Providing the vision, leadership, and engine behind its flagship Big Day of Giving, a program that has generated more than $104 million for hundreds of area nonprofits since its inception in 2013, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation is at the center of philanthropy in the greater Capital City region. In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, the Foundation is proud to recognize the critical role and powerful contributions of women in the regional nonprofit community but acknowledges there is more work to be done.
A sampling of data points about women working in the nonprofit community includes the following:
- During Big Day of Giving 2024, a full two-thirds of the top 50 organizations in the region that raised the most funds were led by women.
- With a mission to lead, serve, and inspire enduring philanthropy for a just and vibrant Sacramento region, the staff at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation is comprised of 95% women, including CEO Kerry Wood who has led the organization since 2022.
- Women hold nearly 70% of top leadership positions at regional nonprofits serving El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties which is 13% higher than the national average.
- However, and in alignment with national trends, women’s representation declines at the highest levels of leadership and power. The largest local nonprofits – those with the biggest budgets and the most employees, resources, and influence – female leadership drops significantly to 54%.
“Data shows that even in fields dominated by women, like the nonprofit sector, men often rise to leadership roles faster,” said Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. “Since nearly 70% of nonprofit employees are women, it’s powerful to see so many leading organizations in our region, but there’s still work to do to ensure they are supported at the highest levels.”
Wood goes on to say: “We’re proud to celebrate all nonprofit leaders who strengthen our region — and as is the case across the nation, female leaders play a big role in driving change across our communities. Through programs like Big Day of Giving and Cultivate, we invest in the work of local organizations today and also in the pipeline of future leaders, ensuring that more women have the opportunity to lead at the highest levels, including at our region’s largest nonprofits.”
The Sacramento Region Community Foundation encourages interested donors and community members to get involved in two important ways: 1) supporting local nonprofits during Big Day of Giving on Thursday, May 1 (www.givingedge.org) and 2) joining the Impact Collaborative to support the Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s work to strengthen the nonprofit sector (www.sacregcf.org).
