Creative Engagement - Story #5
inspire
What?
How has the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC) continued to grow and thrive over the past 20 years?
One key element is creative engagement: the ability to embrace and encourage a variety of unique opportunities for both existing members and members-to-be to rally around the WGC!
We engaged women and girls by creatively meeting them where they are, whether it be in competitive athletics, social media, and/or technology.
Circle Team
The Circle Team, founded by former Advisory Board member Maura Dunnigan in 2006, brought together women interested in training for the Iron Girl Triathlon with one additional component: raising money for the WGC. Not only did this approach support the core philanthropic mission of the WGC, it empowered the women and girls who participated, promoted health and wellness, and grew our community of philanthropists by engaging numerous generations of women and girls.
Over six successful seasons, the Circle Team engaged up to 75 team members ranging in age from 15 to 67 years old and included mother-and-daughter teams.
Participants raised over $120,000 for the WGC through local, regional, and national races.
Facebook Fundraisers
Facebook makes it easy for WGC supporters to fundraise on behalf of our organization!
And, that’s exactly what 3 members have taken the lead in doing so far, raising a total of $6,000 for the WGC through 5 different fundraisers, all starting in April of 2020.
Allowing individuals to tap into their personal networks on a site like Facebook encourages an unusual yet extraordinarily powerful type of engagement: people can choose to give to support the individual, the event, the organization, or a combination thereof. Four of the fundraisers were for birthday celebrations, and one was to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the WGC. Altogether, 154 people donated to these fundraisers.
(S)hero Mosaic
The WGC’s 2021 Annual Celebration was held on International Women’s Day. During the lead up to the event, people were encouraged to submit the names and accomplishments of Howard County women for WGC’s Virtual (S)hero Mosaic.
According to the WGC, a (S)hero is “a woman admired or idealized for her courage, her outstanding achievements.” Over 500 (S)heroes were recognized and celebrated.
Among those were some who had not yet heard of the WGC, and thanks to this introduction, many chose to learn more and to become members, all because of a simple action meant to spotlight the many women doing incredible things within our community.
So What?
The WGC was founded in a way to welcome women interested in membership at a variety of levels.
Creative engagement is another step on that pathway, offering imaginative ways to convene and inspire even those who never considered themselves to be philanthropists.
This is how the WGC keeps growing, and keeps thriving: an open-minded, creative, and celebratory approach to philanthropy.
An understanding that bringing women together, supporting them, challenging them, nurturing them, educating them, empowering them - it all leads to building the type of grassroots support so critical in organizational longevity.
And given the triumphs of the WGC over the past 20 years, we all certainly want to see it continue to prosper moving forward, for the good of all women and girls in Howard County.
Now What?
Feeling inspired? We hope so!
The takeaway is this: there are countless creative ways to engage with the WGC in addition to giving and becoming a member:
You never know who you will inspire. And in turn you never know who they will inspire.
This is how the WGC grows.
For 20 years, the WGC has dedicated itself to leveraging our collective dollars, to amplifying the power of collective giving, to building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.
Will you join us? www.womensgivingcircle.org
Be a part of our story.
#WGC20Years
#WGC20Years20Stories
inspire
What?
How has the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC) continued to grow and thrive over the past 20 years?
One key element is creative engagement: the ability to embrace and encourage a variety of unique opportunities for both existing members and members-to-be to rally around the WGC!
We engaged women and girls by creatively meeting them where they are, whether it be in competitive athletics, social media, and/or technology.
Circle Team
The Circle Team, founded by former Advisory Board member Maura Dunnigan in 2006, brought together women interested in training for the Iron Girl Triathlon with one additional component: raising money for the WGC. Not only did this approach support the core philanthropic mission of the WGC, it empowered the women and girls who participated, promoted health and wellness, and grew our community of philanthropists by engaging numerous generations of women and girls.
- "The excitement of that day is really huge, and I just love the fact that we can get 75 people who didn't think they might be philanthropists on the road to philanthropy." - Megan Bruno
Over six successful seasons, the Circle Team engaged up to 75 team members ranging in age from 15 to 67 years old and included mother-and-daughter teams.
Participants raised over $120,000 for the WGC through local, regional, and national races.
- “The Circle Team began as a small group of women who wanted to support each other to reach a very specific goal: to compete in and finish the Iron Girl Triathlon while supporting the WGC. Our numbers grew over the years as others witnessed the camaraderie, fun, and friendships we made while reaching our goals TOGETHER. Team members included first-timers who had never dreamed of participating in a triathlon but crossed that finish line to seasoned athletes who supported others along the way - we all came together to raise an extraordinary amount to impact women and girls in the community. The experience was a true testament to the power of collective giving, both metaphorically and literally.” - Maura Dunnigan
Facebook Fundraisers
Facebook makes it easy for WGC supporters to fundraise on behalf of our organization!
And, that’s exactly what 3 members have taken the lead in doing so far, raising a total of $6,000 for the WGC through 5 different fundraisers, all starting in April of 2020.
Allowing individuals to tap into their personal networks on a site like Facebook encourages an unusual yet extraordinarily powerful type of engagement: people can choose to give to support the individual, the event, the organization, or a combination thereof. Four of the fundraisers were for birthday celebrations, and one was to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the WGC. Altogether, 154 people donated to these fundraisers.
- “I’m simply in awe of the power of online fundraising. I created Facebook birthday fundraisers for 2020 and 2021, and friends and family rallied to celebrate by supporting the WGC, an organization that does so much to champion women and girls in our community. And it wasn’t just people who are local, people from all over the country - even a friend from Australia! - donated because the WGC is important to me. That’s just extraordinary, and humbling, and inspiring.” - Mickey Gomez
(S)hero Mosaic
The WGC’s 2021 Annual Celebration was held on International Women’s Day. During the lead up to the event, people were encouraged to submit the names and accomplishments of Howard County women for WGC’s Virtual (S)hero Mosaic.
According to the WGC, a (S)hero is “a woman admired or idealized for her courage, her outstanding achievements.” Over 500 (S)heroes were recognized and celebrated.
Among those were some who had not yet heard of the WGC, and thanks to this introduction, many chose to learn more and to become members, all because of a simple action meant to spotlight the many women doing incredible things within our community.
So What?
The WGC was founded in a way to welcome women interested in membership at a variety of levels.
Creative engagement is another step on that pathway, offering imaginative ways to convene and inspire even those who never considered themselves to be philanthropists.
- “I love that, especially through the Circle Team, we brought people in who first didn't think they were philanthropists, then discovered that they were and they were pretty darn good at it! And then they could have just stayed on and been part of the team, but they fell in love with our mission, too, and now they're involved in committees, now they're involved with moving the organization forward. I think that's really exciting.” - Megan Bruno
This is how the WGC keeps growing, and keeps thriving: an open-minded, creative, and celebratory approach to philanthropy.
An understanding that bringing women together, supporting them, challenging them, nurturing them, educating them, empowering them - it all leads to building the type of grassroots support so critical in organizational longevity.
And given the triumphs of the WGC over the past 20 years, we all certainly want to see it continue to prosper moving forward, for the good of all women and girls in Howard County.
Now What?
Feeling inspired? We hope so!
The takeaway is this: there are countless creative ways to engage with the WGC in addition to giving and becoming a member:
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
- Check our website for ongoing info on how to join us.
- Sign-up for our monthly eNewsletter.
- Read our blog.
- Find the gathering that’s right for you, whether it’s our Pink Party in the Park, The Big Give, conversations about The State of Women and Girls in Howard County, and so much more.
You never know who you will inspire. And in turn you never know who they will inspire.
This is how the WGC grows.
For 20 years, the WGC has dedicated itself to leveraging our collective dollars, to amplifying the power of collective giving, to building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.
Will you join us? www.womensgivingcircle.org
Be a part of our story.
#WGC20Years
#WGC20Years20Stories
