A History of Women in Development, New York
by Marguerite Gilpatric

A history of Women in Development, New York (WID) would be incomplete without a brief summary of the times and setting in which the organization was conceived.

Few members can recall the dismal status of women in fundraising in the early ’70’s.  In the decade that followed, some women found their way into professional fundraising positions, often by promotion from the secretarial pool or because they accepted lower salaries than men.  By 1981, a profile of its members by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE) Indicated that 62% were male, 38% female, adding that the women were mainly found in cultural and local services. 

In the fall of 1980, Betty Becker, then Development Director for the National YWCA, attended a meeting of a national council of fundraisers.  There, she was dismayed to find that she was one of only two women attendees.  And aside from two minority men, the balance of the group was white and male. 

Returning to New York, Betty set in motion the movement that is now WID. She organized group discussions for women fundraisers in a series of meetings at her offices in the old YWCA building (razed in 1982) to talk about ways to provide encouragement and help in the professional development of women and minorities to enter into and advance in the field of fund raising.

Included in the core WID founding group were: Libby O’Connor, then Major Gifts Director at the YWCA; Ruth Logan and Jeanette Kahlenberg from the staff of the YWCA; Rae Tattenbaum, American Women’s ORT; Sanky Perlowin, a VP at Oram Associates; Kay Dayton, Foundation Director at Boys’ Club, and Marguerite Gilpatric, Director of Resources, PPFA, Inc.  The enthusiasm for these informal get-togethers affirmed Betty Becker’s belief that women needed a forum to network and move toward improving their status in development.

The early networking led to monthly luncheon meetings at a restaurant, where an increasing number of women participated in programs and discussions that led to development of a more formalized structure of WIFD in 1982.  Held on the first Monday of each month, the luncheon programs started with job announcements, moved into introductory remarks, featured a speaker and a q and a session, a format that has held steady for all these years.  During the initial period and until 1985, Betty Becker served as informal leader and organizer of the meetings. 

A word about the early meetings:  Restaurants were selected by reasonable price so that all could feel welcome, but ambiance, good food and a glass of wine were a must. Also required from the restaurant was a separate meeting room or willingness to open on a day they would normally be closed to the public.  None had P.A. systems, which were rented and installed on luncheon days.  With these hurdles and total volunteer labor, there were inevitable mishaps, but they were handled with humor in the warm collegial atmosphere of WIFD.  From the beginning, the luncheons were popular and well attended.

In the early ‘80s, while a large number of women had entered the total American work force as a result of the women’s movement, a high percentage of them were still mired in what were called the “pink collar ghettos”.  The movement into management positions was only beginning.  In fund raising, good professional jobs for women were available, but scarce.

That situation changed when Ronald Reagan became president.  Reagan’s now-famous tax cuts and increased military spending in the early ‘80’s resulted in a major slash in federal grants for social and health agencies.  The outcome was a sudden critical need for funds from the private sector.   Fundraisers were suddenly in demand, and the barriers for women were down.  The unintended consequence of President Reagan’s cutbacks was that a new profession opened up for women.  It was serendipity that WID was organized and ready to encourage women to make the transition, to find appropriate job opportunities and to develop professional knowledge and skills.  A 1985 NSFRE profile showed that their male membership had decreased to 51%.

A summary of the Association of Fundraising Professions (AFP), formerly the NSFRE, profile for the year 2000 states:  “The percentage of female AFP members continues to grow, as in prior surveys.  In 1999, females comprised 62.3% of respondents….”  For the few WIDNY members whose memories go back to the sorry status of women in development in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, that is remarkable. 

In spite of the AFP profile indicating that more women than men are practicing fundraisers, women know that a white male is still the gold standard for the best-paid, best-perked and most responsible development positions, particularly in the large organizations.  Equality has continued to elude women in the job market, but the glass ceiling is beginning to show cracks.  The Women in Development organization has been an important influence in the acceptance of women in the development field. 

Unfinished business:  Equality!