Passion & Purpose: Winter 2024/2025
Giving circles create opportunities for new philanthropists to build community
Giving circles are making a big difference in communities across Missouri — through both the projects they fund and the folks who make them happen. Not only are giving circles improving quality of life, but they’re also offering new ways for people to become philanthropists and make a difference where they live.
“The power of it becomes magical,” says Kim McCully-Mobley of the Aurora Area Community Foundation, which organized its first giving circle in 2023. “Paying it forward and coming together to make decisions to improve people’s lives and advocate for needs is both powerful and contagious.”
A growing number of CFO affiliate foundations are using giving circles to engage people who care about the community but might not consider themselves philanthropists. Each has its own membership dues and focus areas, but they all share the common goal of giving community members a way to maximize their charitable impact.
They first gained momentum in 2016 following a keynote address by Wendy Steele, founder of Impact 100, at the CFO’s Affiliate Appreciation Conference. The model focuses on engaging women to give back to their communities.
In response, eight Impact 100 giving circles were established in rural communities. A key example is Impact 100 Ozark, which recently granted $53,000 to benefit the Christian County community, bringing its total to more than $412,000. Another is Impact 100 Crawford County, which granted $47,500 in September. To date, it’s funded projects totaling more than $310,000 in mid-Missouri.
The Joplin Regional Community Foundation took a more high-impact approach when it established the Philanthropic Society in 2018, raising and granting more than $1 million to date. The “Phil” has also contributed to the JRCF’s community grantmaking endowment and seeded youth-focused philanthropy groups in Joplin, Carl Junction and Webb City.
Inspired by the success of the JRCF’s “Phil,” the CFO established the Generosity Collective in 2023, which recently made its first grants.
In addition to these moments of impact, here are three other new CFO giving circles that are gaining momentum.
Benton County PHIL: Benton County Community Foundation
The Benton County Philanthropic Hometown Impact Leaders — better known as the PHIL — has disbursed $100,000 to nonprofits since its first grants in 2023.
Allocations in amounts of $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 have benefited needs ranging from recreation — like the addition of a toddler swimming spot at a public pool and the creation of a new baseball field — to food for local kids in need.
With annual dues set at a miniumum $250 donation, the giving circle met its membership goal both years, and its impact was extended through matching funds from the Patterson Family Foundation.
“When an organization can use a grant through this type of giving circle to be that catalyst, then you know you are creating impactful change in your communities,” says Suzie Brodersen, chair of the PHIL and part of the Benton County Community Foundation. “To stand there after the grants have been distributed and have someone look at you with tears in their eyes and say, ‘thank you,’ you know what you did has value. I always want to remember how good that feels.”
Hometown Partners: Aurora Area Community Foundation
The first year of AACF’s Hometown Partners Giving Circle raised nearly $4,000 through 20 charter donors who donated at least $100 and represent the Aurora, Marionville and Verona communities. After saving about $800 to fuel the next round, $3,000 was contributed to one cause: Evan’s Voice, a nonprofit founded in the wake of Evan Boettler’s death by suicide after an extortion attempt in 2023.
“The purpose is to advocate for awareness, tougher legislation and provide for more education to help save lives,” says Kim McCully-Mobley of the Aurora Area Community Foundation. The grant is paying for educational and advocacy efforts, including food, advertising and promotional materials involved with the website hosting and other items.
“There were only two applicants for the first grant and the other applicant withdrew because he valued the efforts of Evan’s Voice and the timing of the need for the efforts,” says McCully-Mobley. “That really tugged at my heart as the whole idea behind a giving circle is giving everyone some skin in the game and showcasing that we are stronger together.”
Nevada/Vernon County Philanthropic Society: Nevada/Vernon County Community Foundation
Now in its second year, the Nevada/Vernon County Philanthropic Society, with membership dues ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, has distributed $83,000. In 2024, it shared $53,000 among three charities dedicated to improving community health.
The Nevada Regional Medical Center Foundation received $15,000 to support safety in its behavioral health unit; Council on Families in Crisis/Moss House received $18,000 to support survivors of domestic abuse through repairs to its shelter; and Fostering Hope received $20,000 to fund heating and air conditioning in its newly acquired storage facility in Sheldon, which will house supplies for foster families.
“These organizations are engaged in important work addressing critical issues, and we are proud to extend our support to them,” says Amy Bishop, coordinator of the Nevada/Vernon County Foundation. “This is a testament to our dedication to boosting community welfare and tackling urgent needs in our area.”
By Kaitlyn McConnell · This essay is featured in the winter 2024/2025 edition of Passion & Purpose.
