Philanthropy Forum has partnered with The Foundation Center and Grantcraft to share case studies on Pittsburgh Philanthropy. The first study released is on The Sankofa Fund. The fund is a giving circle consisting of a group of individual African American philanthropists who have joined together to strategically invest their time, talent and resources towards the issues and organizations determined by the circle. Giving circles allow their members to feel the power of their collective giving and, since the donors are the participants (who function as “staff”) and also the board, are able to act more quickly than many foundations. One example of how Sankofa Fund has acted quickly is happened when a low income housing area was in crisis and many residents were facing eviction, Sankofa was able to turn around $5,000 of funding in a matter of days for a nonprofit heavily involved in protecting those tenants.
Giving circles, at least in Sankofa’s case, work closely with members of the community, investing their time and energy, as well as their money, to develop relationships with what Mark Lewis, president and CEO of POISE Foundation and Sankofa member, calls, the “in users”--also known as the members of the community. He noticed that formal philanthropy tends to interact more with just the nonprofit community and is inspired by the giving circle experience to “really begin to develop stronger relationships with the community itself through the foundation."
Giving circles are important for growing local knowledge and supporting the continuation of existing local partnerships. They also nurture new collaborations with local entities to create change by helping members investigate their local community’s needs, develop understanding of existing local organizations that are trying to meet community needs, and form new connections with other civil society members and community-based organizations who are interested in serving the public good.
This case study was developed as one of five companion pieces to stories shared through the Pittsburgh Philanthropy Project. The Pittsburgh Philanthropy Project, in association with the University of Pittsburgh, showcases the rich and varied narratives of giving in the region through comprehensive storytelling techniques, giving insight to the philanthropy landscape and approach for residents, researchers, and practitioners.