Download "Women's Giving Circles: Reflections from the Founders"

September 9, 2009

Giving circles have empowered women across the country," said Colleen Willoughby, founder of the Washington Women's Foundation, in an interview for the booklet, "Women's Giving Circles:  Reflections from the Founders" published this month by the Women's Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. 

The new booklet adds the valuable perspective of personal narrative to understanding the growth of giving circles over the past ten years.  Written by Sondra Shaw-Hardy for the Women's Philanthropy Institute, the narrative focuses on the motivations, challenges, and opportunities of the 18 giving circle founders interviewed for the booklet.  Included chronologically, the narrative documents the growth of the giving circle movement as it has expanded across race, culture, geography, and age.  It also is a testament to two factors that propelled the growth of this grassroots phenomenon - media interest and the powerful women's social network.

The giving circles included in the booklet are: 

Women's Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Federation (MN), Lovelight Foundation (MI), Washington Women's Foundation (WA), Funding Arts Network (FL), Women's Leadership Council (CA), The WellMet Group (NY), Womenade (DC), Women of Texas Instruments Fund (TX), Women's Giving Alliance (FL), Women's Giving Circle of Howard County (MD), Impact 100 (OH), Impact Austin (TX), Dining for Women (SC), Women's Foundation of Minnesota (MN), African American Women's Giving Circle (DC), Asian Women's Giving Circle (NY), and Circle de Luz (NC).

"I feel our circle is creating philanthropists," stated Ann Baker of the Florida-based Women's Giving Alliance.  In sharing the personal, heartfelt stories of these pioneering women founders, the Women's Philanthropy Institute recognizes and celebrates the transformative power of giving circles to empower and inspire philanthropists.

The booklet is available online at no charge:  http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/PhilanthropicServices/WPI/

For more information about the Women's Philanthropy Institute visit:  http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/PhilanthropicServices/WPI/