Women are playing an increasingly influential role in wealth management. New research suggests advisors can strengthen client relationships by better understanding what women want from financial advice.
According to Vanguard’s 2026 Women & Wealth Study, 76% of women feel confident making financial decisions. They also rank educational and collaborative communication as their top preferences when working with financial professionals.
Meanwhile, a recent AdvisorHub article highlights the growing need for planning that connects financial decisions with broader personal and family goals as women assume greater responsibility for wealth.
Charitable giving offers advisors a meaningful way to deepen these relationships. Conversations about philanthropy can reveal personal priorities, family dynamics, and long-term goals that may not surface in traditional financial planning discussions.
Here are three ways to incorporate charitable planning into your approach.
1. Start with what matters to her.
Before introducing tax strategies or charitable giving tools, ask about your client’s interests and what she hopes her giving will accomplish.
She may want to:
- Support a nonprofit with which she has a longstanding relationship.
- Address an emerging need in her community.
- Invest in a cause connected to her personal experiences.
Understanding these priorities helps you recommend strategies that reflect her goals. Your local community foundation can help identify charitable organizations, community needs, and giving opportunities that align with her interests.
2. Make charitable planning collaborative.
Women value financial expertise, but they also want to participate actively in decisions. InvestmentNews reported on a Nationwide survey finding that while 95% of women investors believe their advisors treat them with the same respect as male clients, nearly one-third have experienced patronizing explanations of financial concepts.
Charitable planning creates an opportunity to demonstrate a more collaborative approach:
- Present several giving strategies and explain the benefits and limitations of each.
- Invite your client to help shape the approach.
- Explore options such as gifts of appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, and charitable estate provisions.
A community foundation can join the conversation, help evaluate options, and answer questions.
3. Bring the family into the conversation.
A recent Fortune article explores how younger generations of wealthy families are encouraging more immediate, innovative, and impact-driven philanthropy. They want to address systemic challenges, empower communities, and make a difference during their lifetimes rather than waiting to distribute wealth through their estates.
Philanthropy also creates a natural opportunity to discuss family relationships and the transfer of wealth and values across generations.
For clients interested in involving children or grandchildren in giving, a donor-advised fund or other charitable fund at a community foundation can provide a framework for making decisions together.
These conversations are particularly valuable during major life transitions, such as retirement, inheritance, or the loss of a spouse. Building relationships before these transitions occur can help families:
- Identify shared charitable interests.
- Establish family giving traditions.
- Engage multiple generations in meaningful decisions.
Community foundations can help families explore these opportunities and turn shared values into lasting impact.
A more meaningful client relationship
Every client is different. Charitable giving should reflect individual interests and goals, not assumptions based on gender.
The broader lesson from recent research is clear: women want advisors who listen, provide expertise, and recognize them as informed financial decision-makers.
By incorporating philanthropy into client conversations, advisors can better understand what matters most to their clients while helping them translate personal values into meaningful charitable action.
Your community foundation is a partner in that process. We’re happy to work alongside you and your clients to explore charitable giving strategies that support both financial and personal goals.