Posts Categorized: Uncategorized

International Women’s Day has blown up my news feed. I guess it means something? I’d feel better if we didn’t need a day to celebrate the fact that we are all worth celebrating. I mean, can we imagine an International Men’s Day? Still, I’m a huge fan of women and a true believer that with every… Read more »

“The best one you’ve done yet!” If I had a pledge card for every woman who said that to me after our event with Brooke Shields last month. Each year, we invite a dynamic, accomplished, not-often-heard-from-but-pretty-well-known woman to speak at our big fall Women United in Philanthropy membership event. (Note: not a fund-raiser. It’s maybe the only non-fundraiser… Read more »

There is a lot of conversation about this now. Perhaps its the Pre-Election Season and everyone is looking to rally around a hot button. Or maybe its because celebrities are beginning to have something to say about it. Did you see Sienna Miller’s story in Vogue about her decision to turn down a role on Broadway… Read more »

I’ve been doing a good bit of reading lately about how foundations, corporations and individuals do their grant making. It’s an art, really, and there are as many different ways to invest in good causes as there are good causes in which to invest. After 10 years of grant making, the members of Women United… Read more »

I think this is such a terrific idea! While researching how giving circles around the country are handling their grant making programs, I came across this example of grant innovation from a group called “Impact Austin” in Austin, Texas. A women’s giving circle very similar to Women United in Philanthropy, Impact Austin started a giving… Read more »

One of the highlights of my professional career was introducing Gloria Steinem to a packed audience of Women United in Philanthropy members and their guests at our 2007 Annual Fall Gathering. Her bio, and the list of her accomplishments, awards, recognitions, appointments, prizes and published works, was three pages long. As I reached the halfway… Read more »

Last week, members of Women United in Philanthropy and their guests came together for a fabulous evening of discussion about grant making, foundation giving, and how best to make a difference by giving money. That may not sound exciting to everyone, but for members of our giving circle–all of whom vote to “give away” our… Read more »

My husband gave me a Fitbit for Valentine’s Day. He’s written inside a blank card, “Let’s live together.” I thought it was one of the most romantic things ever. Here’s the problem. I”m embarrassed to wear the darn thing because I don’t walk and don’t have a chance of reaching the American Heart Association’s recommended… Read more »

It has been difficult to arrive at a topic for this week’s entry. The news has been filled with grief, helplessness, anger and worry and it feels disrespectful to ignore that. Regardless of our personal opinions, beliefs and politics, we can all feel sadness at how difficult life is for so many and how fortunate… Read more »

My daughter keeps me fed with good books. She works in publishing and recently came home with a delightful volume by Oprah Winfrey entitled What I Know for Sure. It’s a compilation of monthly columns by the same name that Oprah has written over fourteen years for O Magazine. In the Introduction, Oprah retells the… Read more »