By Darley Tom, Co-Lead Maverick Collective by PSI 

A recent New York Times Magazine interview describes Melinda French Gates as “Ready to Take Sides.” We believe that Melinda, co- founder of Maverick Collective by PSI and the Gates Foundation and founder of Pivotal Ventures, is ready to do more than take sides: She’s taking a stand, like never before, for herself and for women and girls around the world.

More than 10 years ago when Melinda co-founded Maverick Collective, she demonstrated a commitment to a new way of philanthropy – one that brings more women into the conversation and in community with one another. Now, she’s blazing a new path for herself and for other women philanthropists that is bold, savvy, and unafraid of making a statement.

Melinda’s interview underscores key lessons about the progress, persistence, and power of women in philanthropy:

1. Influence matters –Melinda recognizes her significant influence in philanthropy and has used it thoughtfully. In this interview, she speaks more freely about her influence, but it is remarkable to note that she highlights the importance of others’ influence too. She has joined the conversation on reproductive health in the U.S. because her daughter Phoebe shared her experiences visiting clinics in the South and brought more attention to what was at stake. Melinda also acknowledged that seeing how others were moving their resources, and even raising their children, helped shape her own thoughts and strategies over the years. Influence matters and it has the potential to move the needle where it matters most.

2. Lead with curiosity and humility – Philanthropists should not be expected to be experts in every field. But often they feel like they must be by way of their funding. When they thoughtfully reject this paradigm and allow community experts and those with lived experience guide their decisions about philanthropy, their impact is exponentially greater. Melinda emphasized how her investments and perspectives were shaped by conversations with women worldwide, especially amongst those who felt comfortable to speak freely in the presence of other women. This insight guided the work she supported at the Foundation. She listens to friends and others on what they are passionate about, reads recommended articles, and dives into new subjects with a necessary curiosity. When you operate from a place of curiosity and humility you open yourself to new possibilities that you may not have found on your own.

3. Power is not uni-directional – At PSI, the global nonprofit that powers Maverick Collective, we broke up with the term “empowerment” because power is not ours to give. Our goal is to remove barriers so others can fully realize their own power. Melinda exemplifies this through her work with Pivotal Ventures. By investing in removing obstacles for women to step into their power, Melinda has also embraced her own. This means choosing where and how to invest and not letting fear hinder progress. Her journey reminds us that removing barriers benefits everyone involved.

“It’s only been in the last decade that you’re seeing women really come into their own in philanthropy. We have a hundred years of history in philanthropy, but it was mostly men who controlled the resources.”

4. Don’t be afraid to break binaries – When asked to choose, Melinda stated she was somewhere in between data-driven strategic philanthropy and a trust-based approach. But the approaches – both of which are widely used and effective methods – are not in direct opposition to one another. As Melinda, and so many women in our community, are demonstrating – why not both? Another choice people feel they need to make is global OR domestic. Philanthropy can go beyond the false binary choices presented, and philanthropists do not have to be boxed in with rigid labels or feel they have to use only one approach. There are so many factors that come into play. Context and proximity matter, and achieving big goals might require a variety of approaches. This could mean using established methods while also leaving room for flexibility and creativity. Her guiding vision is to make the world better for women and girls and remains open to various approaches to achieve this goal. That is a lesson we can all use as we shape our philanthropic choices.

5. Women philanthropists are just getting started – When asked if women give differently, Melinda shared, “It’s only been in the last decade that you’re seeing women really come into their own in philanthropy. We have a hundred years of history in philanthropy, but it was mostly men who controlled the resources.” This context is crucial. With the “great wealth transfer” from older generations and the “horizontal transfer” from spouses, women – who typically live longer than men – are set to control $30 trillion (two-thirds of all U.S. wealth) by 2045. Women have not always controlled how they deploy their resources, but this is changing. Women are reshaping philanthropy and tackling some of the biggest challenges of our time. Above all, they are stepping into their power and using it to shape the world in new ways.

Despite attacks on women’s rights around the world, we are seeing a steady rise of women in power – from tech to sports to entrepreneurship to politics. With Melinda’s philanthropic success in the past and her bold vision for the future, she is an example of the power of women. She co-founded Maverick Collective ten years ago when, in her own words, women were just starting to come into their own in philanthropy. Like Melinda herself, Maverick Collective has stayed true to its mission while also evolving over the years to adapt to the changing philanthropic landscape. Above all, Melinda has set a precedent that uplifts women – their voices, their agency – and has the potential to catalyze the change needed for philanthropy’s future. At the Maverick Collective, we are working towards a future where all women can step into their power and – like Melinda — can take a stand.

Join us in powering philanthropy by women, for women here.