Collective giving groups have a long history in marginalized communities around the world. The insights that these forms of grassroots philanthropy have for the philanthropic sector are endless, and in many ways are more radical than where philanthropy has been moving.
Research conducted in 2023 in partnership with the Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Philanthropy Together has shown how the movement is growing, the diversity of membership, and how collective giving groups have disrupted the status quo of traditional grantmaking. It builds on doctoral research conducted by Dr. Adriana Loson-Ceballos of Colmena-Consulting in partnership with the Latino Community Foundation’s Latino Giving Circle Network, which found that Latinx giving circles: increase members’ level of civic engagement; change the way members practice philanthropy; and, positively impact their sense of wellbeing and community.
At Unity Summit, we’ll explore these findings and show why philanthropy should invest its resources in support of community-driven and community-funded initiatives and organizations.