What’s a significant accomplishment from the last few years that Women Moving Millions is particularly proud of?

We recently hit a milestone fueling our ambition to do more—our dedicated community of philanthropists has collectively catalyzed over $1 billion for the movement for gender equality. It’s a powerful reflection of our members’ commitment to driving real, lasting impact. But what’s truly inspiring is that this is just the beginning. Together, we’re rewriting the rules and shifting the narrative around how we resource women and girls, placing bold, trust-based investments into the hands of frontline leaders and organizations. This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about changing lives, and more and more in the philanthropic world, we’re seeing people understand that when you invest in women, you’re investing in whole communities.

What is Women Moving Millions most excited about in this moment?

Right now, we’re fired up about our strategy shift as we look ahead to 2030, a pivotal year in which women will control two-thirds of global wealth. With this growing influence comes a powerful opportunity to leverage resources for lasting systemic change. As women’s wealth expands, so does the shift in philanthropic leadership, and WMM is right at the forefront of this transformation. You only need to look at the contributions of women like Melinda French Gates, MacKenzie Scott, and Laurene Powell Jobs, along with the collective impact of the WMM community, to see how women’s leadership is reshaping philanthropy.

We find ourselves with an unprecedented opportunity to reshape the future through gender-lens philanthropy, and we’re ready to lead the way. We’re expanding and diversifying our community, creating innovative ways to collaborate, and activating our powerful network to bring catalytic investments in gender equality to new heights. We don’t plan to simply keep up with change—we seek to help drive it. We’re doubling down on our commitment to radically transform how women and girls experience the world, unlocking their full potential and building a safer, more just world for all. We’ve got some big things in the pipeline, so stay tuned!

How do you stay connected with and support new members who are at the beginning of their philanthropic journeys?

At Women Moving Millions, we understand that every philanthropic journey is unique. Our goal is to meet our members where they are, supporting them in ways that feel right for their individual paths. One of our greatest strengths is the deeply supportive and relational community we’ve built, where every member—whether they’re just starting out or have been investing for years—can grow and develop. We prioritize one-on-one engagement to help new members clarify their passions, build confidence and acumen, and figure out how best to tap into our network. In addition to our robust calendar of in-person convenings and programs, we encourage new members to dive into our signature cohort educational experience, the Philanthropic Leadership Program (PLP), an immersive, four-day transformative journey designed for members to connect with their peers, amplify their leadership, and find their philanthropic voice. It’s a safe and inclusive space to explore, learn, and make a lasting impact. All said, we’re walking beside our members every step of the way.

How does WMM cultivate a sense of community among members with diverse philanthropic journeys, passions, and priorities?

Women Moving Millions has a big tent approach with our community of 400 women, each who bring their unique backgrounds, experiences, and passions. It’s this diversity that makes us stronger. Though geography, race, ethnicity, age may vary, all members share similar values in terms of their philanthropy. They know that working together is more powerful than working alone. And while each member may be at a different point in their journey, recently, we’ve seen that members who join yearn to be part of a collaborative experience where they can learn from and share with peers. This is when the magic happens: when we come together around a shared vision for gender equality—sparking ideas, learning from one another, and creating exponential impact. Every voice adds value. 

Our community is deeply supportive yet always open to challenge and growth—both in philanthropy practice and in personal leadership. In one moment, members might be diving into the nuances of implementing direct cash programs, while in another, they might be engaging in intimate conversations about their personal legacies or applying a gender justice lens to their climate work.

At Women Moving Millions, there’s a constant exchange of knowledge and ideas, and everyone is learning and evolving together. This process of learning in community creates a shared culture, one that is rooted in feminist philanthropic principles and committed to working in service of global women’s movements.

Would you like to highlight any specific initiative or project your network is supporting in the LGBTQ+ (or any other) space?

We are deeply committed to not only increasing inclusion and representation within our own network but also driving transformational resources to underserved communities, particularly LGBTQ+ women and girls, who receive a miniscule percentage of philanthropic funding. One of our strongest advocates for this work is Dr. Jen Rainin, a valued member of our Board of Directors. Jen cares deeply about addressing this lack of funding and has been instrumental in helping us amplify efforts to close these gaps.

Recently, Jen has leveraged our new collaborative platform for impact, The Exchange, to rally member support for queer women journalists through the The Curve Award for Emerging Journalists, which provides early-career LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary journalists with financial backing and mentorship opportunities. Jen’s leadership embodies WMM’s mission to correct the historical underinvestment in these communities. By standing alongside leaders like Jen and creating new opportunities for our members to convene and engage on the issues that matter most (more on that soon!), our community is building a future where LGBTQ+ women and girls are seen, supported, and valued.

If Women Moving Millions had a theme song, what would it be & why?

Our theme song would be “Unstoppable” by Sia. It perfectly embodies our members’ strength, determination, and relentless spirit. The song’s message of empowerment and resilience mirrors the way our community tackles the challenges of resourcing gender equity, with an unwavering belief that systemic change is not only possible but inevitable. Every day, our members bring boldness, confidence, and an unstoppable energy to this work—pushing boundaries and inspiring others to join us in creating a more just world for all.

We’d love to support more engagement across our network with the membership spotlight. When you think about Women Moving Millions’s journey towards creating a network of women all committed to building a gender-equal world, is there anything you could use support for or thought partnership on from your peers in the Funders network? Or are there any recent learnings you’re excited to share with the network?

This moment presents a tremendous opportunity to harness the collective power and resources of women in philanthropy to address the urgent global crisis in women’s rights. While the challenges are vast, so is the potential when we come together. As we expand our reach, deepen our impact, and accelerate resourcing the movement for gender equality, we’re always eager to collaborate. And in the face of a growing, global anti-gender movement, it’s more important than ever for us to stand together in the fight for equality. The gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights movements are deeply intertwined, and by uniting our efforts, we can make even greater strides toward justice. If this intersection is a shared priority for you, or if you have insights on navigating it, we’d love to collaborate and drive meaningful change forward. 

Here are a few ways to get involved:

• Reflect on how you and your community can help direct more resources to women and girls globally. If there’s an opportunity for us to partner and help realize that potential, reach out! Whether it’s a joint program, event, or piece of public thought leadership, we’d love to explore ways to make a lasting impact.

• Help us amplify the conversation around women’s philanthropy and investing by engaging with us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Sharing insights and learnings strengthens the movement.
• Refer members to us! Our members are thoughtful and strategic participants usually in at least one other donor community, if not more. Membership entails a minimum $1M commitment over a ten-year time horizon.
• Learn more about our impact by reading our recent report, Catalyzing Change: Powering the Movement through Community & Collaboration and visit our website at www.womenmovingmillions.org.