4 Ways to Inspire and Empower Women Leaders in the Nonprofit World

Did you know women make up 75% of jobs in the nonprofit, education, and philanthropy sectors but hold far less than 75% of leadership positions? Only 22% of nonprofits with budgets of $50 million+ have women CEOs, and only 30% of boards of directors are comprised of women. 

At Evolve, we believe this leadership gap needs to change. That’s why our CEO and founder, Amy Schiffman, is passionate about creating opportunities for women in nonprofit leadership. She was recently interviewed on the Hart & Hustle podcast about her journey to start her own nonprofit consulting firm after working for years in-house. 

Through Amy’s entire in-house fundraising career, she only reported to one female boss. “I couldn’t see myself in those men, and I couldn’t imagine my path to the top. What we need as females in the nonprofit and corporate space is more mentors and role models,” she said on the podcast. She gave some advice on how we can inspire and empower more women leaders in the future: 

1. Mentorship Matters: Create opportunities for mentorship in your nonprofit or become a mentor yourself to aspiring women leaders. 
2. Flexibility Fosters Growth: Offer benefits such as flexible schedules, unlimited PTO, and the ability to work from home that allow your team to achieve work/life harmony. “At Evolve, we want people to lean into their personal lives and spend time with friends and family,” Amy said on the podcast. “However, we have really high expectations about deliverables. If you can get your work done, you manage your own schedule. I am not into micromanaging; I want to bring people on my team who have the ability to manage their own time.” 
3. Salary Transparency Builds Trust. Practice salary transparency, which helps to create an even playing field for everyone. 
4. Perfection Isn’t the Goal. Encourage your team to release perfectionism and embrace failure–something that women in particular struggle with in the workplace. 

You can listen to the full interview with Amy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.