Giving Circles at the Community Foundation

A giving circle is, in general terms, a group of donors who place their charitable dollars into a pooled fund, and decide as a group which charities to support. 

Giving circle donors often commit to participation at an established dollar level on an annual basis, and the funds are typically granted to nonprofits chosen by the group. Giving circles vary in structure, size and charitable focus. Some giving circles are very informal, while other giving circles have hundreds of members and governing boards, and use a community foundation to manage the many aspects of their giving and other outreach activities.

Many giving circles offer their members a chance to work on grantmaking committees and evaluate nonprofits firsthand via site visits and other volunteer activities. And often, giving circles provide a venue for discussion of broader issues related to philanthropy, such as financial planning.

The Community Foundation has two women's giving circles, Women in Philanthropy with its membership and grantmaking focused on Beaufort County and PEARLS of Hampton County.