Giving Circles

What are giving circles?

Giving Circles are happening all over the place these days. Groups of people collectively pool their resources to make a joint contribution to a cause that reflects their shared values.  Donors in giving circles "give more, give more strategically and are more engaged in their communities" according to research about giving circles in 2009. Giving circles are becoming popular with women, minorities and donors under 40 according to research by Jumpstart Labs in 2014. Some say giving circles are "rebuilding philanthropy from the ground up".

You can find giving circles that are informal, run like book groups or investment clubs, or quite formal, with bylaws and nonprofit status. They differ in the amount of funding people are asked to contribute, in what issues are being addressed, who can be involved, and how decisions are made. Some are quite small, others can be large. Some of the women's impact fund groups have more than 500 members.

A 2017 research study about collective giving says that giving circles have tripled since 2007 - largely powered by woman, and largely focused on local issues. Read the Executive Summary and learn about the ten key findings! A study published in April 2019 about the Catalist Network, which we are affiliated with, provides some great comparison information about how our colleagues are organized, how members are engaged and what are emerging issues as we all grow. A few factoids: group sizes range from 5-570 members; average annual awards made were $250,000; many live within community foundations or are independent 501c3s; and member engagement is highest in new and mature groups.

PART OF A NATIONAL MOVEMENT

In 2020, a new network of collective giving circle networks was formed. Under the umbrella of Philanthropy Together, these various networks are collaborating to make collective giving a movement and to ground it in social justice values.

We are also an active member of Philanos, engaging in their conferences, utilizing their resources and learning from the members in this community. Philanos is a national network that serves to catalyze the movement of women in philanthropy by connecting women’s collective giving grantmaking organizations.

OTHER LOCAL GIVING CIRCLES

  • Equitable Giving Circle, established in 2019, is “a community of people who have committed to community giving through small donations, event fundraising, volunteering and community-building. Our aim is to empower BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) communities in Portland.”

  • Women Who Care sponsors quarterly get-togethers to select recipients for group contributions.

  • Social Justice Fund Northwest sponsors a unique inter-generational giving project in Portland. 

  • Find out more about community-engaged philanthropy in Portland from the City Club panel.

Let us know about other local giving circles and we will share information with our readers!

Learn more

Here are a few resources to give you more information about giving circles:

Start your own

  • There are new online resources such as Growfund to help you track and manage collective giving with whatever group you organize, for whatever project or cause speaks to you.

  • Philanthropy Together now has a “launchpad” program to help groups start a new giving circle – check it out!