How To Start a Women's Giving Circle

Find other women who are looking for a way to give back to the community – friends, neighbors, family, co-workers – and ask if they’d be interested in setting up a charitable group known as a giving circle. Explain the purpose – to target resources in order to make significant donations to selected charities.

Host a meeting so you can set goals, like settling on the kinds of charities the circle would like to support; the financial and time commitment everyone’s willing to make; when contributions are raised and provided to groups; how often you’d like to meet; and for how long. The group may be as informal or as organized as everyone likes: The important thing is that everyone has an equal voice.

Choose the first charity or charities to support. Some circles invite charities to apply for contributions; others find worthy causes entirely on their own.

Delegate duties, such as keeping the financial records, taking the minutes, and investigating potential recipients. Make sure there’s time for some socializing, too! Giving circles are a fun way to meet new women, as well as spend time with old friends.

The simplest way to manage the money is for each member to write their own check. Then, give the checks to the charity as a group, so the charity knows where the support came from.

Discuss what members could do to help the chosen charities beyond their financial contribution, like donating their expertise or skills. It’s an opportunity to use your life experience to help others in a hands-on way.

Periodically examine your short-term and long-term goals at your meetings. It helps you see exactly how your contributions are making a difference – in your community at large, and in the lives of individuals. And what greater legacy could you leave than that?