Why GIVE to the WGC

WGC Funds Programs that Benefit Women and Girls

WGC members are having a greater impact together:

• All member gifts support our grantmaking, our core strength, and/or our endowment.
• 80 cents of every dollar given to the WGC goes directly to our Grantmaking, and 20 cents of every dollar goes to support our Core Strength, so we can ensure we are able to continue our important work each year.
• The only two exceptions are gifts to the Emergency Response Network, where 100% of the gifts go to address the stated emergency, and for Legacy Members, where 100% of their donation will go to the WGC's Endowment.

The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County with the mission to build a community of philanthropists and create a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County. We give to programs that benefit women and girls because they are traditionally underfunded.

Everyone Who Gives is a Member of the WGC!
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• All member gifts, regardless of the size, are valued and appreciated! ​
• All can give to the WGC in four distinct ways - as a COMMUNITY MEMBER, SPONSOR MEMBER, LEGACY MEMBER and/or BIG GIVE MEMBER.
• Many WGC members give in more than one way! For example, some members give as a COMMUNITY MEMBER through the Emergency Response Network, and choose to be a SPONSOR MEMBER by sponsoring our upcoming 20th Anniversary Year, and then they may choose to give to the WGC's endowment as a LEGACY MEMBER in honor of our 20th Anniversary - so many ways to give meaningfully to support the WGC and women and girls in Howard County!
• All members receive our monthly WGC eNewsletter and are sent invitations to educational, social and networking events.
• All members have access to WGC’s philanthropy resources, information and expertise and have the opportunity to volunteer at events, serve on a committee, and/or become an Advisory Board Member.

WGC Offers 4 Distinct Ways to Give

 #1 - WGC COMMUNITY MEMBER: gift of any amount

#3 - WGC LEGACY MEMBER: gifts of $2,500 or more

Those who want to give any amount to one or more of the following opportunities to support women and girls:
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• WGC's Emergency Response Network 
• WGC "In Her Honor", including the Barb Van Winkle Leadership Fund
• WGC Core Support
• WGC's Break the Cycle Period Product Drive
• WGC Special Appeals

Those who want to give a major gift  to the WGC Endowment so we can support women and girls in perpetuity.

Opportunities to give:

• Planned Giving *
• Endow MD Tax Credits *
• Qualified Charitable Deduction *
• Special Legacy Member Recognition

#2 - WGC SPONSOR MEMBER: gifts of various amounts

#4 - WGC BIG GIVE MEMBER: gifts of $1,200 per year - 2025 is open!

Those who want to sponsor the WGC in 2025:

• Presenting Circle Sponsor - $20,000
• Full Circle Sponsor - $10,000
• Friend of the Circle Sponsor - $5,000
• Circle Team Sponsor - $2,500
• Circle Club Sponsor - $1,000
• Circle of Strength Sponsor - $500
• Celebratory Circle Sponsor - $200

​Those who want to learn more about grantmaking to women and girls through our hands-on philanthropic investment opportunity:

• Identify funding opportunities together.
• Vote on grant recipients together.
•  $1,200 per year. (1 vote)
• Teams of up to 4 women can be formed, who collectively give $1,200. (1 vote per team)
• The amount of grants given will be determined by the number of women participating

WGC is proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County. EIN Number: 52-0937644. Find us on Guidestar.

You can donate online or via check by mail - contact us with any questions! Let us know if you would like your donation to be anonymous. Thanks for being a part of this network of women, and thanks for donating to the WGC!

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The Women's Giving Circle Advisory Board is made up of a diverse group of women from all sectors who live, work and/or volunteer in Howard County and are working to promote philanthropy among women in order to give grants to programs that focus on women and girls. We are proud that 100% of our 2025 Advisory Board has not only given time and talent, but has also given financial support to further the WGC's mission. The WGC Advisory Board is committed to transparency in every aspect of our organization and our funding.

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