'Giving circles' pool money for donations to charities
The concept is growing for people involved in philanthropy and socializing.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- When Hank Doll founded a group to pool money for charity in 2002, he hoped its Northeast Ohio members would eventually break off to form their own circles, causing a chain reaction of giving.
But the 15 or so members of the "Giving Back Gang" have become such good friends, gathering monthly over food and wine, that no one wants to leave.
And they're doing good work together. Each member commits to donating 1,000 a year toward a project chosen by the group. This year, their focus is on Lake Erie and other Great Lakes.
Giving circles are emerging as a popular option for people who want to engage in philanthropy and socialize in the process. The Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers in Washington, D.C., said it knows of 220 giving circles in 39 states, but that figure is probably just a fraction of the number that actually exist.
Most giving circles are so informal that there's no way of knowing how many operate in Ohio, said George Espy, president of the Ohio Grantmakers Forum.
Some giving circles are highly organized and even have staffs, like the Cleveland Social Venture Partners.
"Philanthropy is, by its very nature, voluntary and is tied directly to values, so it makes sense for individuals who share common interests and values to come together," Espy said.
Sharing more
At least one Northeast Ohio giving circle shares more than common interests. Elizabeth Reichard, a Rocky River native now living in New York, is planning a giving circle with her eight siblings. They will pool their money for a preschool in Kenya, which Reichard and other family members plan to visit in the future.
The family is making its donation through International Partners in Mission, a Cleveland Heights-based organization where Reichard is a board member.
The siblings will discuss their plans over Christmas dinner and hope to fund more projects in the years to come, she said.
"It's already been a great experience and it's kind of in the spirit about what the holidays are all about," Reichard said. "It's a way as a family to grow in faith."
Laurel Domanski Diaz of Cleveland said her giving circle, Colectivo, provides her with a chance to meet young, energetic people committed to improving Cleveland. The group is made up mostly of people in their 20s and 30s, and each member gives 400. They meet monthly over pizza and soda to talk about community service projects, and often they do more than give money -- they pitch in as volunteers, too.
So far, Colectivo's beneficiaries have included a program serving refugee families, a car-sharing program and an urban learning garden.
"Even though we're only giving 400 each, when we pool our money, we can make a real difference for some individual or group," Diaz said.