Giving circles hit on what we’re missing right now. So many everyday givers see the billionaires of the world and assume that because we don’t have as much to put forward, we can’t make a big enough impact.

Based on the power of giving circles, I can confidently say that is not true.

Lacuna Giving Circle is a devoted group of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) LGBTQ+ community members who wanted to see significant change for our people. I took the membership plunge this spring, shortly after accepting the Director of Development and Partnerships role at Philanthropy Together, an organization devoted to the founding and growth of circles like Lacuna.

The word ‘lacuna’ refers to a gap or an unfilled space, and our target gap is the sizable one in support of AAPI social justice organizations. AAPI organizations receive less than 0.2% of U.S. grantmaking dollars each year. Put another way, for every $100 awarded by foundations for work in the United States, only 20 cents is allocated for AAPI communities. And in this tiny percentage, local grassroots organizations that support marginalized communities—particularly smaller organizations with smaller budgets—are often left in the dust and go unnoticed.

Immediately upon joining, I saw the advantages of giving circles like Lacuna. Because all members are from the AAPI LGBTQ+ community, our lived experiences automatically apply an authentic, intersectional lens to our collective giving and help surface new ways to reach and support local organizations. We amplify voices and stories from our communities and contribute to diverse representation in traditional philanthropy.

As giving circles, we can provide nimble, no-strings-attached funding to smaller organizations because we are free from the red tape and reporting requirements that can constrain larger foundations. This type of funding is precisely what community-based groups need to innovate, provide rapid, on-the-ground responses, and continue their important work.

Read the full article about giving circles by Kyson Bunthuwong at Alliance Magazine.