• 9:00 a.m. -- Check-in, networking & continental breakfast
• 9:30 a.m. -- Welcome & AFP-Nebraska Chapter Annual Meeting
• 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon -- Workshop

Expanding the Philanthropic Footprint:  Women Matter in Philanthropy

Women are an increasingly visible, influential, and powerful voice in philanthropy.  Anyone – a fundraiser, nonprofit leader, or engaged citizen – who wants to solve the challenges facing our planet must understand the new reality of who is philanthropic around the globe. If not, we’re leaving important philanthropic dollars untapped - it’s that simple.  Combining powerful research findings with practical processes to engage women donors, this dynamic, lively, and interactive workshop offers effective strategies to use in developing standalone programs or to integrate tactics into existing fundraising plans.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:  Debra J. Mesch, Ph.D.

Debra Mesch is Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.  She is also Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.  Dr. Mesch received both her M.B.A. and Ph.D. in organizational behavior/human resource management from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Before coming to Indiana University, she taught at Simmons College and Northeastern University, College of Business Administration in Boston.  Dr. Mesch’s research agenda has focused on women’s philanthropy, issues of civic engagement, volunteer motivation and management, executive compensation in nonprofits, human resource management in nonprofits, diversity, and race and gender issues in giving and volunteering. 

Dr. Mesch’s primary responsibility for the Women’s Philanthropy Institute is to guide the research agenda on the role of gender in philanthropy.  She has undertaken studies addressing the role of women in Lions Clubs International and is currently working on a nation study of giving and volunteering of Lions Clubs in China.  During her tenure as Director of the WPI, she and her colleagues have written several reports for the Women Give series examining the effects of age, marital status, and income of gender differences in the likelihood and amount of giving to charity.   

 Debra J. Mesch, Ph.D,