We had a terrific Philanos Webinar on Tuesday, May 14 entitled “Philanos and Collective Giving: Women’s Leadership and Recent Trends” - thanks to all who joined us!

Philanos Co-Chair Sandy Cook mentioned that Philanos is the leading national women’s giving circle network and our focus is to catalyze – marshal, mobilize, and accelerate – the women’s collective giving movement through connecting, learning, and peer-to-peer sharing.

She provided a snapshot of who and what we represent:

In short, we have more to give so we give twice as much!

Sandy highlighted how what we do affects YOU, our affiliates.

Philanos Co-Chair Maggie Glasgow then introduced our 2024-2025 Board of Directors and Governance Committee, and thanked our outgoing Board Members Ellan Bernstein and Deborah Majewski. 

She mentioned that our Board of Directors is composed of women from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, collective giving groups, and come from different parts of the country.

And, she noted that the faces of this team represent the very essence of our focus on new initiatives here at Philanos and that we have recently expanded our board to engage more women from across the country, welcoming more diverse faces, voices and experiences in our movement and at our growing philanthropic leadership table.

Incoming Philanos Co-Chair Clare O’Brien shared the excitement and success to date for our work funded by Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund - a three-year, $405,000 operating grant that has been awarded to Philanos. Clare mentioned that we are thrilled at the opportunities this will provide to us, our affiliates and members, and that our partner organizations have also received funding: Philanthropy Together, the Community Investment Network, and Grapevine.

She said that this phenomenal grant will strengthen Philanos and enable us to continue advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in collective giving, work collaboratively with BIPOC communities and engage more younger people in philanthropy. Clare mentioned that we are honored to partner with Fidelity Charitable to increase the flow of philanthropic dollars to underserved populations. This includes both BIPOC communities nationwide and a regional focus on the Mountain West and the South Central regions of the US. These 16 states receive only 1/3rd of the philanthropic dollars per capita compared to the coasts and we aspire to reduce this inequity by expanding collective giving in those regions - important work!

And, Ilyasah N Shabazz of Philanthropy Together, a global initiative to grow the collective giving movement, joined us to discuss trends in Philanthropy that directly relate to you as a Philanos Affiliate and giving circle member from “In Abundance: An Analysis of the Thriving Landscape of Collective Giving in the U.S.”, the newly-released national research report from the Johnson Center, Colmena-Consulting, and Philanthropy Together.

All of our speakers elaborated on how all of this benefits YOU - our affiliates and individual members. We look forward to all that we will continue to do, together. Watch the recorded version.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our giving circles, our communities and because of that, the wider world. 

The contributions of volunteers – the giving of time, treasure, talent, ties and testimony – is so valuable that the month of April is dedicated to honoring volunteers globally. Philanos decided to set aside June to honor our “local” Philanos volunteers - our board and committee members and the women of our Philanos Affiliates. 

The work of each and every volunteer in your circle is priceless. 

Whether it’s serving on the Board, heading or serving on a committee, planning events, or cheerfully greeting the members at functions. You have women who gladly give their treasure, women who give selflessly of their time and talents, women who will use their personal networks to find new members, or speakers, or sponsors; and women who will use their voice and their platforms to tell others about the work you are doing and the communities you are trying to serve. 

Through meaningful engagement, many of these same women will find ways to give more – to help nonprofits you’ve funded with extra dollars, offer extra time and talent, serve up additional ties and expand networks, and perhaps even board service for a nonprofit organization they have bonded with through your giving circle. 

Some affiliate leaders and members also go on to volunteer here on the Philanos board and in other ways.

So many women give their time, talent, and treasure to support Philanos. Whether serving on the Philanos Board or its committees, or helping the network host national conferences, offering educational and leadership resources, or foster connections and peer learning between and among our 90+ circles - the generosity and willingness to serve our organization is humbling. 

Two such leaders are Ellan Bernstein and Deborah Majewski.

Ellan (Impact100 Philadelphia and Giving Circle of Women's Connection Philadelphia Chapter) and Deborah (Women’s Impact Fund of Charlotte) are rolling off the Board at the end of this month, and we’d like to recognize their exceptional volunteer contributions to the network. 

Both Ellan and Deborah have been engaged and early leaders of their organizations, and both have been involved with hosting a national conference in their hometown. Both have done their Philanos board work while holding down full-time jobs in demanding careers – Ellan as a practicing attorney, and Deborah as a finance officer and, more recently, as Senior Program Officer at The Leon Levine Foundation. Ellan has served on our Executive Committee as Board Secretary, and she and Deborah have co-chaired the Education Committee. Their wisdom,  counsel, grace and good humor are treasures that will be missed.

And, we want to thank Maggie Glasgow, who has served as our co-Chair the last two years. We are so grateful Maggie will continue to share her wisdom on our Board of Directors!

Perhaps our ultimate volunteer role model in this network is Colleen S. Willoughby.

Colleen is one of the five founders of the Washington Women’s Foundation, as well as a founding member of the 8 giving circle leaders who formed the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmaking Network (WCGN), now Philanos. Our signature award for a visionary woman leader in philanthropy is named The Willoughby Award in her honor. Colleen believed in and brought women to the table to make decisions and a difference in the male-dominated world of philanthropy. This month Colleen will turn 90 on June 28th, and all of us at Philanos wish her a very happy birthday! We are indebted to her hard work and belief in women’s leadership in philanthropy.

Enjoy the summer days – and thank your lucky stars for volunteering!

​May 28, 2024

By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz and Ann Marie McGee, Philanos Communications Committee Co-Chairs

We had a terrific Philanos Comms Club Affinity Group meeting today, where we discussed fun and meaningful opportunities to engage circle members throughout the summer.

Participants connected, learned, and shared ideas and efforts today, and together, we were able to identify 25 Summer Member Engagement Ideas.

Take a look - what are YOU hoping to do this summer to engage members? Let us know and we'll compile and share the enhanced list!

25 Summer Member Engagement Ideas

1. Summer Reading List Question - "What is Your Philanthropic Beach Read This Summer?"
2. Summer Book Club - Ongoing List of “Must Reads" Based on Answers
3. Summer Social Events - Non-Business Meet Up at Local Concerts, Museums, Restaurants
4. Summer Athletic Activities - Group Hike, Pickleball Team, Walk
5. Summer Group Volunteer Activity - General in the Community with Members
6. Summer Group Project - Group Project for a Grantee Partner
7. Summer Tours - Ongoing Tours to Grantee Partners 
8. Summer Family Project - Effort Geared for Families to Engage Children
9. Summer Wish List Project - Highlight and Fulfill Grantee Partner Wish Lists
10. Summer Coffees - Hosted by Circle Leadership to Engage/Educate Current Members
11. Summer Happy Hours - Hosted by Circle Leadership to Engage/Educate Current and New Members
12. Summer Group Fundraisers - Group Fundraiser for a Specific Circle Project
13. Summer Product Drive - Circle Effort to Collect Can Goods, Books, Feminine Hygiene Products
14. Summer Individual Fundraisers - Individual Facebook Fundraiser on Behalf of Birthday, Special Milestone, etc. 
15. Summer History Series - "Did You Know" Series of Posts/Weekly Social Graphic to Provide Circle History and Stats
16. Summer Grantee Partner Series - Weekly Social Graphic Update on Latest Grantee Partners
17. Summer Education Series - Virtual or In-Person Speakers on Issues the Circle is Funding
18. Summer Leadership Series - Weekly Social Graphic/Video Clip Highlighting Circle Leaders
19. Summer Calendar Series - Ongoing Calendar Updates for Summer and Fall Events
20. Summer Film Series - Regular Postings of the Past Year's Webinars/Virtual Events
21. Summer Guest Blogs - Series of Guest Blog Posts by Circle Members
22. Summer New Member Spotlight - Weekly Circle Member Spotlight
23. Summer End of Year Round Up - Publish End of Year Summary and Highlight Sections Weekly on Social Media
24. Summer Raffle - eNewsletter Sign Up to Win Raffle Item
25. Summer Photo Contest - Summer Trip Photo w/Circle Shirt, Logo, etc.

Everyone noted that all member engagement ideas have a communications component and opportunity, and that many of the ideas below aren't just for Summer! We also discussed using the downtime this summer to better organize social media pages, community outreach marketing items, and experiment with posting and other forms of communication.

Enjoy your summer and your fun and meaningful communication and engagement efforts to your members - we'll look forward to hearing how your efforts are doing. 

The next Philanos Comms Club will meet on July 23, 2024 at 12 pm ET - see you then!

Many Hands was thrilled to celebrate their 20th anniversary on April 12, 2024 at Hogan Lovells with members, friends, and grantees. In this short video, released at the event, founding board members share what they set out to achieve and grantees talk about the difference Many Hands has made for their work.

View the video here

We are pleased to announce the 10^th year anniversary of Philanos Affiliate Allinbklyn.org, a women’s philanthropic initiative supporting nonprofits in Brooklyn. 

New National Research Report from the Johnson Center, Colmena-Consulting, and Philanthropy Together

In Abundance: An Analysis of the Thriving Landscape of Collective Giving in the U.S. explores the transformative impact of collective giving on philanthropy. Practiced in cultures all around the world, collective giving brings people together to pool their resources, including time, talent, treasure, testimony, and ties — often referred to as the 5Ts. Groups like giving circles, SVP chapters, giving projects, and nonprofit-led circles have long served as democratic and philanthropic learning hubs — bringing historically marginalized voices into philanthropic decision-making spaces, challenging preconceived notions of who is considered a philanthropist, and elevating members as integral actors in our sector’s efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in giving.

A partnership between the Johnson Center, Colmena-Consulting, and Philanthropy Together, this report underscores collective giving groups’ role in reshaping philanthropic practices, fostering social connections, and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.

Read the report

Last week, Philanos leadership attended CircleUp Denver, where we joined philanthropists living in or around the Denver area who engaged in rich discussions around collective giving and how groups in Denver are supporting local, community-based organizations.

Many thanks to American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming for hosting us, and to The Community Chest, Denver Women in Business for Good, Impact100 Metro Denver , LatinasGive!, SpinDenver , and Social Venture Partners Denver for leading the conversation. And, a special shoutout to The Women's Foundation of Colorado for helping make this event happen!

CircleUp Denver is the first of many events held in partnership with Philanthropy Together, The Community Investment Network, and Grapevine, and thanks to support from Fidelity Charitable® Catalyst Fund! Follow each of us for updates on upcoming CircleUps held in the Mountain West and Central South regions. We're proud to work alongside these groups to elevate awareness on collective giving and move more dollars to community-based organizations across the U.S. 

Philanos is proud to announce the following 2024-2025 Board of Directors and Governance Committee, composed of women who are members of Philanos Affiliate organizations.

Our Board and Governance members represent 22 Affiliates.

Philanos 2024-2025 Board of Directors: 

View bios here

• Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, MD
• Susan Benford, The Philanthropy Connection, MA
• Demetria George Caston, former ED Impact Austin, TX
• Nina Cohen, Impact100 South Jersey, NJ
• Amy Conard, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, MO
• Sandy Cook, Impact100 Metro Denver, CO & Women’s Giving Alliance of Northeast Florida
• Stephanie Cook, San Diego Women’s Foundation, CA
• Alisa Evans Debnam, Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County, NC
• Maggie Glasgow, Greenville Women Giving, SC
• Renee Gordon, Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle, MD
• Michelle Hynes, ninety-nine girlfriends, OR
• Heather Jauregui, Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation, ID
• Mary Kwak, Many Hands, DC
• Ann Marie McGee, Impact 100 Redwood Circle, CA
• Clare O’Brien, Impact 100 Cincinnati, OH
• Maureen Romito, Impact Las Vegas, NV
• Renuka Sastri, 100 Women Strong at Central Florida Foundation, FL
• Kirsten Stanley, Impact 100 Palm Beach County, FL
• Barb Van Winkle, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, MD
• Tyeshia “Ty” Wilson, HERitage Giving Fund, TX
• Sarah F Wimberley, Impact100 Philadelphia, PA

Philanos Executive Committee:

• Sandy Cook, Co-Chair, Impact100 Metro Denver, CO & Women’s Giving Alliance of Northeast Florida
• Ann Marie McGee, Co-Chair, Impact 100 Redwood Circle, CA
• Clare O'Brien, Co-Chair, Impact 100 Cincinnati, OH
• Barb Van Winkle, Treasurer, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, MD
• Renee Gordon, Secretary, Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle, MD
• Maggie Glasgow, Immediate Past Chair, Greenville Women Giving, SC

Philanos Governance Committee:

• Maureen Romito – Impact Las Vegas, NV
• Renuka Sastri – 100 Women Strong at Central Florida Foundation, FL
• Nina Cohen – Impact100 South Jersey, NJ
• Celeste Campos – Impact 100 Garden State, NJ
• Margo Greenfield – Impact 100 Essex, NJ
• Kimberly Kirn – Impact100 Philadelphia, PA

Happy Spring!

And with Spring comes so many new and innovative ideas and resources from Philanos.

Read the full eNewsletter here

For our April 9 Webinar, in honor of April being Earth Month, we are so pleased to feature Shreya Durvasula from Rachel’s Network presenting: How Women’s Leadership is Saving the Planet. We hope you will join and learn more about ways your own circle can make an impact.

Tuesday’s presentation of In Abundance: An Analysis of the Thriving Landscape of Collective Giving in the United States by Philanthropy Together was more evidence of the impact each Philanos Affiliate is making. We have strength in numbers! We are grateful for the participation of so many of our circles. Our May 14 webinar will include a presentation specifically tailored to Philanos Affiliates.

Our May webinar will also feature our new board and leaders for 2024-2025 and some important growth Philanos is working on in the South Central and Mountain West regions of the United States. Be sure and register using the link below.

All Philanos affiliates are encouraged to invite your full memberships to join us at our upcoming webinars and affinity group meetings - every giving circle member is able to join in the learning, sharing, and connecting that Philanos offers.

And, Philanos is about to begin building a new strategic plan, reflecting the diversity and needs of our circles and the future of collective giving. We cannot wait to share it with you in a few months.

We are Stronger and Bolder Together!

Maggie Glasgow, mglasgow@philanos.org

Sandy Cook, scook@philanos.org

Philanos Co-Chairs

By Heather Juaregui, Past President

Our Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation delegation made the most of three days of networking, learning, and best practice sharing at the Philanos PowerUP! Conference the first weekend of November in Baltimore. Nicole Patterson, Susan Smith, Suzanne Groff Lierz, and Heather Jauregui were among the 325 conference participants from 60 giving circles and networks, including several of our friends from the Wood River Women’s Foundation. Four tracks offered 20 breakout sessions focused on Collective Power + Leadership; Communications + Technology; Governance + Finance; and Membership + Grantmaking. Sessions were presented by members of women’s giving circles and philanthropic leaders from across the country.  Peer-to-peer discussions illuminated IWCF as a mature giving circle on solid footing, and we’re addressing common challenges, such as supporting a large vibrant membership, enhancing relationships with our grant partners, and adopting trust-based philanthropy principles. Checkout the PowerUp! Conference Wrap. 

Every IWCF member is a member of Philanos–just use the same email account associated with your IWCF membership to access all the benefits for Philanos membership. You have access to the discussion groups, webinars, and resources Philanos offers to support women’s giving circles and their individual members to become educated philanthropists and thoughtful grantmakers in their communities.  Make the most of your IWCF membership by participating in one of the free Philanos webinars this year and meet other women as excited about collective giving as you are!