Chester County Community Foundation

Imprints Giving Circles:
Make a Difference Today that Will Last Forever
View and print the Imprints brochure or the Imprints Giving Circle fact sheet.

How Can I Make a Difference?
Consider joining an Imprints Giving Circle and make giving a part of your daily life. Sharing your charitable goals with others makes the experience more fulfilling and allows you to make a greater impact at an investment level that fits your personal needs and giving capacity.

What is a Giving Circle?
A giving circle is a group of donors who place their charitable dollars into a pooled fund, and decide as a group which charities to support. Giving circles enable donors to increase their engagement in the process of giving and the impact of their giving by working as a group.

Imprints Giving Circle members are asked to participate for a minimum of two years at an established dollar level. Imprints Giving Circle funds are housed at the Chester County Community Foundation, whose staff members support the work of the Circles.

The giving focus and structure of the giving circles are decided by the members. Some giving circles choose to endow portions of their annual contribution to allow the fund to be established as a permanent giving fund. Giving Circles offer their members a chance to evaluate nonprofits firsthand via site visits and other volunteer activities, and provide a venue for discussion of broader issues related to philanthropy, such as financial planning.
Examples of giving circles include:

· The Seacoast Giving Circle has 60 members, who give a minimum $200 donation toward the pooled fund and are encouraged to participate in volunteer projects selected by the members. The focus of giving changes depending on the priorities set by the members. In 2009, the target for investment was "preventing risky behavior among teens ages 11 through 18," while in previous years they had tackled the environment and affordable housing and homelessness.

· Launched in 2002, The B'MORE Fund is a Giving Circle that supports and celebrates the work of social entrepreneurs in the region. With over 45 members, this Giving Circle has made over $35,000 in awards. Membership requires an annual contribution of $500.

What are the Imprints Giving Circle Options?
The first-ever Imprints Giving Circles are being formed in 2010. This is a special opportunity to become a Giving Circle founding member:
· Imprints Seed Fund
Contribution to the Giving Circle of $100/year for two years + join as Imprints member.

· Imprints Growth Fund
Contribution to the Giving Circle $500/year for two years + join as Imprints member.

· · Imprints Impact Fund
Contribution to the Giving Circle of $1000/year for two years+ join as Imprints member.

How Does the Imprints Giving Circle Work?
Each Giving Circle is expected to meet on a quarterly basis to welcome new members, discuss Giving Circle procedures and priorities, and make charitable giving decisions. During 2010 – 2011, members of the Imprints Giving Circles will meet to establish the Giving Circles and decide the following:

1. Goals and Structure: Meeting schedule; how to determine the grantmaking focus; limit on the number of participants; time commitment.

2. Establish the Focus Area: Decide the area to direct grants; consider site visits, research and/or speakers.

3. Develop Process for Making Funding Decisions: What will be the criteria for determining which nonprofit receives grants? Will you review grant proposals? Will you visit specific nonprofits that could "qualify"? How will you evaluate the impact of the grant funding?

4. Review Potential Grant Recipients: As a Giving Circle group, discuss the potential grant recipients and make a collective decision.

5. Make Grant Award: Inform the nonprofit recipient of the grant awarded by the Giving Circle.

6. Follow Up: Determine how the Giving Circle will monitor the use of the grant and the grantee’s work over time.

What Can I Expect?
By joining an Imprints Giving Circle, you will have opportunities to:
· Connect with like-minded peers
· Increase your community involvement
· Engage in professional and strategic networking
· Involve your children and instill the values of giving and learning
· Increase the impact of your charitable dollars
· Direct your donations to the causes that matter to you
· Enjoy yourself – have meaningful conversations in enjoyable ways

Giving Circles are a growing form of philanthropy. Recent studies show that giving circles:
· Increase members’ knowledge about philanthropy, nonprofits and the community
· Influence members to give more strategically
· Increase members’ engagement in civic activities outside of the Giving Circle

By joining an Imprints Giving Circle, you can expect to amplify your charitable giving and your connections in the community.

View and print the Imprints brochure or the Imprints Giving Circle fact sheet.

Join ChesCo Community Imprints Now...

Click here to here to pay your Imprints membership dues or donate to Imprints using our secure on-line site.

To simply be added to the Imprints Info E-List, e-mail info@chescocf.org and type in Subject: Imprints e-list add