Common Good Vermont: Women Philanthropists in Vermont

Description

Lauren-Glenn Davitian speaks with Kristen DeVoe-Talluto who has just completed research on the role of women in Vermont's philanthropic community for her Master's at the University of Vermont. See a short version of the presentation.

Using a practice theory framework, DeVoe-Talluto  explored the components of a philanthropic practice and investigated how women acquired these components and adapted them into a philanthropic practice.  Through in-depth interviews with eight women who were identified by their peers as philanthropists, the study showed that awareness, engagement and trust were essential competencies that the participants needed in order to take philanthropic action.  When these competencies are combined with both materials (resources, relationships and vehicles to move resources) and philanthropic meanings (to create, reward, and/or transform) they serve as the foundational elements of a philanthropic practice.

This study finds that these philanthropic components were acquired through the influence of other practices and relationships; involvement in board service and volunteer positions, the exchange of money and know-how, intense emotional connections, as well as relationships with family, friends and experts proved especially influential.  At times consciously and at other times unknowingly, the women participated in an iterative process of doing-encountering-seeking-discovering that was driven by each woman’s motivation to bring alignment to her inner and outer philanthropic performances.

The research also explored three forces that acted on and within a philanthropic practice: capacity, ownership and vitality.  These forces animated and inspired the practice and directed the philanthropic practice “careers” of the women.  The women’s conceptions of gender shaped their understanding of their personal capacity and was one of several factors that influenced the degree of ownership they had toward their practice. 

This study demonstrated that philanthropy is an integrated, emergent and transformative practice that is intensely relational and extends beyond the giving of money.  

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