What Is a Giving Circle? A Simple Guide for Women Ready to Make an Impact
By Elizabeth Burdette, Founder of Bloom
Giving on your own can feel a little lonely. You write a check, maybe get a thank-you email, and then... that's it. You hope it helped. You assume it did. But you don't really know.
I felt that disconnect for years. I wanted my giving to feel less like a transaction and more like I was actually part of something.
That's why I started Bloom.
What's a Giving Circle, Anyway?
Put simply, a giving circle is a group of people who throw their donations into one pot and decide together where the money goes.
Picture a book club, but instead of debating whether the ending was satisfying, you're learning about local nonprofits and choosing together which one will receive your collective gift.
Philanthropy Together counts around 4,000 giving circles in the U.S. right now—roughly 370,000 people total. From 2017 to 2023, those groups gave away over $3.1 billion. Billion.
But honestly, the stats don't capture what makes giving circles special. It's the part where you form meaningful relationships with other women who care about your community like you do. You meet the nonprofit director face-to-face. You hear what they're struggling with. Then you hand them a check that could change their whole year. That part doesn't show up in the data.
Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About This?
Giving circles aren't new—people have been pooling resources forever. What's new is the explosive growth. The number of giving circles tripled between 2007 and 2016. Then tripled again by 2023. Researchers think this will double once more in the next five years.
My theory? We're all a little starved for connection these days. Donating online takes 30 seconds and then you're back to your inbox. A giving circle asks you to slow down. Show up. Talk to people. Care about something together.
That feels different.
Okay, But How Does This Actually Work?
Every circle does things a bit differently, but the basic rhythm looks something like this:
Everyone puts money in. Members contribute a set amount—some circles ask for $100, others $1,000 or more. It goes into a shared fund.
You learn together. Most circles host events where you hear from local nonprofits. Not a pitch deck—a real conversation. What are they working on? What keeps them up at night? What would they do with more funding?
People nominate organizations. Know a scrappy nonprofit doing great work? Bring them up.
The group votes. No single person decides. Everyone gets a say. That's the whole point.
You see what happened. The circle follows up. Did the money help? How? You're not left wondering.
Here's the math that sold me: if 50 women each give $500, that's $25,000. Most of us can't write a $25,000 check on our own. But together? Easy.
Women Have Been Running This Show From the Start
This probably won't surprise you: women dominate giving circles. About 70% are majority-women. Seventy percent are led by women. The Women's Philanthropy Institute and Philanthropy Together have both tracked this for years.
Makes sense, right? A lot of women I know want to understand where their money's going before they hand it over. We like to ask questions. We like doing things with other people. Giving circles check all those boxes.
Some numbers that stuck with me:
91% of members say they feel more connected to their community after joining
86% feel more confident speaking up on issues they care about
75% of circles give locally—to the smaller nonprofits that big foundations often skip over
91% of members do more than just give money. They volunteer. They advocate. They stick around.
If writing a check and walking away has always felt hollow to you, this might be why.
Not All Giving Circles Look the Same
There's a lot of variety out there. A few flavors:
Geographic circles focus on one area. Bloom is like this—we're Atlanta through and through. The nonprofits we fund are right here. The women in our circle are our neighbors.
Issue-focused circles zero in on one cause: education, climate, healthcare, whatever fires people up.
Identity-based circles bring together folks with shared backgrounds. Women's circles, Black giving circles, Latino circles, LGBTQ+ circles. Something like 60% of all giving circles are identity-based.
Virtual or hybrid circles meet online. Good option if your calendar is chaos.
Want In? Here's How Bloom Works
If you're in the Atlanta area and any of this resonates—we should talk.
Bloom is a giving circle for women who want to support local nonprofits serving women and children. Every year, we pool our contributions, learn about the organizations doing this work in our backyard, and vote on who gets our collective grant.
We're not a "write a check and disappear" kind of group. We meet at least four times a year. We volunteer side by side. We actually get to know the people running these organizations—and each other.
Joining takes about five minutes:
Pick your branch. Bloom Atlanta covers the city. Bloom North Atlanta covers Alpharetta, Canton, Cumming, Milton, Roswell, and Woodstock.
Fill out the form. Basic info. Nothing scary.
Make your gifts. We suggest $1,000 for your Grantmaking Gift, but honestly, we welcome any amount. There's also a small Membership Gift each Branch sets to support programming costs.
Start showing up. Gatherings, votes, volunteer days—jump in wherever feels right.
One thing I'm proud of: 100% of your Grantmaking Gift goes straight to our Partner Organization. We don't skim off the top. It flows through our donor-advised funds at the North Georgia Community Foundation, so yes, it's tax-deductible.
Curious who we've supported? Take a look at our Partners page.
Real Talk: What's the Commitment?
Let me lay it out.
Time: Four Gatherings a year. Our Kick-Off, the finalist reveal, dinner the Partner Organization we've chosen, and volunteer opportunities. Would we love to see you at all of them? Sure. Will we hunt you down if you miss one? No. Life happens.
Money: $1,000 is our suggested Grantmaking Gift. But if that's not doable right now, give what you can. Seriously. We'd rather have you in the room than not. Each Branch also sets a small Membership Gift to support the ways we gather and connect. Both of these gifts are tax-deductible.
What you get: Your donation becomes part of something much bigger. And you help pick where it goes.
A Few Things People Always Ask
Can I deduct this on my taxes? Yes. Bloom's fund is held at the North Georgia Community Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3). In almost every case, your gift is fully deductible. But I'm not your accountant—check with yours if you've got a complicated situation.
What if I can't give $1,000? Then give what works for you. We're serious about this. The goal is to get more women in the room, not to price anyone out.
What if I'm slammed and can't make every event? Totally fine. Show up when you can. We've got more details on our FAQ page if you want the full rundown.
Still Reading? Good. That Probably Means Something.
If you made it this far, my guess is you've been looking for a way to give that feels more real. Less distant. More like you're actually part of something.
That's what we built Bloom for.
Come join us. We'll save you a seat.
