Givers are Getting More Engaged
Add comment July 18th, 2008
Jody J. Jungerberg, MBA, CFS, ChFC, CFP®
Remember years ago when investment clubs became vogue again? Thanks to the “Beardstown Ladies,” women’s investment clubs were organizing with vigor all over the country. I was fortunate enough to lead a few! My first club was organized in the mid 90’s and of course, did extremely well (Everyone did in that environment!). We took our gains and spent a day in New York City with a limo, airfare, shopping with lunch at Tavern on the Green, and flew home the same evening. What fun we had!
The trend today however, is turning toward “giving circles.” The concept is similar but with a different focus. Giving circles bring together like-minded donors who explore and collaborate with each other on causes or non-profit organizations upon which they would like to make an impact.
It usually starts with a small informal group of friends who pool their monies with the goal of connecting and making meaningful efforts toward the causes they believe in. They usually share similar interests and values, and get together to learn more about philanthropy as a vehicle for social change. You can understand how pooling dollars toward a key issue(s) can have a far more powerful impact than what one individual could do.
Members meet regularly to help address specific community issues and agree on which areas they would like to support. There is an expectation that members will be proactive and participatory. Monies may be donated monthly or only a few times a year. There may be several key issues toward which they wish to give, or maybe just one or two.
One caveat: if you are the kind of donor who prefers to be highly recognized for a charitable gift, this probably isn’t the vehicle for you. There really is minimal donor recognition other than a thank-you. But it certainly offers a great cooperative learning environment for socially like-minded friends to get together, “give back,” and enjoy the extraordinary passion of benevolence for the causes they help.
There’s no rule here preventing you from putting “fun” into the equation too.
Perhaps it is a factor of where I am in my own life. I know I would derive much more satisfaction knowing that I helped build a new day care program for underprivileged kids or played a part in finding a cure for diabetes or Alzeimers disease than I would having a lunch at Tavern on the Green!
To everything there is a season.
