Negotiating Philanthropy, Power, and Privilege: An Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Women in Higher Education Fund-Raising

• In Event: 31.018 - Gender Equity Across Contexts

Abstract

Women in higher education fundraising navigate the broad forces of sexism and racism in society and their profession. A profession in which they are being paid less than men in comparable roles and are under-represented in leadership roles, despite being the majority of fundraising professionals. Through the lens of intersectionality, the study explored the interplay of power and privilege as women navigate the landscape of higher education fundraising. This context included their institutions, colleagues and supervisors, and interactions with fundraising prospects and donors. The results of this study inform strategies employed by institutional advancement leaders as they support women in fundraising and offered an opportunity for women in fundraising to tell their stories and critique the philanthropic status quo.

Authors

• Daniel Mathis Spadafore, Eastern Michigan University

• Rema Reynolds, Eastern Michigan University