Richmond Giving Circle
Overview
Started in 2007, The Richmond Giving Circle seeks to advance the region's nonprofits by pooling resources in a collaborative grantmaking process and by linking young philanthropists with entreprenuerial nonprofits and their leaders. Through monthly meetings and other educational opportunities, members network with their peers and gain skills to become strategic, well-informed philanthropists.
Members of the Giving Circle contribute $500 each to a common grantmaking pool, which is used to support annual grants in a focus area of their own choosing. Over the past three years, members have shown a preference for supporting grassroots organizations that demonstrate an ability to achieve success with limited staff and resources. In other words, they seek to support nonprofits where their combined dollars can make a significant impact. See a list of our Recent Grants.
Benefits of Participation
- Networking – Members have an opportunity to build friendships and make professional connections with others who share their interest in making Richmond a better place.
- Awareness – Through site visits and other educational events, members learn about local issues and nonprofit organizations that they may not have been familiar with previously.
- Impact – By pooling resources, members can achieve greater impact together than they would individually.
- Volunteerism – Many members express a desire to share their time and talents with the nonprofit organizations that they have considered for grant support. At least annually, members have an opportunity to participate in an organized volunteer project. In some cases, members have been invited to join the board of a former grant recipient.
How to join the Richmond Giving Circle
We are currently seeking members for the 2011 program, which will kickoff in October. See our Membership page for more details.