|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trends in philanthropy
A recent article in the Boston Globe examines the growth of charitable giving circles as a philanthropic vehicle for women donors in the Boston area. Giving circles, which are described by the Globe as a cross between a book club and an investment club, allow donors to invite friends and colleagues with similar interests in social issues to give collectively to organizations of their choice. Beth Schultz Klarman, a philanthropist interested in empowering young women who are looking for philanthropic options that go beyond "quietly writing checks with my husband," recently started a giving circle of her own. Klarman and roughly 60 other women are contributing at least $10,000 each over five years through the Boston Jewish Community Women’s Fund to organizations that focus on issues affecting Jewish women and girls. Each woman who contributes funds through the group is given a vote on how the money is distributed. According to the Globe, the thing that draws many women to the giving circle model is its community aspect. "I’ve found that women don’t want to be the 10-ton gorilla," notes Sondra Shaw-Hardy, a Michigan-based expert on women’s philanthropy. "They like giving the same amount as everyone else." Giving circles also have grown in popularity among other population groups in the Boston area. The African-American Federation of Greater Boston, for example, is a giving circle made up of 15 African-American men who contribute between $250 and $500 annually to the organization. David Bowman, a founder of the group, says the model provides valuable social as well as philanthropic opportunities. With meetings often arranged around functions such as picnics and golf
outings, Bowman notes, "We’re a network for African-American men to
get to know each other." |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2505 Third Avenue, Suite 200
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
