In my experience in my own giving circles and in most of the giving circles I speak with, the majority of members are women. Consequently, I pay attention to what makes women enjoy their giving circle experiences.
Recently, Advisor One summarized a recent study: the very official Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women’s Philanthropy.
Here are a couple pertinent points covered in the study:
- 82% of women are more motivated to give when they are moved by how their gift can make a difference.
- 46% of women said the the organization’s ability to communicate its impact are important factors when making charitable giving decisions.
- When making a gift, 45% of women expect the nonprofit to share with them the positive effect their gift has had.
What does this mean to you?
It means… Communicate often and clearly about the giving circles impact. Your impact includes how much money you’ve donated, how many organizations you’ve donated to, how many members you have, how long you’ve been meeting.
Don’t forget about the organization’s impact. Leading up to the donation, talk about the impact an organization is making on a problem and the impact that your donation will have on that organization. Keep track of those organizations and continue to report on their progress.
How I do it
I open every meeting with a summary and vision statement.
Welcome to our January giving circle meeting! As you know, we support non-profits that are working to eliminate the abuse and neglect of domestic and working animals AND/OR enrich the lives of people through animal partnerships. Together, we’re making bigger and better donations!
Since we started in March, we’ve collected $1,200 and made 3 donations to some great non-profits. We’ve tripled our size and are now at 9 members! We’re looking forward to 2012 being the year we donate $10,000 to non-profits supporting pets.
I close every meeting with a review of our past donations.
I’ve got great news to report about the Detroit Dog Rescue. They have garnered a lot of publicity recently when am emaciated pit bull was put down by the municipal animal control without waiting the required time period even though the owner had been found. As a result, they’ve experienced a large increase in donations. I’m looking forward to seeing their financial reports next year and how close they are to their 1 million dollar goal.
Also, the Longhopes Donkey Shelter has been impacted by the drought conditions in Texas. As a result, the cost of hay has gone up substantially. Thankfully, we know Charity is taken care of for an entire year!
Before donating, we always talk about the impact the organization will make, we ask if that impact is in line with our mission, and if we could make a greater impact with a different organization.