Giving Circles Network
First GC Networking Event
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Giving Circles Network
First GC Networking Event |
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GCN held its First Annual
GC Networking Event: Conversations on February 3,
2007 in the Washington DC metro area with the purpose of providing
Giving Circles an The Giving Circles, of different sizes, levels of formality, purposes and approaches, included the:
The event enabled the Giving Circles to expand their knowledge about the status of Giving Circles in philanthropy, how different Giving Circles started out and currently engage and support their communities of focus, what are their biggest challenges and how each addresses their respective organizational growth issues. Collectively, the Giving Circles found the event to be beneficial and recommended more opportunities for intra-circle collaboration in the future. Giving Circle Presentations & Discussion Topics included: Speaker Presentations addressed the following topics:
See Participant Feedback
Speakers: Three presentations kicked off the formal part of the event, with speakers from the Giving Circles Network, New Ventures in Philanthropy and Giving Works. Giving Circle Successes & Needs and the role of GCN:
Sandy Bettger, the Executive Director of GCN highlighted the successes of Giving Circles, citing the estimated 800 Giving Circles that exist today as well as the $44 million that has been documented by the New ventures in Philanthropy as having been raised by Giving Circles between 2000 - 2005. She also addressed the current status of Giving Circles, which include 100s of disparate circles of different sizes, approaches and structures, with varying levels of knowledge and experience, facing startup often taking a year, and with no formal means to network (if their circle is not part of a chapter circle), analyze and plan their giving, or ensure success. She explained that in response to these Giving Circle needs, GCN seeks to support GCs through its goals to enhance the networking, leveraging and impact of Giving Circles. She further highlighted that its Giving Circles Advisory Panel lends its guidance and insight to the services and support provided by GCN. Three of GCN's Advisory Panel were present including: The Giving Circles of Hope, Washington Womenade and Impact Austin. Giving Circles & New Ventures in Philanthropy:
Daria Teutonico, the Director of the New Ventures in Philanthropy of the Forum of the Regional Association of Grantmakers, described the background of the Forum and the Initiative as well as their current focus and professional advisory role in not only Giving Circles but also racial, ethnic and tribal communities as well as rural communities and individual giving. She also highlighted the Giving Circles Knowledge Base, the listserv they sponsor, and the research scans of Giving Circles that they conduct (first in 2005 and an updated one, for which the results are expected in May 2007). These scans shed insight into the characteristics and trends in this relatively new form of philanthropic giving. In these ways, the New Ventures in Philanthropy helps individual donors and foundations to get to know the Giving Circle story and how to support Giving Circles and the grantees they fund. NVP also helps Giving Circles themselves learn and engage their communities. Background, Top Issues & Trends in Philanthropy Affecting Giving Circles
Nazir Ahmad, President of Giving Works, which provides strategic consulting to non-profit organizations, addressed some of the top issues in philanthropy today, and where Giving Circles fit in and are becoming a moving force.
Connecting the "Giving Need" to "Giving Judgment" For that desire and related giving to work well, Mr. Ahmad pointed out that the impulse of giving first must be accompanied by the discriminating thinking of judgment. You have to develop the tools and practices so as not to only engage in the act of giving money, but more importantly engage in a higher quality of giving.
Third, decision making will become more important, so connecting with other Giving Circles plays a key part, which moves the Giving Circle from "episodic choices" to "sustained choices". This leads from giving to contributing, including advocating new policies, investing in our political capital, and offering our expertise, thereby contributing to social change. Fourth, if you look at the range of technology available today, a range of people from disparate places can now link up. Most importantly, Giving Circles let us now for
the first time, take giving from a "solo activity" to a "social activity", not
only in terms of philanthropy but also the role we play in socially. It is
that process of engagement that we will see a change in not only Giving Circles Presentations: Giving Circles Present: Impetus, What they Are about & Challenges They Face The Giving Circles gave informal but captivating presentations on what their impetus was for starting a Giving Circle, what they do as a Circle, and what the biggest challenges are that they face. Below are their stories:
The Giving Circle of Hope explained that, setup as a social investment club, their impetus was to "have fun with a purpose" and continue the work they enjoyed and found fulfilling as friends, parents and volunteers in the PTA and community, now that their kids have gone off to college. While starting out around a kitchen table with a handful of friends, the GCH now is now starting its fourth year with a total of $150,000 in grants to the Northern Virginia area. Almost 100 members strong, GCH is hosted by the Northern Virginia Community Foundation. They not only have an large grant-making sub-circle, but also have a strong "service" sub-circle through which members volunteer their time in the Northern Virginia area. Some members are only interested in writing a check, but others are only interested in doing volunteer activities. Linda Strup pointed out that it's just that little extra step that is needed to help out, and the GCH allows people the structure and information do to that. She said that many initiatives have been started by some members, but then another member might have the publicity or other capability to promote or implement an idea. So, it's all part of being part of group that helps them to succeed. They say it doesn't take a village, it takes a Giving Circle!"
Rebecca Powers of Impact Austin noted that her organization is a GC that started in May 2003 and went for its 501c3 status immediately, so has never been hosted. It started based on a personal tragedy (and for "healing her own heart") in February 2003 and on reading an article about Impact 100. She asked others "Why can't we find a 100 women? How would you like to give $1000?" She asked her friends, and they asked their friends. They have five focus areas: Health, Wellness, Family, Environment and Education. They give grants of $100K. Their goal was to grow 100 women/year so they could give $500K in five years. It was not so much the money, but was about the members getting involved and becoming educated about these issues. What Impact Austin really does is to educate women and make a difference. Now they have 416 members, so they have almost reached their goal of giving, which shows the power of collective giving. Rebecca Powers advises that now actually going to the organizations receiving their grants and seeing the impact has been very rewarding.
Lisa Herrick, Caroline Newman and Naomi Karp of Washington Womenade. Lisa explained that their impetus was there were six friends having dinner, with one -- is a physician, Amy Kossoff -- who provides healthcare for the homeless. She had expressed her concern during their dinner that she had hit the $10K mark in writing checks to "help the homeless" with her personal money, but could not keep giving so much herself, and did not know what to do. The group of six decided that they would host an event and ask friends to bring money and just ask for $35. Their model is "throw a big potluck and ask them to bring friends, a potluck dish and $35". Amy Kossoff is the main conduit in giving the money away. They only give the money to the entity, not the individual (i.e., to the pharmacy, landlord, utility company, or dentist). Everyone's donation goes to someone in need, and with zero overhead. You can't get simpler than that! Caroline Newman advised that Womenade now has 42 chapters (organizations) nationwide, of which Washington Womenade is one. Each Womenade across the county has a different focus. Sometimes there are satellite women parties thrown on their behalf, with the money going through Amy. Those people have helped them to keep their coffers up. Naomi Karp noted that the major challenge is to keep it as simple as it is. Some ask why they do not become a 501c3. The six founders have no bureaucracy. Their mantra is to keep it simple, and they do not want infrastructure to complicate it. Naomi is a lawyer and does not see a need for them to become more formal or even to use a host. Another challenge is when someone else approaches them and tries to give them a different conduit or need other than working through Amy Kossoff. While they have only raised $40K in six years just within the Washington Womenade chapter, they think that is incredible because of how simple it is.
Priscilla Macy of Global Sojourns explained that the impetus for their Giving Circle was that in the course of her business at Global Sojourns sponsoring alternative international travel events, the participants often returned from their trips asking "where can I give back internationally". She found this to be a hard question to answer, but eventually sought to do something about that desire. As a result, she participated in a forum called "Travelers' Philanthropy", which is essentially travelers wanting and actually giving back to the places they visited. However, she was in some instances horrified as to the nature and results of their giving, because international giving can so easily become harmful if not done with adequate knowledge and care. In response to the desire of the travelers she knows and to hopefully maximize successful international giving, Global Sojourns teamed with The Clarence Foundation as a host, given that the Clarence Foundation has experience sponsoring and hosting Giving Circles focused on different themes and different countries. She and a very small group of 13 friends who give between $500-$2000 each to be part of the decision-making process at Global Sojourns, including Holly Wise who was present and who has a background international development. They plan to conduct their meetings by teleconference given that their members are located throughout the United States. A large part of their approach is focused on the education side. They will vet some of the projects first hand and bring the information back to the group to make a decision. The next meeting will actually be to review the projects that they plan to visit. They want to figure out how to leverage this -- whether to really go after the money or stay focused with a small group and just enable people to connect.
Sarah Bjork and Noelle Notarnicola of Capital Seed cited their origin and impetus as a cross-generational event, in which the Giving Circle of Hope members "held a get together and invited their children and their children's friends" and suggested that they start their own circle. They thought that was a terrific idea. They do not have a lot of money, but do have a lot of talent, knowledge and skills so give more with their time and capabilities than money. They focus on community ownership and thereby give back where they live and work. Capital Seed is a social network where they let people know what is going on and take responsibility for collecting and delivering items for food and clothing drives. While a lot of people participate in the Circle, there is a core group of six who donate most of the time and try to find the best way to leverage the involvement of others in small ways and in their own backyard.
Christopher Ellinger and Shaleh Alamee of the Zing Foundation kicked off their presentation with a facilitated group exercise whereby they solicited the energy that motivates the Giving Circles present in one-word descriptions of their feelings and then acted out those motivations -- honoring traditions, friendships, celebrating success and healing the heart -- to express artistically the spirit generated during the event. Christopher Ellinger explained that the impetus was his long-term interest and experience in donor education and the "excitement of the giving process". Shaleh Alamee described her impetus as seeing "the power of social change in Giving Circles and the excitement of donors by being involved." The Zing Foundation is supporting a hybrid model whereby they are looking for Giving Circles that their Foundation will help train, launch and support in the Boston area via a program to educate potential donors and then provide both organizational support and sector or project support, with an issue focus on the arts and social change. African-American Women's Giving Circle:
Brigette Rouson and Claudia Thorne of the Women's Foundation's African-American Women's Giving Circle advised that their circle was formed two years ago from an idea to "bring more of African-American women into the Foundation". It now has 23 members and asks its members to donate $5000 over two years. They came up with criteria, based in part on a prior Circle of the Foundation called the "Rainmakers' Circle". Claudia Thorne advised that her personal reason for joining was because she "was asked by a friend", Brigette Rouson. What became important in their circle was their relationships and consensus building. Therefore, they decided that they wanted their grants to have a lasting effect with inter-generational impact in a needed area such as Anacostia and in the areas of youth leadership and public housing. The major challenges surround the pacing among different members during the grant-making process -- whether to move quickly to meet the pressing needs of the community promptly or whether to plan strategically. They circle has found a happy medium that is both strategic and responsive to the community. Q&A Discussion
Steve Greisdorf, GCN Board Member, moderated the Giving Circle presentations as well as the open forum Q&A session that followed. Originally, GCN envisioned small group discussions focused on different pressing themes recommended by the Giving Circles in advance of the meeting, which were:
The consensus during the meeting was for everyone to hear all the questions and answers. While there was not time to address all the above topics, below are the topics discussed: Grantee Performance: How to Measure Impact - The first issue was on grantee performance. The responses were as follow:
Organizational "Care and Feeding" - Womenade asked how much care and feeding do you need to give to your Giving Circle (in terms of social engagement)?
Leadership & Transition: A question was raised about how the Circles handle leadership and transition.
Brigitte Rouson of the African-American Women's Giving Circle inquired what other people have done with respect to strategically educating members of their Circle and learning about other circles. She inquired whether other circles hold training sessions on financial statements, site visits, etc. Rebecca Powers of Impact Austin explained that their members can go through financial training, site visit training, etc., and they hold such sessions, but it is not necessarily required. In addition, as part of the grant-making process, the members read four-page reports on each of the finalists, so they can make informed and educated decisions about the grant applications.
Participant Feedback:
The vast majority of the participants (72-78%) rated the Giving Circle
sharing and the overall effectiveness of the event the highest (on a scale
of 1 to 5). A significant percentage (94%) rated one of the top two
ratings, so GCN feels that it accomplished its primary goal of supporting
the networking of Giving Circles. The success of the event is due in large
part to the early and continued feedback received by GCN from GCs on how they
would like to have the event structured, so is in large part due to their
involvement.
Some detailed comments were that in future networking events
should
have:
GCN hopes to host additional such events in the future. If you have any feedback on or questions about this article or event or believe that such a networking event would be beneficial in your community, please feel free to contact us at info@givingcircles.org. |
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opportunity for networking so that they could
exchange information, resources and techniques as well as gain
insight into the world of philanthropy, brainstorm for best
practices and discuss future
collaboration. The event brought together almost 30
participants from 11 organizations across Virginia, the District of
Columbia, Massachusetts and Texas, including seven Giving Circles,
the
Networking:
The event commenced with 30 minutes of initial networking and
display of the various Giving Circles' informational material and articles. This gave
the opportunity for one-on-one discussion prior to the start of the
presentations. 
w
much individuals -- not organizations -- are the ones who are in the center of and who
actually power philanthropy. Nazir pointed out that this has always been the case,
but that
philanthropy is riding a new wave, and is shifting, with a lot of
people now giving who have created new wealth, are relatively young in their lives, and
have changed in their awareness. Bill and Melinda Gates are an example of this.
Nazir Ahmad cited other trends impacting
philanthropy and the role of Giving Circles in giving. Specifically, he
noted that there is: 
Second, while there is a lot of bonding in Giving
Circles, there is the danger they become self-referential. GCs will need
to bring to their members other issues that may not touch the group directly, so the
local-to-global
connection has to be maintained in order that we go beyond our immediate mutual concerns.
our giving but
our role in society. It is for all these reasons, that Giving Circles, the
Giving Circles Network, and the organizations that support them are becoming so
important in philanthropy.
