Giving Circles – Women’s History Month
March is women’s history month, so this is a good time to talk about women in philanthropy. We have seen an upsurge in recent years of giving circles established by women in Dallas. Giving circles are not new, but they have become a popular way to include more women in philanthropy. In the early 2000’s there were about 200 giving circles in the U.S. By 2020 there were more than 2,000.
In 2005, H100, a Hispanic women’s organization, set up a donor advised fund at Dallas Foundation and in 2019 they formed the Latina Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation. In 2015 The Orchid Society was established by a group of Asian Pacific Islander (API) women. The Village Giving Circle was founded in 2017 by a cohort of African American women. These women have raised and donated millions of dollars over the years to nonprofit organizations across North Texas.
A giving circle doesn’t have to be as formal as these organizations. It could be a group of neighbors who pool their money to support their neighborhood school or a group of friends who support a scholarship fund.
Giving circles make philanthropy accessible. You don’t have to be rich or well connected. You just need a group of people who are willing to join together for a greater good.
According to an article in Forbes Magazine in December 2024, a report on giving circles, “In Abundance: An Analysis of the Thriving Landscape of Collective Giving in the U.S.” found that
- nearly three-quarters of the groups earmark funds to stay in their immediate community,
- 92% of group members identified as women,
- 82% of members joined to establish relationships with like-minded people.
If you are interested in joining or starting a giving circle, give me a call.
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