Giving Compass' Take:

• Magdalena Nowicka Mook outlines steps for nonprofits to take to close the persistent leadership gender gap in the sector. 

• What does leadership look like at nonprofits you support? How can funders help nonprofits to transition toward parity in leadership? 

• Learn about women as leadership mentors


The gender gap in the workplace is decreasing, and that is good news. However, the decrease is incremental, especially when it comes to leadership roles. Progress is slow, even in nonprofits, where female employees are the majority of the workforce. The gap is also present in the salaries men and women earn for similar roles at top-tier nonprofit organizations -- women earn raises averaging 4.9%, while men receive increases of 8.4%.

The gap is not due to a shortage of women striving toward leadership roles. According to research commissioned by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and New York University’s George H. Heyman Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, 72% of women in nonprofits under age 35 and 64% of women ages 35–44 said they wanted to hold leadership positions.

Only 7% of women who didn’t aspire to be leaders said they believed themselves incapable of doing the job. Rather, they cited time commitment (55%) and too much stress (44%) as their top reasons for not pursuing leadership roles. Investing in women’s professional growth through third-party resources can help reduce this gender gap, add value to organizations and provide women with the tools to unlock their potential.

How can nonprofit organizations make it happen? Tapping into leadership coaching for women, providing opportunities for professional development and cultivating policies that support inclusivity can help.

Read the full article about closing the nonprofit leadership gender gap by Magdalena Nowicka Mook at Forbes.