RAG Research: Characteristics
I. Who are california grantmakers and what are their experiences in the field of philanthropy?
Key Finding:
Grantmakers tend to be female, caucasian, and highly educated
- Over two thirds (69.7%) are female.
- Three-quarters are Caucasian (76.5%).
- Nearly two-thirds (62.2%) have degrees beyond a baccalaureate.
There is an indication of gender disparity in holding top executive positions:
Even though females comprise 69.7% of the grantmaking field, men are more likely than women to have held an executive director or other top executive position (43.5% compared to 33.7%, respectively) |
Key Finding:
Entering the field mid- and late- career from the nonprofit sector is most common
Indicator of Experience in the Field of Philanthropy
Point in Career Began Working in Philanthropy (n=358) |
Proportion of Respondents |
Early in professional career |
26.5% |
Mid-career |
57.8% |
Towards end of professional career |
15.6% |
Sectors Worked in Prior to Philanthropy |
Proportion of Respondents |
Nonprofit sector (n=361) |
52.6% |
Private sector (n=361) |
34.9% |
Government/Public Sector (n=361) |
12.7% |
Academics (n=361) |
11.5% |
Other (n=360) |
7.5% |
Length of Time in the Field |
Proportion of Respondents |
0-5 Years |
42.2% |
6-15 Years |
38.3% |
More than 15 Years |
19.4% |
Grantmakers most commonly report joining the field to make a difference and this same motivation most commonly sustains grantmakers’ ongoing work in the field. |
Key Finding:
A large majority of respondents choose "grantmaker" as their primary professional identity.
- Over three-quarters (78.6%) of survey respondents primarily identify as a grantmaker.
- Four in five respondents (81.2%) say their work in the field is a long-term career choice.
Grantmakers perceive limited mobility within and outside of the field.
Three-quarters of respondents either believe they will not advance to a higher position in the field (43.2%) or feel uncertain about their potential for upward mobility in the field (33.8%) and over a third of the respondents say that it would be very difficult (7.5%) or difficult (30.8%) to transition out of the field. |
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