggest takeaways have been surprisingly practical: knowing and collecting all my assets in one place has given me clarity about my true capacity for impact, and committing to shop and invest locally, from my co-op to locally grown flowers to my yoga studio, has shown me how every spending decision builds the community I want to see flourish.
I’m also actively searching for an advocacy community, understanding that policy change, particularly at the state level, can be even more impactful than philanthropy alone, or can be married with philanthropic efforts for exponential impact. When women come together not just to fund solutions but to advocate for systemic changes, we address root causes rather than just symptoms.
My learning journeys have reinforced the research: women’s collaborative approach creates ecosystems of community, trust, and shared vision that make transformational change possible.
What I’m Creating: Spaces for Authentic Connection
Drawing from decades of friendship and recent community experiences, I’m creating environments within my philanthropic coaching practice where women can have bold conversations about their philanthropic investments—spaces grounded in the same values that have sustained my camp friendships: authentic presence, truth-telling with kindness, and trust built through consistency.
Building on the framework I’ve shared in a previous newsletter, the sixth dimension—Tent—represents the inclusive spaces we create for these conversations. When women approach the 6 Ts collectively rather than individually, each element becomes exponentially more powerful through shared wisdom and coordinated action.
What I’m Enjoying: The Joy of Living Fully
“I didn’t know the answers, but I could feel that the things that gave life meaning came from a place within and from the nurturing of values like tolerance, charity, and community.”
― Dick Van Dyke, My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business
Recently, I discovered the Coldplay video “All My Love” featuring Dick Van Dyke. At 99, Van Dyke embodies pure joie de vivre. In it, he dances with abandon, radiating joy, and seems to embrace life with the kind of free-spirited energy that transcends age. His performance reminds me that the most powerful force for change isn’t duty or obligation, but joy.
This connects to something I’m seeing in women’s collective spaces: when we’re aligned with our values and surrounded by others who share our vision, the work doesn’t feel heavy. It feels generative, energizing, even celebratory. Dick Van Dyke’s infectious joy reminds me that sustainability in our change-making work comes not from grim determination, but from finding deep pleasure in the process of creating the world we want to live in. I encourage you to take 7 minutes to share in the joy of a life well-lived, surrounded by love
What I’m Sharing: Values Alignment
The collaborative principles explored in this newsletter extend beyond women’s spaces into all forms of values-driven community building. Last month, I had the privilege of presenting to a group of young Jewish entrepreneurs about “Passion and Purpose: Connecting Values to Ventures.” On June 4th, I’ll be joining a panel on “Intergenerational Wealth Aligning with Impact Investment”, exploring how families come together across generations, aligned around their values for impact.
Whether it’s women’s investment circles, entrepreneurial communities, or multigenerational families, the pattern remains consistent: when people unite around shared values and commit to collective action, transformation accelerates.
The research is clear that the future of philanthropy is increasingly female, collaborative, and values-driven. But beyond the data, there’s something deeply human about what happens when any family or group comes together with intention. We don’t just change the world. We change and lift up each other, and in the process, we discover capacities we never knew we had. There’s real power in the “we”.