GIVING
CIRCLE
GIVING CIRCLES
MAXIMIZE YOUR DONATION THROUGH GIVING CIRCLES
WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLES
SET UP A GIVING CIRCLES
HOW TO START A GIVING CIRCLES
HOW TO START YOUR WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLES
GIVING CIRCLES LINKS
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SECTION 1
GIVING
CIRCLE
Giving Circles are a form of philanthropy where groups of individuals
donate their own money or time to a pooled fund, decide together where
to give these away to charity or community projects and, in doing so,
seek to increase their awareness of and engagement in the issues covered
by the charity or community project.
Many circles, in addition to donating their money, also contribute their
time and skills to supporting local causes.
Giving circles as they currently manifest themselves are a new trend, but
they are built on old traditions dating back hundreds of years to mutual
aid societies and other forms of giving for the community. Several years
ago, giving circles were predominantly composed of women. Giving circles
are now more diverse in race, age and gender, although women continue to
make up the majority of members.
The structure of the circles can be informal or formal. On the informal
side, circles may vote and choose an organization to support and each
member writes an individual check. Formal circles may have their money
housed at a local community foundation and have staff that support the
work of the circle. Giving circles can range in size from a handful of
members to several hundred.
Individual donors who join or form a giving circle typically seek to build
community within their circle through social events, in addition to the
economic impacts of the groups.
Giving Circles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giving_Circles
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SECTION 2
HOW
TO
MAXIMIZE
YOUR
DONATION
THROUGH
A
GIVING
CIRCLE
Giving Circle:
Focus and Maximize Your Donations by Joining with Others:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
What is a giving circle?
Giving circles are rapidly becoming a popular way for individuals to channel
and amplify their philanthropic impulses. Giving circles can be small and
informal, something like a neighborly potluck, with a few people pooling their
money and giving it to a chosen charity; or they can be highly organized, require
contributions of thousands of dollars and a commitment of many years.
Whether informal or highly organized, giving circles allow donors to leverage their
assets by pooling their contributions to achieve a greater impact. Democratically
arranged, giving circles provide donors equal voice in deciding where their
contributions go. In the process, donors connect with one another and with their
community.
Good reasons to start a giving circle
Pooling money with others and focusing on a key issue can have a far greater impact
than individual gifts.
The collective wisdom and know-how of a group creates value and impact to charitable
investments.
Developing partnerships with a smaller number of charities can create a deeper level
of involvement for donors and the nonprofits they support.
It can be fun to be part of a group and fulfilling to contribute in such an innovative
and insightful way.
Tips for organizing a giving circle
There are a number of ways to set up a Giving Circle. Do some research to see the breadth
of models and to help you decide how to set up your own.
Determine your mission. What are your goals? Do you want to benefit local nonprofits or do
you wish to go with an international thrust? What issues are you interested in? Will you
support one or several?
Decide how large your group should be and how it will be structured. Do you want a small
group? Do you need committees? Will you hold events to raise funds? How much will you want
your members to contribute? Will you include volunteer work among your activities? Can you
exist as an informal group or do you want to become a 501(c)(3) organization?
Decide where your group will put your money while you decide where you will donate it. Do
you need a bank account? You may decide to have all the members write individual checks to
the group you decide to fund. That alleviates the need for any separate account. Or, do you
prefer a sponsor, such as a local foundation, to help you manage and distribute the funds?
Do your research. Meet with those nonprofits you are interested in supporting to find out
what they do, how they do it, if they seem efficient in how they spend their funds. You may
ask for formal requests from groups that would like your donation; and, certainly, after you
contribute you will want progress reports from the recipients.
How to Maximize Your Donation Through A Giving Circle
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/fundraising/p/givingcircles.htm
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SECTION 3
WOMEN"S
GIVING
CIRCLE
A Women’s Giving Circle is a group of women who create a common bond by joining
together for a higher good. Women have more impact as a group than as individuals
when giving and collaborating to bring about their vision for a better world. The
process is experienced as part of the giving.
Learning Through Giving Together
The collaborations and relationships developed in the circle grow richer year after
year. The circles, as they form, are self determining and benefit from the guidance
and experience of initial circles.
Women's Giving Circle
http://womensgivingcircles.com/
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SECTION 4
SET
UP
A
GIVING
CIRCLE
There are many options to choose from when creating a giving circle.
You and your fellow giving circle founders can use your creativity
to decide how your giving circle will look and operate.
This section provides a number of how-to documents and best practices
to help you start a giving circle. As you create your giving circle,
you will most likely create new solutions and strategies.
Set Up a Giving Circle
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1832&DID=4773
GIVING
CIRCLE
RELATED
TOPICS
Giving Circles: Administration
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1899&DID=5085
Giving Circles: Financial Decisions and Information
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1900&DID=5086
Giving Circles: Grantmaking Philosophy
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1909&DID=5117
Giving Circles: Mission and Goals
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1896&DID=5082
Giving Circles: Size and Scope
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1897&DID=5083
Giving Circles: Structure and Type
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=1898&DID=5084
Grantmaker Education
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=566&DID=2616
Grantmaker Effectiveness and Accountability
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec_tsr.asp?CID=73&DID=120
Knowledge Management
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=74&DID=121
Options for Giving Circles
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/doc.asp?CID=1832&DID=5175
Ten Basic Steps to Starting a Giving Circle
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/doc.asp?CID=1832&DID=5108
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SECTION 5
HOW
TO
START
A
GIVING
CIRCLE
Information and resources for starting
and growing your nonprofit
Did you know that black philanthropy has roots in
the 19th century? As Harriet Tubman led thousands
of slaves to freedom in the Underground Railroad,
her success was largely due to black charitable
giving. Volunteers, mutual aid societies, Quakers
and other groups joined together to donate money,
shelter, food, and supplies along the way to ensure
a successful operation that spanned a decade. This
form of collective philanthropy still exists in the
form of a growing trend, called giving circles.
A giving circle is a philanthropic vehicle in which
individual donors pool their money and other resources
and decide together where to give them away. Just as
Tubman was a leader in spurring charitable giving then,
philanthropist Darryl Lester is leading the charge in
today’s African American giving circle movement.
“Giving circles are a resurgence of an old tradition of
generosity and caring that is making an impact all across
the country,” says Lester, president of HindSight Consulting,
Inc., a research and development company that designs tools
and services for institutions and communities.
“They provide an opportunity for individuals to join others
through collective charitable giving. There is something
exciting about people pooling their resources and making
joint decisions on how to give grants to improve life in
their community.”
Now, Lester has helped to form 11 African American giving
circles that are members of the Community Investment Network,
a resource he started to support and sustain giving circles.
Interested in starting a giving circle?
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Here are some tips to get you started:
Develop a strategy.
In addition to naming your group, questions to discuss
at your first meeting are: What will be your giving
circle’s mission? How many members will you have? How
much will each person donate? How often will you meet
and where?
Choose a cause.
Not only do giving circles provide funds, but they also
provide support to their local nonprofit community. As
your giving circle begins to grow and raise funds, you
should decide what geographic and issue areas you will
support, how you will select organizations to fund, and
how often you will donate.
Decide where to place your collective donations.
Will your group open a joint bank account or use a
nonprofit to serve as a fiscal agent? Other options
include writing a check to an organization, setting
up a donor advised fund at your local community
foundation, or becoming a public foundation.
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Other Black Giving Circles:
The Circle of Joy Atlanta
http://www.circleofjoyatl.org/
A Legacy of Tradition
http://www.alegacyoftradition.org/
Black Women for Black Girls Giving Circle
http://www.blackwomenforblackgirls.org/
Tracey Webb is the founder and editor of
Black Gives Back.com, a blog that highlights
African American philanthropy. She is also
the founder of the Black Benefactors, a
Washington, DC based giving circle that
provides grants to organizations serving
the African American community in the DC
region.
Black Benefactors
http://www.blackbenefactors.org
Black Gives Back.com
http://www.blackgivesback.com
How to Start a Giving Circle
http://www.blackenterprise.com/small-business/nonprofit-insider-how-to-start-a-giving-circle/
Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
http://www.foundationbirmingham.org
Community Investment Network
http://www.thecommunityinvestment.org
Ford Foundation
http://www.fordfoundation.org/
Giving Circle
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/bin.asp?CID=611&DID=25089&DOC=FILE.PDF
HindSight Consulting, Inc.
http://www.hindsightconsulting.org
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African American giving circles
http://www.thecommunityinvestment.org/members.html
BIRMINGHAM CHANGE FUND (BCF)
http://www.birminghamchangefund.org
CIRCLE OF JOY
http://www.circleofjoyatl.org
A LEGACY OF TRADITION (ALOT)
http://www.alegacyoftradition.org/
NEXT GENERATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PHILANTHROPIST (NGAAP)
http://www.ngaapfund.org
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SECTION 6
HOW
TO
START
YOUR
WOMEN"S
CIRCLE
Women's circles provide a safe place for participants to come to terms with and honor themselves.
Women gather together for a variety of reasons. Support groups, ritual circles, discussion forums,
gatherings that nurture creativity - all are ways in which women create community, banish isolation,
and empower themselves. Women's circles provide safe and nuturing spaces for participants to own
their feelings and experiences, to take creative risks, and to allow their deepest yearnings to take
root and blossom. Ellie Lindsay, director of the Phoenix Center, an organization supporting those
affected with life-challenging illnesses, writes that within women's groups,
"We can find our true selves unfettered by a...culture that looks askance at "non-sense."
We can make sense of our feminine psyche, so long denied...and honor it.
We can meet and find support and strength...." ("Circles: Arms of Support" in Voice of Women).
If you are interested in gathering with like-minded women, you can either join an existing group or create
your own. For those who desire to create a group, whether alone, or with another facilitator, what follows
are guidelines to make your experience successful.
How To Start Your Women's Circle
http://www.essortment.com/start-womens-circle-36129.html
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SECTION 7
GIVING
CIRCLE
LINKS
African American Giving Circles
http://www.blackgivesback.com/2010/10/african-american-giving-circles-growing.html
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy Giving Circle Network
http://www.aapip.org/givingcircles
BoardSource's Knowledge and Resource Center
http://www.boardsource.org/Knowledge.asp
Citizen Effect
http://www.citizeneffect.org
The Community Giving Resource: Getting Started
http://www.communitygivingresource.org/gettingstarted/
Dining for Women website
http://www.diningforwomen.org
Funding Network website
http://www.thefundingnetwork.org.uk
Fundraising
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/fundraising/u/happydonors.htm" zT="18/1ZZ/11q
The Giving Circle, Inc
http://thegivingcircle.org/
Giving Circles Knowledge Center
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/sec.asp?CID=611&DID=2661
Giving Circles Network
http://www.givingcircles.org/
Growing Philanthropy Through Giving Circle
http://www.abagmd.org/info-url2444/info-url_show.htm?doc_id=260437
How to Start a Giving Circle
http://www.blackenterprise.com/small-business/nonprofit-insider-how-to-start-a-giving-circle/
The Impact of Giving Together
http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/research/docs/2009GivingCircles_FullReport.pdf
Money Well Spent - Giving Circles
http://smartphilanthropy.org/Ch15_GivingCircles.html
Ten basic steps to starting a giving circle
http://www.givingforum.org/s_forum/doc.asp?CID=1832&DID=5108
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