Philanthropy Together's Launchpad virtual incubator for individuals who want to start a giving circle - fall 2020 cohort
Launchpad For You Logo in Color

Join forces. Multiply impact. Build power. Have fun!

Everyone can be a changemaker and philanthropist — including you!

People are coming together around the globe to create the change they want to see in their communities, through the power of a giving circle.

Launchpad is a training for passionate leaders looking to start their own giving circle. Join us to gain the experience, tools, and confidence to launch.

If you are a community foundation or other philanthropic intermediary interested in hosting giving circles within your institution, please check out Launchpad For Hosts.

Register

The giving circle movement is diverse

0
%
of Launchpad For You participants are women
0
%
of Launchpad For You participants self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC)
0
%
of Launchpad For You participants focus their giving circles on justice and equity

“Giving by, for, and with the communities we represent is the future of philanthropy and each and every one of us belongs in this movement.

Just think, what if every town and issue and community in the world had a circle full of passionate philanthropists like you?”

Sara Lomelin stands on stage in red dress with red TED logo in background
Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together, speaks at TED2022: A New Era in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED

Why start a giving circle?

There are endless reasons why people start giving circles. Here are just a few:

Here are the five components of a giving circle:

Photo: East Bay Latina Giving Circle

Gather

Gather a group of friends, family, co-workers, and/or community members

Discuss

Discuss the vision and values that motivate you to give and see commonality within your group

Decide

Pool your funds and decide where to give based on your values

Give

Give your pooled donation — your individual gift is multiplied by the power of the group!

Engage

Engage beyond your gift — with your membership and with organizations you support for multiplied impact

Learn more about the giving circle model at WhatIsAGivingCircle.com

Want to start a giving circle?
Join an upcoming Launchpad!

Just getting started?

Launchpad For You:
Jumpstart Your Giving Circle

You have the vision to start your giving circle—we have the tips and tools to help you from vision to reality! During this short training, we’ll cover the core design and structure for a thriving giving circle and the steps to take to start your own.

Join us virtually or in person for one of our upcoming trainings:

  • Raleigh, NC: Thursday, September 22 at 5:30PM ET (2 hours)
  • Virtual: Tuesday, September 27 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT (90 minutes)
  • Virtual: Wednesday, October 5 at 4PM ET / 1PM PT (90 minutes)
  • Virtual: Thursday, November 10 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT (90 minutes)
  • Virtual: Tuesday, December 6 at 7PM ET / 4PM PT (90 minutes)
Register

Have a team ready to commit?

Launchpad For You:
Deep Dive for Founding Teams

A giving circle founding team is a group of ~2-5 passionate individuals who build the foundation of a giving circle: vision, mission, and values. Working with a founding team is the first—and most important!—step to starting a giving circle: creating community.

Our 4-week program is designed specifically for founding teams to collaboratively work through key decision points. You’ll have breakout time to discuss your vision, mission, and values alongside support and insight from our team.

From there you’ll have what you need to launch, invite members, and start making change in your community.

Bring your founding team to these four 75-min interactive sessions:

  • Tuesday, October 11 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT
  • Tuesday, October 18 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT
  • Tuesday, October 25 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT
  • Tuesday, November 1 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT
Register
Latino Community Foundation Latino Giving Circle Network

Want to start a thriving Latinx giving circle?

LaunchpadLatinx

LaunchpadLatinx is for any Latinx leader to start their own giving circle and be part of the growing Latinx philanthropic movement across the country. This training is developed in partnership with Latino Community Foundation (LCF), which leads the largest network of Latino giving circles in the nation—with close to two dozen giving circles and 500+ members mobilized in the past 10 years. LaunchpadLatino shares the secret sauce to creating and leading a thriving Latinx giving circle—with love, culture, and power at the core.

Join our upcoming virtual training in January 2023 (Date TBD)

Register

Meet Your Facilitators

Our team at Philanthropy Together is excited to guide you through the process of launching your giving circle! Once you complete the program, you’ll also gain access to 1:1 and group coaching.
Tyeshia Wilson
Tyeshia Wilson (she/her)

Director of Engagement

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Sara Lomelin
Sara Lomelin (she/her)

Chief Executive Officer

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Kelsey Barowich
Kelsey Barowich (they/them)

Program and Campaign Manager

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Isis Krause
Isis Krause (she/her)

Chief Strategy Officer

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See why others love Launchpad

Michael L.
2021 Launchpad Participant

Participating in Launchpad was an incredible experience, combining high quality materials expertly delivered with engaging conversations and lots of encouragement!

Catherine F.
2021 Launchpad Participant

Launchpad was incredibly motiving and addressed so many of my questions — and anticipated those I hadn’t yet considered. Philanthropy Together is a wonderful resource!

Angela W.
2020 Launchpad Participant

If you have a love of people & community and want to make a difference in your communities with like-minded people…start with LaunchPad!  You won’t regret it!

Caitlin K.
2021 Launchpad Participant

The Launchpad program was an inspirational experience! The Philanthropy Together team’s enthusiasm, expertise and support throughout the program was invaluable and I now feel I have the necessary tools and knowledge to be successful with the launch of my giving circle.

Stephanie M.
2021 Launchpad Participant

I kept putting off the idea of starting a giving circle. Launchpad was the perfect next step to making this idea a reality. The diversity of staff, speakers and participants also made it a safe space to really engage.

Jessica N.
2020 Launchpad Participant

“Launchpad brings hope to the idea of making philanthropy a more democratic and equitable space for all.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Launchpad for?

Launchpad is for unstoppable leaders who just need a few tools & inspiration.

Always thought about starting a giving circle but didn’t quite know how? Launchpad is for leaders like you, ready to step up and stand strong for their local community.

*If you’re an institution — Community Foundation, Federation, etc. — please check out Launchpad For Hosts.

What's the difference between Launchpad: Jumpstart Your Giving Circle and Launchpad: Deep Dive for Founding Teams?

We have several different versions of Launchpad For You depending on where you are in your journey.

Launchpad For You: Jumpstart Your Giving Circle is a one-session training, typically less than two hours, that provides an overview of what a giving circle is and a successful model to start one.

Launchpad For You: Deep Dive For Founding Teams is a 4-session training designed specifically for a group of founding team members to work together to define all the details of the giving circle in a facilitated space

What will I learn during Launchpad?

With this interactive training program, you’ll be ready to launch your circle. Launchpad’s leadership training is delivered virtually with the opportunity for you to engage in 1:1 and group coaching after completing the program. You’ll learn and build alongside others, hear from real giving circles and their experiences, and build your own confidence to start.  Launchpad training includes:

  • Skills-based training: the who, what, where, and how of launching your circle. By the end, you’ll have your own custom plan all ready to go.

  • Coaching from an experienced giving circle leader

  • Additional resources and video content, and a ton of template scripts, agendas, and tools for you to modify

How much does it cost to participate?

Launchpad uses a pay-what-you-want model, with a suggested donation of $25 for Jumpstart Your Giving Circle participants and $50 per participant for Deep Dive For Founding Teams.

Your donation supports our work at Philanthropy Together and helps us provide training and tools like Launchpad. But we don’t want any size donation to get in the way of you starting your circle. A donation link will be shared upon registration.

When is Launchpad?

Philanthropy Together offers Launchpad For You several times each year. Offerings include 90-minute training sessions, offered virtually and in-person, and a 4-session cohort for founding teams. Please check above for our latest offerings.

Is Launchpad a good fit for me?

Launchpad For You is for individuals starting their own volunteer giving circles on issues they care about with the people they care about.

Launchpad For Hosts is specifically for a host institution (such as a Community Foundation, Jewish Federation, Women’s Fund, Issue Fund, Corporation, etc.) to run one or more giving circles within that organization. Hosts offer a range of support services to giving circles.

If you have questions about which program is right for you, please reach out to Director of Engagement Tyeshia Wilson and we’d be happy to discuss: tyeshia@philanthropytogether.org

Register Today!

Complete the form below to join an upcoming Launchpad For You training and someone from our team will be in touch!

Want to see what the giving circle experience is like?

Host a 60-minute pop-up giving circle for family and friends!
Download our pop-up giving circle toolkit with a sample agenda, talking points and more!

Global Giving Circle Directory

Not ready to start your own? Join an existing giving circle!

Browse through more than 2,500 giving circles around the world to find one near you!

Learn more