Everyone likes to know when their giving has an impact, and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you like to discuss how you give and why you give with your network and friends. Combine those two things, and you’ve got the collective force of a Giving Circle.

Let’s define a giving circle for you first – it’s when individuals come together and pool their dollars, discussion and decision making on where to give money in support of a cause they believe in. Some also pool time in terms of volunteering and many do extensive research into charities, social and environmental impact, and grant making to further their knowledge in the philanthropic space. More simply, we’ve heard it said that a Giving Circle is like ‘book club meets philanthropy’.

Although this idea of pooling money has been around for decades, giving circles are now seen as part of the “new philanthropy” environment.

Philanthropy Australia is a great starting point to find out more about Giving Circles and collective giving.

The great thing about being a part of a Giving Circle is that your collective funds make for a big donation to a valuable cause. Also, if your circle grants periodically – it reduces the admin burden on charities and means they don’t have to engage with all the individuals separately (which costs), they can focus on your group.

Working together as a group means you can also maximise your impact and gain further engagement into your chosen initiative. If you run your Giving Circle on a continual basis, you may even see your membership grow (and your investment in the community grow) providing more impact.

How can you start a Giving Circle?

Chat to your colleagues at work, or to your friends and family. Is a Giving Circle something you could work together on? Set a date to discuss which charities or causes you could give to.

You don’t have to just get together to donate. You can meet up to discuss the impact your money has made, to raise awareness of certain causes you feel strongly about or to participate in fundraising activities as a group.

Want to join an established Giving Circle?

Check out Philanthropy Australia’s guide to collective giving, which includes the various Impact 100’s based around Australia. The Impact 100s gather 100 donations of $1,000 and grant the total $100,000 to charitable organisations and projects.

Get your company involved with The Funding Network, where you can host live crowdfunding events for small not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises.

If meeting up face-to-face isn’t possible or not your thing, there’s always the wonderful world of social media. Go to Facebook and search ‘Giving Circles’ in Groups. Some are open and others are closed to membership, but you can use the filters to find one locally or globally – the choice is yours.

To celebrate #GivingTuesday, we are asking Australians to give a little and then share their efforts with a photo or post on Facebook or LinkedIn. All you need to do is tag @good2give #GivingTuesday with your post.

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