NCCF’s giving circles provide way for donors to make large impact

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The North Carolina Community Foundation’s women’s giving circles show what can happen when generous people come together.

A giving circle is a group of people with shared values that pool together donations and collectively award grants to charitable organizations. “It’s a coming together of like-minded women who care about their community,” said Bertie-Hertford Women’s Fund member Laura Beasley.

WATCH: Learn how NCCF’s six giving circles help donors make an impact.

While it can cost thousands of dollars for an individual to create an endowment, giving circles make it easier by pooling together less costly annual membership dues and aggregating those funds to award grants to charitable organizations that support local women, children and families.

“If I were to make an individual gift to an organization, it would be meaningful, but when I join with 90 other women, and we’re able to combine our donations or our giving, we’re able to drive a lot more impact,” said Sarah Décarpentrie, grants committee chair of the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County.

NCCF has six giving circles: Bertie-Hertford Women’s Fund, Cary Women’s Giving Network, Currituck-Dare Women’s Fund, Moore Women – A Giving Circle, Women Givers of Northeast NC and Women’s Giving Network of Wake County.

2024 grantees for Moore Women—A Giving Circle
2024 grantees for Moore Women—A Giving Circle (left to right): Sleep in Heavenly Peace Chapter President Tom Bourne, Triangle Area Parenting Moore County Doula Diara Fitzgerald and Executive Director Monica Richardson; Arts Council of Moore County Executive Director Chris Dunn; The Arc of Moore County Executive Director Wendy Carter; C.A.R.E Group and Moore Buddies Mentoring Executive Director Joyce Clevenger; Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas Director of Advancement Allison Brouillette.

In recent years, the giving circles have awarded a total of nearly $200,000 in grants annually.

“The key is the impact,” said Ann McCallister, member of Moore Women – A Giving Circle. “A giving circle can have a greater impact than a single donor and reach more organizations.”

In 2023, the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County granted $30,000 to The Women’s Center of Wake County for their Safe Haven housing initiative, which was used to provide 11 beds for women experiencing homelessness. “It was our first gift to make Safe Haven a possibility,” said Amy Smith, executive director for The Women’s Center of Wake County. “It really served as a catalyst for the other funders to come on board.”

Amy Smith, executive director of The Women's Center, addresses the 2024 WGN Impact Luncheon as the keynote speaker.
Amy Smith, executive director of The Women’s Center, addresses the 2024 WGN Impact Luncheon as the keynote speaker. The Women’s Center received a $30,000 grant from WGN in 2023.

NCCF works with giving circles by providing expertise on impactful grantmaking. “Our relationship with NCCF is absolutely pivotal,” said Women’s Giving Network of Wake County President Carolyn Fendelman. “We couldn’t run Women’s Giving Network without NCCF being a part of it.”

Giving circle gatherings also provide networking opportunities for members. “Some of my closest friends now have been introduced to me through the giving circle,” said Kristen Kiernan, marketing and communications chair for Women’s Giving Network of Wake County. “It maximizes my opportunity to make a positive impact in this world, which is I think what we’re all trying to do.”