Although marginally increasing over the years, reports show that less than 2 percent of philanthropic giving in the U S. directly benefits women and girls, a percentage that is likely even lower on a global scale. Amidst rollbacks on women’s rights, cuts to federal funding, economic uncertainty—and so many other issues and inequities that inevitably hit women and girls the hardest—philanthropy‘s role is more important than ever.

“This is precisely when philanthropy must step forward with courage, doubling down on long-term, flexible funding that sustains organizations through uncertainty,” says Ana Marie Argilagos, president and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy.

Women funders and donors, along with an increasing number of women-led philanthropic organizations, are rising to meet the moment, knowing that the benefits of centering women and girls are far reaching and profound.

“From removing barriers to women entering tech to ending violence against women, there are so many areas where philanthropy is making both problems and solutions visible and leading to real improvements in the lives of women and girls,” says Brooke D. Anderson, president of Pivotal Ventures, founded by Melinda French Gates.

I had the opportunity to ask Anderson, Argilagos and several other women leaders in philanthropy—Sarah Haacke Byrd, CEO of Women Moving Millions; Cecilia A. Conrad, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Lever for Change; Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday; and Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation—to share their perspectives on the potential for philanthropic dollars to make meaningful change for women and girls worldwide and what critical issues need support.

I asked them all the same question about philanthropy:

How can philanthropy be used to improve the lives of women and girls globally? And what are some of the critical issues facing women and girls that need support?

Here’s what they had to say about how philanthropy's gender gap.

Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Read extended versions of the interviews here.

Brooke D. Anderson, President of Pivotal Ventures, on Philanthropy's Gender Gap

Women make up half of the U.S. population, yet we are in the minority in every major position of power in our society. Ten percent of Fortune 500 CEOs. Seventeen percent of check writers in venture capital. Twenty-six percent of U.S. senators. I know from personal experience that we are a small percentage of leaders in the national security space. When Pivotal set out to advance women’s power and influence, it was because we knew that when you have more women making decisions, it’s better for society as a whole. But the barriers to women’s power are frustratingly high.

Read the full article about philanthropy’s gender gap by Marianne Schnall at Ms. Magazine.