Women have been quietly giving in many guises since the hey-day of Victorian philanthropy, and a 21st century trend that is connecting more women to giving and increasing their philanthropic clout is giving circles and networks.
A giving circle can take many forms and generally involves a group of individuals coming together with a philanthropic purpose, pooling their pounds and resources, and deciding collectively where to give their money. Within these basic parameters no two groups look or act the same, and can be as small as a handful of women meeting locally through to large corporate and foundation-supported groups.
One of the most appealing and effective aspects of giving circles and networks is the opportunity to shape the group to meet the particular needs of a community, and the interests and capabilities of donors.
In this section we profile a kaleidoscope of giving circles and networks, and take inspiration from the US, where giving circles, once considered a fad, are now flourishing.
The consistent statement across all groups, both UK and US-based, is that participating in giving circles and networks is empowering and allows women to “make a difference” to their own and other communities in a way that would not be possible individually.
With more and more women wanting to give, and the wind of influence blowing in from the US, the forecast for the growth of giving circles and networks in the UK can only be good.
