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Communities of Better
Giving
A newsletter helping
Giving Circle effectiveness by expanding networks, increasing
leverage & deepening impact.
     
Giving Circles are
a new nationwide phenomenon of individual-initiated
philanthropy whereby participants pool their funds to more actively participate
in, learn from and provide value to the giving process, causes and communities
they promote. Giving Circles are diverse, ranging from a few members working
informally to hundreds of members with governing boards.
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This is the
third of a series to examine the impact of Giving Circles - GCN profiles the
success stories from GCs and the grantees and projects that they fund.
The Clarence Foundation's sponsors
Global
Giving Circles that focus on country and issue specific giving...Clarence's
latest giving circle in 2006 just completed its work and made $46,750 in grants!
Their collaboration resulted in funding for these
incredible projects:
- Income generating programs for women survivors of
conflict in the DR Congo (APRODEF - $10,000)
- A vocational school for orphans of the Rwandan
genocide (ASOGM - $5,750)
- Job training and re-integration programs for
ex-child soldiers in Northern Uganda (Gomo Tong - $10,000)
- Training of journalists to use media for conflict
resolution and peace-building in Somalia (HornAfrik Media - $10,000)
- Clean water/well restoration and support for an
elementary school for girls in Southern Sudan (New Sudan Generation -
$11,000) .
The Clarence Foundation's Microfinance
Circle projects funded by the end of 2005 had the following impact:
- generated roughly 400 loans (plus
associated services) impacting approximately 2000 people
including the extended families of the borrowers living in four areas:
Las Trojes- “The Recovered Land” (recovered from Sandanista/Contra fighting)
in southeastern Honduras, San Martin Jilotepeque in the highlands of
Guatemala, the greater La Ceiba area in northern Honduras, and Usulután in
southeastern El Salvador;
- enabled successful programs to expand
and serve new (and in many cases, first time) borrowers; and
- are anticipated to result in loans that
will be repaid and then recycled over the long term.
GCN will host the First Giving Circles Networking Event: "Conversations"
Saturday, February 3, 2006 in McLean, VA. The
event will include:
If you are area member of a
Giving Circle or would like to form a Giving Circle, please join us! Space
is limited, so if you are interested, please
contact us for an invitation.
Giving
Circle Survey Update - FRAG/New Ventures in Philanthropy
-
Omaha Women's Fund
Receives $1000 Grant: On January 3, 2007, the Forum of Regional
Associations of Grantmakers announced that of all the Giving Circles
participating in the survey by September 29, 2006, it selected the Omaha
Women's Fund was selected.
-
Giving Circle Survey Results Expected Spring 2007: The New
Ventures in Philanthropy advises that the
Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers intends to publish the results
of its survey in the Spring 2007.
New
Circles
-
Elevator
Speech 100 Women Strong:
The Center for Women's Philanthropy in Orlando, Florida is promoting this
new Giving Circle with annual donations of $1,100.
-
Global Sojourns
- In partnership with the Clarence Foundation, Global Sojourns is now
sponsoring a Giving Circle that will support projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
They offer a small community of donors to "...combine contributions to
support well-vetted, grassroots programs." They propose to "...learn more
about the issues that we're going to address, and ...witness the concrete
difference our donations make."
ABC
News - Money (December 15, 2006):
Charity Giving with a Group - Giving Circles Bring People Together in the
Name of Charity by Eilieen Alt Powell, AP.
The CBS Evening News (November 20,
2006):
"Giving Back Series: Giving Circle Proves Power in Numbers - An
Austin Group Pays Forward"
(Special on Giving Circles and Impact Austin) by Kelly
Cobiella (First part in a series).
The Washington Post - Business Section
(November 19, 2006):
"Donating With Care" Now More Cautious, Some Are Keeping Philanthropy Closer
to Home by Kathleen Day (about Americans becoming more cautious with their
philanthropy, investing in local Giving Circles such as "Many Hands"
(Bethesda, MD) instead of large, traditional nonprofit organizations.)
The New York Times (November 13, 2006):
"Putting Their Heads Together, Then Their Cash" about the Wine Ladies
Fund in Oshkosh, WI.
The Seattle Times (November 12, 2006):
"Giving Circles Help People Give, Do More for Charities" about Giving
Empowers my Sisters (GEMS), a giving circle in Oshkosh, WI and the Cleveland
Colectivo in Cleveland, OH.
Dining
for Women Blog: Chapters Growing!:
This Giving Circle is abuzz with their receipt of new chapter applications every
day. Do you have one night a month and want to give, then join women for dinner
and get involved!
Giving
Circles Network Focus: Come
Share with Us!
© 2007 Giving Circles Network -
The Giving
Circles Network newsletter is published semi-annually. Visit us at
www.givingcircles.org Contact us: GCN,
P.O. Box 2099,
Centreville, VA 20122;
(703) 408-0312; or
info@givingcircles.org
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