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Giving Circles – The Power of Many Make an Incredible Impact

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Do you sometimes wonder if your $100.00 contribution to your favorite non-profit organization is really making a difference?

As I mentioned in my article last month, small, consistent gifts are the foundation of most non-profits. These types of donations pay the basic costs of serving the special population. The small donations, because the dollars are coming from disposable income, will be consistently given year after year. But you may ask, what if we put together a bunch of these small donations to make a larger gift that will make a definite impact that we can see and/or measure?

Giving Circles have actually been designed to offer a greater impact for the donors and the organization. Giving Circles are usually sponsored by the non-profit institution. They are developed out of a need to target a specific group of donors to motivate them to give at a special time (i.e., Class Reunion Gifts), or the Board of Directors and Executive Staff of the charitable organization wants to create a new program and needs seed money as well as continued annul giving to support the new program. Or, it is just another way to attract new donors or current donors to increase their giving.

Several of the Giving Circles that I am aware of seek donors who will give a minimum of $100, $500, or $1,000. The individual will remain in the Giving Circle as long as she continues to give at least the minimum. And the buck does not stop there. Prior to marketing the Giving Circle, the charitable organization will create an advisory committee to help them decide what the general purpose will be for this group. As women become donors of this Giving Circle, they become voting members. It is another avenue to get to know donors that might have remained “under the radar” of the charitable organization. These Circles provide various opportunities for their members to learn more about the charitable mission and may also provide other types of educational seminars that would be of interest to the members.

Giving Circles can also be formed as recognition for a people who would prefer to be acknowledged in a “group” versus individually. For example, the “Madison Street Neighbors” would represent a cohesive group of individuals who are giving to a specific cause, but may not want to use their individual names because of a desire for anonymity.

$100 multiplied by 40, 50, or 100 individuals can provide a charitable organization with funds to initiate a new project or program or improve an existing one. And, it also provides a visible outcome for the donors themselves.

Certainly, during this month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there may be opportunities to join a Giving Circle in a variety of organizations that support medical research, outreach, psychological or family support for those who are affected by Breast Cancer. I am a nine year survivor and when I was going through treatment, I reached out to several organizations both for support and then I raised funds for one of my favorites. I even completed a 5K run six months after I had completed chemo!