Collective giving groups, often known as giving circles, have tripled in number since 2007 and are an increasingly popular way for donors from diverse backgrounds to amplify the impact of their giving. This growth is noted in a new report released this week by the Collective Giving Research Group, of which I’m a founding member along with Jessica Bearman of Bearman Consulting, Julia Carboni of Syracuse University, and Angela Eikenberry of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Landscape of Giving Circles/Collective Giving Groups in the U.S. — 2016, investigates the current scope and scale of collective giving groups in the United States to understand their impact on donor giving and civic engagement.

Giving circles and similar models of collaborative giving (GCs) entail groups of individuals who collectively donate money and sometimes unpaid time to support organizations or projects of mutual interest. Members have a say in how funding is given and which organizations or projects are supported.

A majority are created around a particular identity — including groups based on gender, race, age and religion. Further, giving circles have become more inclusive of income levels as the average and most frequent amount given by individual donors may be decreasing, while total dollars donated by giving circles are increasing.

Read the full article about the rise of collective giving groups by Jason Franklin at The Johnson Center.