Mission: To encourage more giving circles or to help interested donors tap into an existing giving circle.

Background:
New Ventures in Philanthropy, an initiative of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, launched the Giving Circles Knowledge Center in March 2005 as an online resource to provide information about a growing form of philanthropy in which groups of people pool their money to support a cause or organization they believe in. Starting in the 1990s as informal gatherings of friends — many of them women, new donors, or individuals with a strong desire to participate directly in the philanthropic process — giving circles now vary in size, and number more than 260, with wide appeal across gender, race, and age. Most seek out a financial host, often a community foundation, to hold their money and provide tax benefits to the donors. Some have become national networks that function independently as their own nonprofit.

Outstanding Web Features:
The Giving Circles Knowledge Center Web site supplies information on the different types of giving circles; the benefits of joining a group; a circle's life cycle (2 pages, PDF); profiles of existing giving circles; frequently asked questions; resources for starting and growing a group; how to find institutional hosts; templates and sample documents; research on giving circles; and contact information for local groups (8 pages, PDF).