Giving Circles are a fun way to bring a group of people together to pool their donations and decide on one charity to donate to. Here, we ask our friend and freelance writer Allie Linn to tells us all about Giving Circles. Allie Linn is a local freelance writer with a background in mental health and the arts.
You know all those good causes you wish you could give money to, but don’t because you feel like you don’t have enough dough to cough up? Or maybe you have the funds to donate but can’t choose a cause because there are too many that strike close to your heart. I find it difficult to decide which organizations I want to donate money to because I want to save the world and don’t have unlimited funds to do so.
Millennials are Charitable
Millennials tend to be prone to donating to charitable causes, more so than Generation X or the Baby Boomers, despite the fact that they face higher unemployment rates and more student debt. Millennials tend to donate smaller amounts to more causes and feel compelled to be more charitable, generally, than the generations that came before.
Millennials, want to save the world and tend to be involved in direct activism, particularly in the last couple years. Since the 2016 election, millennials in particular have been taking many steps to actively make change. Millennials are taking on leadership roles and getting more active in their communities. Besides direct action and protesting, millennials are donating to charitable causes and organizations they believe in.
Giving Circles
There are several ways to be philanthropic in today’s society. You can donate directly to a charity or cause, or you can participate in what’s known as a giving circle. Giving circles offer an opportunity to donate to a charitable cause as part of a group. This form of philanthropy supports the formation of groups who pool their money and decide to which organization they would like to donate money. In a giving circle, you can donate a small amount of money and still feel like you are making a big impact.
Giving circles appeal to millennials because they feel as if they are doing something philanthropic and making a difference in the world without feeling bad about the fact that they can’t donate a lot of money. Giving circles also give people a chance to connect to one another in the name of a good cause.
The Appeal of Giving Circles to Millennial
Millennials yearn for connection and community. Giving circles offer a way to connect with other like-minded people for a good cause. The fact that the decision of where the money goes is established by a group takes the pressure off one individual trying to figure out where to spend his or her money.
As a millennial, I know I’m guilty of not donating to anything because I want to donate to everything. I convince myself that my donation doesn’t matter because I can’t give more than a few dollars. In a society where work life no longer looks like a full-time 9-5 job with benefits and paid vacation, millennials are having to learn how to spend their money differently and effectively.
A giving circle offers millennials a chance to spend a little bit of money while still feeling like they’re making a difference. It’s satisfying to see a larger dollar sign attached to your name go towards an organization or charity that you believe in. Giving circles also provide the opportunity to make financial decisions with other millennials (and people of other generations).
Giving Circles at Tribe 12
At Tribe 12, giving circles happen over three sessions and focus specifically on Jewish values, community and leadership. Participants are
able to feel more connected to their community and empowered to make financial decisions that go to good causes. They learn to take on leadership roles within a group through the nature of the decision-making process. In this way, Tribe 12 is appealing to the millennial generation’s philanthropic nature and providing a place for millennials to connect with one another through an active charitable process.
Interested in getting involved with a Giving Circle? Email Ross at ross@tribe12.org!
