What is a Giving Circle
What is a Giving Circle? A Giving Circle is a form of shared giving in which a group joins together, creates a fund or pool of money made up of contributions from those is the group or “giving circle”, and then together determines where and to whom that fund will be given. Currently, there are an estimated 800 Giving Circles nationwide. A Giving Circle need not raise any minimum amount. Giving Circles leverage each other's capability and ultimately enhance the impact on the individual causes they promote. Giving Circles better meet the needs of individual donors and organizations they are serving.
Why a Giving Circle?
The simple reason is to pool donations with friends in an enjoyable social setting in order to engage in the decision-making about where your money goes and to have a greater impact in your community -- whether at the local, regional, national or international level. In this way, Giving Circles enable participants to make collective funding decisions and become more involved in the giving process than by simply writing a check to a favorite charity, all while having fun doing it. By donating time and/or money through their Giving Circle of choice, participants find that they have a deeper and better giving experience and -- because they are involved in the decision-making -- feel that they achieve more meaningful giving.
How does it work?
There are many ways to structure a Giving Circle. Here are some suggestions:
Option # 1
Host an informal meeting of friends in which each participants is asked to present one potential recipient for the collected funds. After all presentations have been made, give yourselves time to studying some of the texts provided in this guide. They will help to lend both Jewish language and Jewish values to the discussion. After the discussion and study have concluded an anonymous vote determines the recipient organization. This can be done at each meeting or this can be done over a longer period of time concluding with a single gift. We recommend a minimum donation from each group member at each meeting (no less than $25.00).
Option # 2
A more focused group could select a single cause to focus on. They may be: - Aging & Senior Citizens - Community development issues in your Circle's area; - Disaster Relief & Emergency Preparedness; - Education (community in general, women and girls, youth, minorities) - Employment and Equal Opportunity; - Environmental and sustainability issues, including environmental protection, conservation, climate change and global warming, and natural disaster (protection against or relief from). - Health issues such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, mental health, etc. - Homeless & Homelessness; - Housing Affordability, Access and Assistance; - Human/social rights issues and domestic violence; - Poverty & Welfare In a more focused group, now that your Circle has identified its issues or causes, it should articulate its mission statement. Your Circle's mission should be motivating and state what it seeks to do and how it might do that. The mission should include your Circle's purpose, how it intends to accomplish its purpose, and values (i.e., what guides your Circle's members). A mission statement can be a product of both discussion and study. Use the sources provided as a guide to identify the Jewish values and beliefs that might inform your mission. The most effective way that your Giving Circle can ensure that it achieves its intended impact is to develop a strategy statement with goals and objectives. The strategy should include: Goals, Objectives, and an Action Plan. For Example: - Goal: Reduce poverty - Objective: Help the homeless - Target: Feed homeless people - Measure: Feed 10 people monthly and 120 people annually - Deadline: by 1/3/2010
The value in this approach is that your Circle can revisit its goals monthly, quarterly and annually before too much funding has been disbursed, help your Circle stay on track or, if it is off track, you may be able to spot problems and correct them more quickly. Most importantly, you will accurately know that your Circle did in fact accomplish its objectives.
