Circle This

Remember in the movie Meet the Parents when Robert DeNiro cornered Ben Stiller’s character and gave him the low-down on how to stay in the ‘circle of trust’? That was definitely one of my favorite parts in the whole movie.

Interestingly though, the idea of ‘circles’ of like minded people extends also to the arena of philanthropy. One of the coolest new ways to get more for your charity buck is to join, or start for that matter, a Giving Circle. By Wikipedia definition, a Giving Circle is a group of individuals who pool their funds and other resources to donate to their communities and seek to increase their awareness and engagement in the process of giving. In addition to making financial contributions to selected causes, Giving Circles also can encompass a volunteer component where members donate time to charities selected by their group. According to a 2007 issue of Delta Sky magazine, there are currently an estimated 800 Giving Circles in the US, which is about double the amount from 2006.

Clearly, the advantage of starting one of these groups is having the ability to do more good, because the pot of funds is substantially larger that you are working with. However, probably the biggest reason to start one is that your likelihood of ‘one day giving back to charity’ will increase 10-fold. Just like your chances of sticking to a new gym routine is greater if you get a workout buddy, the same holds true for your philanthropy aspirations.

So the next question is where to start? Well that depends on how ambitious you are, but it doesn’t have to be rocket science. First, you should decide whether you want to join an existing circle or start one. If you decide to start one, you need to consider things like what will your mission be? Will you operate loosely where there is no formal tax-deductible component to member contributions, or will you apply for a 501(c)(3) and operate as a foundation? Will there be minimum contribution requirements for your members, or do you want to leave it open to however much people can afford? Do you want to have a local, national or global focus? Of course, if you decide to join an existing circle the process is much simpler as you just need to find one whose mission reflects your personal charity interests. Online blogs as well as Meetup Groups for existing Giving Circles are increasing in popularity and make it easy to get started interacting with people quickly.

Finally, the most important thing to focus on when joining or starting a Giving Circle is having fun. There are few things more fulfilling than being involved in charity and making the most of the social aspect of Giving Circles is key to staying motivated and passionate about all the good you are doing.

If you’re ready to jump in and get started, here are a few links that will demystify your next steps. Both sites are excellent resources that provide information on both starting your own circle or finding an existing one.

Forum of Regional Association of Grantmakers

Giving Circles Network

Good Luck and Happy Giving!