EmpowHer Philanthropy: Rising Boldly to Build Our Better Future

When Hathaway Brown opened its doors 150 years ago, women couldn’t vote, couldn’t serve on a jury, and in most cases couldn’t even keep the wages they earned. Today the World Economic Forum estimates full gender parity is still 120 years away, and we think this generation of HB girls can help close that gap much sooner, with money as one of their most powerful tools.

Between now and 2048, an estimated $124 trillion will pass from one generation to the next, and women are expected to control a large share of it. That shift couldn’t come at a more important moment: nonprofits focused on women and girls make up about 3% of U.S. charities and receive roughly two cents of every charitable dollar, a number that has barely moved in decades.

That’s why we created EmpowHer. With support from a matching grant through the EE Ford Foundation, EmpowHer gives Hathaway Brown students the tools to become financially empowered: to understand money, make confident financial decisions, and think about what they value beyond what they’re worth. Our hope is that every girl leaves ready to build a life on her own terms and to put her time, talent, and resources behind the causes that matter most to her.

Join us on November 4th for a conversation with three women who have spent their careers putting money to work for change. Between them, they’ve managed investment funds, led foundations, taught the next generation of nonprofit leaders, and given generously to the causes and institutions they love, including HB. Come hear why they believe the next great era of philanthropy belongs to women.