Programme Outline
The Giving Circle programme brought together collaboration and collective wisdom to transform philanthropy, sharing power and democratising decision-making. Be The Earth’s Giving Circle convened six remarkable women — activists, experts, and thought leaders — who co-created both the decision-making process and the criteria for distributing funds to individuals, projects, and communities.
Originating in the 1990s, Giving Circles have grown in popularity, particularly in the United States, as a collaborative and community-focused model of philanthropy. Often described as “the way women give," this approach disrupts traditional, hierarchical models of financial power by emphasising shared decision-making and trust.
Our programme supported both the recipients of funding and the women leaders participating in the Giving Circle. Members received stipends, holistic support, and a nurturing community designed to enhance their personal and professional wellbeing. With access to grassroots networks, the funds distributed by the Giving Circle often reached overlooked projects, creating ripple effects of impact that extended across communities.
Why We Discontinued the Giving Circle
While the Giving Circle programme produced meaningful results, its similarities to our Flow Funding programme highlighted overlaps that made continuing both programmes unnecessary. Flow Funding, which provides greater autonomy to fellows, achieved similar outcomes with less administrative and time investment, whereas the Giving Circle required more calls, admin, and team engagement.
After a workshop to evaluate the methodology, we found that trust and streamlined processes — key strengths of Flow Funding — were also celebrated aspects of the Giving Circle. However, the collective decision-making and process creation, while innovative, were not identified by fellows as indispensable.
Given our commitment to de-bureaucratised, trust-based philanthropy, expanding Flow Funding became the more aligned choice.
Key Lessons Learnt
Best Fit for Open Calls
The Giving Circle model may be more suitable for open calls or formal processes where group accountability and cross-evaluation of nominees are essential. However, in our trust-based approach, decisions were rarely questioned, as fellows respected each other's judgement implicitly.
The Power of Diversity
The diverse mix of countries, backgrounds, and passions among the Giving Circle members enriched the experience, fostering learning and expanding perspectives. The intentional inclusion of “strong personalities” proved successful, with no conflicts arising during the programme.
The Importance of In-Person Connection
A key highlight was the in-person meeting during our 2022 Global Gathering, which deepened trust and strengthened relationships among members.
A Valuable Testing Period
Running the programme for three years allowed us to adapt to feedback, assess its impact, and make a confident decision about its future.
While the Giving Circle has come to a close, its legacy continues to influence our approach to collaborative, trust-based philanthropy. By focusing on Flow Funding, we aim to build on these insights, simplifying processes while maximising impact.