Women Create a Circle of Giving

A giving circle is such a simple, yet powerful, concept. A group of individuals pool their donation dollars and direct this money towards causes chosen by the group.

Over the past several years, the giving-circle concept has swept across the country. As of 2007, a study by the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers identified more than 400 circles encompassing 12,000 donors. Collectively, these circles had donated about $100 million.

That was three years ago; the phenomenon has only grown larger since then.

Anne Arundel County hasn't been left behind in this new wave of philanthropy. In 2005, Sharon Stewart had recently moved to Annapolis from Baltimore. She found that Annapolis didn't have a giving circle similar to the one she belonged to in Baltimore. So, Stewart started a local circle that runs under the auspices of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. Entitled Anne Arundel Women Giving Together (AAWGT), the group has donated close to $227,000 over the past four years to 25 local nonprofit organizations that specifically assist women and families.

"Giving circles are a wonderful way for women (and men) to become more knowledgeable about their community, more engaged, and wiser in their philanthropic giving," says Stewart.

From the initial 15 women, AAWGT has grown to 160 members, meaning that the group will have more than $75,000 to distribute over the coming year. Last year's donations totaled about $65,000. This money went to eight county organizations, including Arundel Lodge's Latina outreach project, the Eastport Girls' Club after-school Program, and the Robert A. Pascal Youth and Family Service's Stop the Violence program.

Current president, Murray Hill resident Lynne Davidson, was one of the founding members. She describes the members as "quite worldly and very interested in being involved in the community, not only as volunteers but as donors and contributors."

The organization works from both ends of the continuum, recognizing both the need for money to make worthwhile programs possible, but also investing the necessary time and effort.

Here's how it works. Each member donates $550 per year (although women age 35 or younger can opt to donate half that amount and become associate members). Fifty dollars go towards administrative costs; the remainder goes into the pot of money that the group allots to the chosen nonprofit organizations for that year. The more members there are, the greater the amount of money available for distribution.

The concept has become known as collective philanthropy.

"You get to leverage your contribution of $500 as if it's $75,000," says Davidson, empowering the individual and making each person feel that her contribution is making a significant difference in the community.

The women keep an eye on the performance of each recipient organization. After the grant year has finished, each grantee must come back to the group with a presentation to update the members on the strides the group has made during the year.

Food Link on Riva Road was one of the eight nonprofits to receive a grant this year from AAWGT. This nonprofit offers assistance to the working poor who don't receive needed support from traditional programs. The grant assisted the organization in offering fresh produce to hundreds of families in the county who need more nutritious foods but are often unable to afford them.

Under another grant to Maryland Therapeutic Riding, the organization started its Horses for Hope program that works with women who have experienced domestic violence and other traumas. These women have benefited greatly from participating in a weekly horse-riding program.

In addition to the allotment of grants, AAWGT also hosts a book club that meshes with its activist-giving bent. The women are currently reading Waiting for Superman, a book on saving America's failing public schools.  The group also has monthly meetings, open to the public, that focus on a specific issue. Transportation, activist aging, and women and global leadership are the subjects on tap for the next few months.

The group doesn't just give handouts; they also lend a hand. Women from AAWGT spend hours volunteering in their community, making lunches at the Light House shelter for example, to fulfill their mission of substantially supporting the nonprofits of the region.

"It's a very activist group," says Davidson. "If you ask them to do anything, they jump in with four feet!"

For more information on AAWGT, see the website to learn about becoming a member or its meeting schedule. The group holds two membership open houses each year; the next one is in April.