![]() As Popularity of Giving Circles has Tripled, Women's Giving Circle of Howard County Joins Historic Gathering of American Giving Circle Networks to Co-Design Vision for Scaling & Strengthening the Movement Further Seattle, Washington (April 2019) – Supported by a lead grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 19 other funders, 82 participants from dozens of American giving circles and giving circle networks came together for a historic gathering in Seattle, Washington to connect with and learn from each other, and to build a vision for amplifying, strengthening and scaling giving circles across the United States. Recent studies by the Collective Giving Research Group demonstrates that giving circles have exploded in popularity in America, and that they offer a way to meaningfully engage people in giving and in investing in their communities. A recent report from the Lilly School of Philanthropy found that giving circles tripled In number from 2007 to 2017, to 1,500, and have donated as much as $1.29 billion in that time. “Giving circles are a major part of the future of American philanthropy,” said Marsha Morgan, chair of the Community Investment Network, one of the 5 networks co-leading the initiative. “Neighbors, friends, family, church and synagogue members - these are all ‘everyday givers.’ People are coming together, pooling their money, networks, and expertise, and investing in the change they want to make in the world. Giving circles are democratizing and diversifying philanthropy, and engaging tens of thousands of people in shaping their communities.” The gathering marked a milestone within a year-long “co-design” process for the giving circle movement, shepherded by five Giving Circle Networks: Amplifier (a network of circles inspired by Jewish values), Asian Women Giving Circle, Catalist (formerly the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmakers Network), Community Investment Network (a network of African American circles), and the Latino Community Foundation (a network of Latinx circles). The co-design process is engaging dozens of giving circle leaders, networks, and stakeholders to collectively design ways to strengthen and expand the giving circle movement. The process itself reflects the collaborative spirit of giving circles: dozens of diverse stakeholders from across the giving circle movement, from different communities and affinity groups, with different funding areas and approaches, are joining forces to design the common strategy and tactics needed to support the growth and sustainability of giving circles nationwide. Together, participants represented thousands of people already in giving circles who believe in the power of collective giving and are changing the face and the future of philanthropy. “My favorite part of the gathering was hearing the stories of hope and impact that so many giving circle leaders shared about their communities,” said Paula Liang, Chair Elect of Catalist, a network of 68 women’s funding groups. “There is a rich history of generosity and collective action in all of our communities and throughout American history, and this project can help us move that work forward while opening it up to so many more people. Joining a giving circle makes your giving more informed, more influential, and more impactful.” Giving Circle membership also leads to greater civic engagement. Dr. Anthony C. Hood, a member of the Birmingham Change Fund giving circle and Director of Civic Innovation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told the story of the current Mayor of the City of Birmingham, Alabama, Randall Woodfin who is the youngest mayor in the city in 100 years. Woodfin’s first step into civic involvement was as a member of the Birmingham Change Fund, which exposed him to the issues facing his community and the civic pathways to addressing them. Masha Chernyak, VP of Programs at the Latino Community Foundation, shared the story of Martin Vargas Vega, a child of farm-workers parents in Watsonville, California, who joined the Latinos in Tech Giving Circle with his first tech job. Vargas Vega is launching another giving circle with Latino leaders in his hometown. “We are helping to reclaim philanthropy for the Latino immigrant community and grounding the work in love and justice,” said Chernyak. Over the two-day convening, leaders shared ideas and resources for a field-wide infrastructure that will help inspire more grassroots philanthropy, strengthen communities, and increase American giving overall. The vision includes:
# # # Participants Included: Giving Circle Networks:
Individual Giving Circles:
Supporting Institutions & Thought Leaders:
20 Funders Co-Invested in this Process: Institutional Funders:
Giving Circles, Networks, and Members:
Contact: Isis Krause, [email protected] ###
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![]() The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County has received the following request to help with an immediate need in the community through our Emergency Response Network (ERN) – can you lend a hand? Our partners at HopeWorks are requesting $1,000 in assistance for a woman who recently left a violent relationship — if she breathed wrong, he would punish her. On one occasion, he broke the television and injured her young son. She has five kids altogether; although two have passed away. Her mother and grandmother also passed away just two weeks after her son died leaving her with little to no support. She now resides in HopeWorks’ emergency shelter and hopes to find secure, safe housing to move forward with her remaining children. She and her children are in need of immediate financial support to help pay for a security deposit and part of the first month’s rent for a new and permanent safe home. On behalf of our partners at HopeWorks we are asking for $1,000 from the Emergency Response Network to help support this woman in need. Can you help? If so, please DONATE HERE. WGC will pool your contributions and send the funds directly to the nonprofit. We will only accept enough funds to cover this request. Thank you! The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to directly help women in need. When our nonprofit partners are working with a woman or girl with an immediate need, they submit a request to the WGC. Emergency Response Network Requests:
Thank you for your support of women and girls in our community through the WGC’s Emergency Response Network (ERN). We are making a bigger difference together than we might otherwise be able to alone – the reason for our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, Wow, what a month! Last month we celebrated Women's History Month and International Women's Day with lots of activity: READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE - CATALIST WOMEN: We joined Catalist Women, a national network of over 60 women's giving circles that support the creation, development, and expansion of women's collective giving nationwide to build women's leadership and amplify the power of giving together. - GIRL POWER!: We helped to fund Girl Power! again, where over 1,100 girls came to learn about and experience STEM careers. - VISIONARY WOMEN: We helped to fund this year's powerful Visionary Women Art Exhibit at the Columbia Art Center, and attended the Gala Reception on International Women’s Day! - WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME: We attended the Howard County Women's Hall of Fame, which honored three Howard County women having an impact in our community, including WGC founder Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, along with Cathy Hudson and Georgia Eaker. It was great to have women's philanthropy and the WGC highlighted at this event - congratulations to all! - BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION: The WGC was represented by WGC's Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz in Seattle at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the National Giving Circle Co-Design Convening that brought together collective giving experts from across the country who are working to build a national infrastructure to strengthen and grow the giving circle movement. And, we've got some great things coming up: - April 30: We are excited to fund Journey Camp for Girls each year, which is now accepting applications for another amazing week of leadership and empowerment for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls. Applications are due April 30 - please help us spread the word! - May 7: We have a great Educational Happy Hour coming up on May 7: Nourishing Those Who Nourish Others: Tools to Keep Your Best Self with Dr. Jyothi Rao, of the Shakthi Health and Wellness Center - purchase tickets today! - May 30: Mark your calendars and plan to celebrate philanthropy in our county at theCommunity Foundation of Howard County's Spring Party - we are proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation! - June 30: And, finally, join us for a viewing and discussion of Girl Rising on June 30 to salute the founding of the Columbia Film Society and HoCoPoLitSo - we are sponsoring an afternoon that celebrates the education of girls, the beauty of story, and the power of collective action - purchase early-bird tickets available exclusively for WGC donors, and enter code FEST32 Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] The Sweetness of Circles, Medium, March 26, 2019 - Beautiful, important piece on the history, strength and growth of black-led giving circles by authors Valaida Fullwood, Tracey Webb, and Akira Barclay. Equal Pay Day, NBC News, April 2, 2109 - As we reflect on Equal Pay Day today, let’s take a moment for a little bit of history: A little over 30 years ago, women earned 64 cents for every dollar a man earned — a pay gap of 36 cents. Kresge Pledges to Increase Portion of Endowment Invested With Firms Owned by Minorities or Women, Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 4, 2019 - The Kresge Foundation has announced that by 2025, a quarter of its U.S. assets will be invested with firms owned by people of color or women.The decision is based on equity, opportunity, and returns. Teen Girls are Leading the Way. How Can Philanthropy Support Them? Philanthropy Women, April 8, 2019 - Teen girls are becoming movers and shakers across the globe in areas like gun violence, environmental activism, and gender equality, as well as advocacy for inclusiveness and systems change of all kinds. The Most Effective Way You Can Give To Charity, Even On A Super Tight Budget,Mindfulness, April 9, 2019 - Small donations can have a big cumulative impact. Even though the big $100 million gifts are what get the most attention, about 70 percent of all charitable giving comes from individuals. The WGC was represented by one of WGC's founders - Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz - in Seattle at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the National Giving Circle Co-Design Convening that brought together collective giving experts from across the country who are working to build a national infrastructure to strengthen and grow the giving circle movement.
Read more about this effort. Stay tuned for further information as WGC takes a leadership role in helping to grow the movement nationally to benefit communities, the field, and our circle! WGC has joined Catalist Women, a national network of over 60 women's giving circles representing over 17,000 women who have given over $125 million across the US. Catalist empowers women by supporting the creation, development and expansion of collective giving through informed grantmaking.
Catalist gives a national voice to the high-impact collective giving movement and accelerate the power of our network of independent affiliate organizations. We are excited to learn and grow with other women's giving circles across the country, and to bring shared learning and resources to the WGC, and to all of you! April 2, 2019
By Jean Chatzky, NBC News As we reflect on Equal Pay Day today, let’s take a moment for a little bit of history: A little over 30 years ago, women earned 64 cents for every dollar a man earned — a pay gap of 36 cents. Today, we earn 80 cents, making the gap 20 cents — or about half of what it used to be. For women of color, the gap is even greater. Black women earn 63 cents for every dollar that men do, Native American women earn 58 cents and Hispanic women make just 54 cents. Note: You may see slightly different numbers floating around out there, and that’s because of different data sets used. For example, The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t count bonuses, while the Census Bureau does, and some calculations use hourly wages while others rely on salary. The important thing to note is that the gender pay gap is still here and it’s still big. But there is good news — according a 2019 report from Glassdoor Economic Research, the gender pay gap is shrinking in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and four other countries — it’s nearly 3 percent narrower today than it was three years ago. Read the full article .. Charlestown Retirement Community celebrated #InternationalWomensDay by welcoming Diana Bailey, Executive Director of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, and WGC Advisory Board Member, as a guest speaker. Her enlightening presentation focused on the social, political and economic experiences and contributions of Maryland Women in history. #womenshistorymonth
Friends,
Today we received this lovely note from a woman we helped in partnership with Grassroots, through our Emergency Response Network. This is why we do this work, together! Thank you all! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle WGC Chair ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, It's been a busy Women's History Month - thanks to all our donors, partners, and friends who have supported our efforts in so many ways! We started the month on the heels of raising $1,000 in two hours to support a woman in need through our Emergency Response Network - thank you for your ongoing support! We were proud to be a funder again of Girl Power! where over 800 girls came to learn about and experience STEM careers. And, we were honored to fund this year's powerful Visionary Women Art Exhibit at the Columbia Art Center, and to attend the Gala Reception on International Women’s Day! I hope you get a chance to stop by before it ends at the end of March. READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE We've got some great events coming up that I hope you can promote and/or join us!
Have you noticed our fresh look this month? I hope you like our just-launched, new, updated website - let us know what you think! Also, please make sure to follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram - we post information consistently about our work, events, grants, and topics of interest to our donors, partners, and the community. Thank you for your support of the WGC, which is growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] "I am grateful to be a woman. I must have done something great in another life" – Maya Angelou W WOW!
What a day at the JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) on March 10, 2019 for GIRL POWER! We are honored to be a long-time sponsor of this wonderful #STEM event for girls! #womenshistorymonth #girlpower WGC is proud to sponsor this event.
Friday night’s Gala Reception on International Women’s Day was powerful! Visionary Women will be available to view through March: VISIONARY WOMEN – March 8-31, 2019 Gala Reception: Friday, March 8, 6-8:30pm The Journey, Art About Women By Women Main and Window Galleries, Columbia Art Center #iwd2019 #visionarywomen #womenshistorymonth Celebrating International Women's Day!
"I am grateful to be a woman. I must have done something great in another life" – Maya Angelou Your support of the WGC is growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. #internationalwomensday Thank you for your support! WGC is proud to sponsor this event:
VISIONARY WOMEN – March 8-31, 2019 Gala Reception: Friday, March 8, 6-8:30pm The Journey, Art About Women By Women Main and Window Galleries, Columbia Art Center An invitational art exhibit and series of events celebrating the talents and art of women from Howard County and Maryland during National Women’s History Month. March 8, International Women’s Day, has been chosen as the focal point of the observance and is an opportunity to amplify women’s voices and recognize and honor the contributions of women in our community.
The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is sponsoring the Juror Awards for the Visionary Women Art Exhibit. ![]() WGC Emergency Response Network Request – We Did It! Many thanks to everyone who took action today and donated to help a woman in need in our community. We asked, and you, our network of women philanthropists, responded – and we quickly raised $1,000! Thank you all! #WGCERN EARLIER REQUEST: The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County has received the following request to help with an immediate need in the community through our Emergency Response Network (ERN) – can you lend a hand? Our partners at the Howard County Autism Society are requesting $1,000 in assistance for a client in need of respite supports. She is a single mother with a disability who has three children with disabilities (one of them with autism). On behalf of our partners at the Howard County Autism Society we are asking for $1,000 from the Emergency Response Network to help support this mother in need. Can you lend a hand? WGC will pool your contributions and send the funds directly to the nonprofit. We will only accept enough funds to cover this request. The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to directly help women in need. When our nonprofit partners are working with a woman or girl with an immediate need, they submit a request to the WGC. Emergency Response Network Requests:
Thank you for your support of women and girls in our community through the WGC’s Emergency Response Network (ERN). We are making a bigger difference together than we might otherwise be able to alone – the reason for our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. ![]() WGC is proud to fund this amazing program again this year: JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) hosts Girl Power, a STEM expo for middle and high school girls, with support from the Maryland Space Business Roundtable and Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. The event features hands-on activities, cool demonstrations, and take-home material for the girls to encourage an interest in STEM careers. Girls have the opportunity to talk to professional women in STEM careers such as aerospace, computer science, electrical engineering, geology, information technology, and space mission engineering. There is no registration required. Girl Power is scheduled for March 10, 2019, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Mark your calendars and help spread the word! More information will be available soon. This event attracted over 700 elementary and middle school students for a crowd of 1,000+ We appreciate all the work you have done in the past to celebrate and highlight women in STEM! Dear WGC Donors and Friends,
We’ve had a great start to the year so far – thanks to all our donors, partners, and friends who have supported our efforts in so many ways. READ THE FULL FEBRUARY ENEWSLETTER HERE And, we’ve got some great things planned the next few months. We are proud to be a funder of Girl Power! on March 10 – please plan to take your children or grandchildren, and help us spread the word! We are also proud to fund Journey Camp for Girls, which is now accepting applications for another amazing week of leadership and empowerment for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls. Applications are due April 30 – please help us spread the word! And, mark your calendars for our Pre-Party Toast on May 30th, in advance of the Community Foundation of Howard County’s Spring Party – more information to come. Finally, please make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – we post information consistently about our work, events, grants, and topics of interest to our donors, partners, and the community. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to help women in need. When our nonprofit partners are working with a woman with an immediate need, they submit a request to the WGC ERN.
We enhanced the ERN in the Summer of 2018. Since that time have sent 7 WGC ERN requests to our donor base, and have received donations totaling $5,500. Emergency Response Network Requests:
Thank you for your support of women and girls in our community through the WGC’s Emergency Response Network (ERN). We are making a bigger difference together than we might otherwise be able to alone – the reason for the success of our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. GIRL POWER – March 10, 2019!
WGC is proud to fund this amazing program again this year: JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) hosts Girl Power, a STEM expo for middle and high school girls, with support from the Maryland Space Business Roundtable and Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. The event features hands-on activities, cool demonstrations, and take-home material for the girls to encourage an interest in STEM careers. Girls have the opportunity to talk to professional women in STEM careers such as aerospace, computer science, electrical engineering, geology, information technology, and space mission engineering. There is no registration required. Girl Power is scheduled for March 10, 2019, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Mark your calendars and help spread the word! More information will be available soon. This event attracted over 700 elementary and middle school students for a crowd of 1,000+ We appreciate all the work you have done in the past to celebrate and highlight women in STEM! 2018 was a year of impact and meaning, and it’s because of you.
We brought people together with common interests to learn about issues impacting our community and to fund programs that benefit women and girls in Howard County. How did we do this?
We’ve been part of the Howard County community for over 17 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. And we’ve done all this together – as a Giving Circle. It takes all of us investing our time, talent, and financial resources in various ways to ensure we are having an impact. Here’s how we’ve had an impact together in 2018:
I hope our 2018 efforts have inspired you as much as it has all of us – it fuels us to continue working together to support women and girls in our community as we look to 2019. Perhaps it’s needed now more than ever. Please give to the WGC during this giving season – we can’t do it without you. Thank you! Barb Van Winkle WGC Chair Many thanks to everyone who took action today and donated to help a woman in need right here in our community.
We asked, and you, our network of women philanthropists, responded – and in a short period of time we raised $1,000! The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to help women in need. When our nonprofit partners are working with a woman with an immediate need, they submit a request to the WGC. Emergency Response Network Requests:
Thank you for your support of women and girls in our community through the WGC’s Emergency Response Network (ERN). We are making a bigger difference together than we might otherwise be able to alone – the reason for the success of our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. Thank You!
On Sunday, January 6 we had a wonderful WGC-Hosted Event, “Making Waves” by Rissa Miller at Kittamaqundi Community Church. This script-in-hand reading of the play in partnership with Try it Out Theatre was well attended and we had a lively discussion after the play about women in the workplace that touches on salary disparity, sex-based discrimination, and the #metoo movement. Thank you to Malynda and Rich Madzel for partnering with us. Thanks also to Steve and Patti Wecker and Vince Culotta, owners of CURED and 18th & 21st restaurants for their ongoing support and for providing attendees with coupons for brunch or lunch! WGC will continue providing opportunities for donors and others to learn together about the WGC and the issues we fund. Dear WGC Donors and Friends,
At this month’s WGC Advisory Board meeting (pictured) some of our board gathered to reflect on the year, and plan for 2019. What we discussed is that we’ve had a year full of impact and meaning, and it’s because of you. We brought people together with common interests to learn about issues impacting our community and to fund programs that benefit women and girls in Howard County. READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE How did we do this?
We’ve been part of the Howard County community for over 17 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. And we’ve done all this together – as a Giving Circle. It takes all of us investing our time, talent, and financial resources in various ways to ensure we are having an impact. Learn more here I hope our 2018 efforts have inspired you as much as it has all of us – it fuels us to continue working together to support women and girls in our community as we look to 2019. Perhaps, it’s needed now more than ever. Please give to the WGC during this giving season – we can’t do it without you. Thank you! Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] December 2018
Dear WGC Friends and Supporters, We’ve had a year of impact and meaning, and it’s because of you. We brought people together with common interests to learn about issues impacting our community and to fund programs that benefit women and girls in Howard County. How did we do this?
We’ve been part of the Howard County community for over 17 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. And we’ve done all this together – as a Giving Circle. It takes all of us investing our time, talent, and financial resources in various ways to ensure we are having an impact. Here’s how we’ve had an impact together in 2018:
I hope our 2018 efforts have inspired you as much as it has all of us – it fuels us to continue working together to support women and girls in our community as we look to 2019. Perhaps it’s needed now more than ever. Please give to the WGC during this giving season – we can’t do it without you. Thank you! Barb Van Winkle WGC Chair We had a great tour of the Undesign the Redline exhibit hosted by the Howard County Library System at the Central Branch.
It was great to have so many WGC donors and supporters join us at this interactive exhibit that explores the history of structural racism and classism, how these designs compounded each other from redlining maps until today, and how we can come together to undesign these systems with intentionality. Many thanks to our tour guides – former WGC Advisory Board member Maura Cleary Dunnigan and Tina Sheets Horn. We highly encourage everyone to visit this exhibit! |
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