That’s not a typo. Hispanic women are the growing powerhouse of consumer spending in the US. Not only are their numbers and buying power increasing dramatically, Hispanic women seem to call the shots when money decisions are made within the typical Hispanic household.

[Of course, my wife says that’s just a continuation of a long-established tradition that most men of any stripe haven’t yet realized. “Ignorance is bliss” she says.]

According to this new report from Nielsen, Latina Power Shift, with 52 million in the US population, Hispanics have an impressive buying power of $1.2 trillion.

Says Nielsen, “Within the overall Hispanic demographic, however, the women are the ones in the driver’s seat … Latinas are becoming more educated, tech savvy and connected, allowing them to write their own destinies and challenge the dynamic of Hispanic households. With 86 percent of Latina women at the helm of purchasing decisions in households, the times are changing and economic power is shifting.”

If you expect your career in fundraising to last beyond 2020, download the full report and read at your leisure.

That especially applies to our readers eying the potential of social media for future fundraising and activist engagement. Here’s what Nielsen says about Latinas and social connectivity:

“Latinas are adopting and adapting all types of technology at a higher pace than U.S. females. In significant areas, Latinas are outpacing society in using technology for culturally-centered social networking. Personal technology has found an ideal fit with Latinas’ propensity to be connected, to communicate, and to investigate ways for improving their and their families’ wellbeing. For many Latinas, personal technology and social networking are enabling the maintenance and recovery of ethnic culture, language and traditions. This takes place domestically as Latinas build affinity groups around their ethnicity and their common trajectories within American society, as well as internationally as they create robust connections with relatives and friends in their countries of origin.”

And here’s the technology profile of Latinas:

I know this is not quite as urgent as your next prospecting mailing or email appeal, but it is something to keep in your ‘Need to Know’ file.

Tom

P.S. Actually, maybe you shouldn’t wait very long. Consider this upcoming Chronicle of Philanthropy webinar: Fundraising and the Female Donor.