In a survey of giving among members of the Committee of 200 -- a group of business women who own and/or manage large businesses -- the National Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO) has concluded the organization's members are giving substantial amounts of money to charity.

Survey participants qualified for the Committee by either owning companies with revenues exceeding $15 million, or by managing corporate divisions that earn a minimum of $100 million annually.

More than half of the women surveyed donate $25,000 or more annually to charities, with 19 percent giving $100,000 or more, survey results show. Roughly three-quarters of the participants made their personal wealth on their own, and 84 percent make their philanthropic decisions independently, NFWBO reports.

The survey also revealed certain aspects of giving nonprofits should understand, said Doris Meister, chairman and CEO of survey sponsor Merrill Lynch Trust Company.

For instance, many of the participants said the way in which they are asked to give is important. Forty-two percent found the way they are asked to be a moderate or significant barrier to giving, NFWBO found.

Nonprofits should also make sure they take all possible givers with equal seriousness, the study found. Sixty percent of those surveyed said they were taken as seriously by charitable organizations as men with similar net worth, but fully 25 percent did not think they were taken as seriously.

When asked about the top three types of causes they support, education-related groups won out with 56 percent of the participants listing them in the top three. Women's organizations were supported by 42 percent of the participants, and arts groups were named by 41 percent of respondents.

Forty percent of those responding said they prefer not to be recognized for a "significant" contribution, while 21 percent said it depended on the charity. Nineteen percent were satisfied with being on a list of contributors. According to NFWBO, these results do not change with level of giving.

More information, results and charts can be found with the NFWBO press release at: http://www.womenconnect.com/LinkTo/
nov1299_nfwbo_rpt.htm