Over the past decade, a new method of philanthropy has emerged in the Washington area, connecting residents with nonprofits that handle problems in local neighborhoods, according to a report from the Forum of Regional Associations of Grant Makers.
The association found that over the past decade, giving circles — small groups of local donors who decide how to donate money as a collective — have contributed more than $100 million to smaller nonprofits. In the past two years, the number of these types of groups nationally has doubled to more than 400.
These donors typically are younger than 40 and are looking for a way to become more engaged in community issues, said Daria Teutonico, director of the New Ventures in Philanthropy Initiative at the Association.
“Most of them are formed when friends get together and decide they want to make a difference in their community,’ she said. “They pool their donations, get together and decide where their money will go.”
These groups are popular in the national capital region and in Baltimore. According to the association, 11 giving circles operate in the region.
In Washington, these include Gather and Give, a group dedicated to fighting hunger. So far, the newly formed group of 17 20something women has raised $2,000.
The Giving Circle of HOPE in Reston has between 80 and 90 members and focuses on issues in their community. The group has raised money for cancer research and for seniors.
In Maryland, the Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle supports programs that help women become more self-sufficient. The Black Benefactors Giving Circle in Silver Spring focuses on issues facing black children in the Washington area.
“This is grassroots philanthropy,” Teutonico said. “We know that people are feeling disconnected from their neighborhood. This is a way for people to tap into the desire to be part of the community.”
