AAPIP 2010 Blog

We’re pleased that Andy Ho, Co-Chair of the AAPIP Metro DC chapter, and co-founder of the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle in Washington DC joined us for the recent national strategy session at AAPIP.

In his guest post below, Andy shares his perspectives on the convening — as both a participant and as a key individual in helping to shape AAPIP’s early strategies in the growing giving circle movement. »

Click to read more. »

42 people. 13 giving circles. 2 days. 1 historic gathering.

On July 16 and 17, AAPIP hosted a National Giving Circle Strategy Session at our new offices in San Francisco, bringing together key leadership from established, new and emerging giving circles across the country.

Since 2005, AAPIP has made the growth and development of community philanthropy a cornerstone of our efforts to increase philanthropic capital to our communities.  For us, giving circles are pure expressions of building democratic philanthropy—they’re pooled funds where individual contributors come together to decide which organizations to support in their own community and how.

Giving Circles Movement, AAPIP San Francisco (click for more photos from this event!)

Participants from 13 giving circles came together to share stories and ideas on topics such as: how to start a giving circle, identifying best practices in the field, sustaining a giving circle, developing grantmaking criteria, fund development, and working with donors and with organized philanthropy in their own communities.

Those present included founders, leaders, and volunteers representing:

• Asian Giving Circle (Chicago)
• Asian Women Giving Circle (New York)
• Saffron Circle (Boston)
• Lunar Giving Circle (San Francisco Bay Area)
• Los Angeles API Giving Circle
• Asian American Giving Circle of Greater Houston
• South Asian Giving Circle (San Francisco Bay Area)
• Muslim Women Giving Circle (San Francisco Bay Area)
• Cherry Blossom Giving Circle (Washington DC)
• Asian Mosaic Fund (Philadelphia)
• Hmong Women Giving Circle (Minnesota)
• the Jasmine Women Giving Circle (Boston)
• the Circle of Change (Los Angeles)
• the Devata/Cambodian American Women Giving Circle (San Francisco Bay Area)

Over the course of the two days new friendships and relationships were forged, and all giving circles — from the longest-running among them (Asian Giving Circle) to the newest circle (Devata/Cambodian American Women Giving Circle) to the largest (the Asian Women Giving Circle) — learned something new, and supported each other in moving forward.  We were also joined by two special guests,  Nicole Cozier of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, and Patricia Evert of The Gill Foundation, whose own personal commitment to the development of giving circles is shared by the foundations for whom they work.   We extend our thanks and  appreciation to all our guests and our staff who all made this gathering both educational and festive!… Click to read more. »

The Asian American Giving Circle of Greater Houston distributed $10,000 in grant awards in 2009 in support of Chinese Community Center and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program.  Each organization received a $5,000 grant to serve the Asian Pacific American community.

“The grant to the Chinese Community Center will support its Health for All program to provide healthcare benefits counseling for new immigrants and seniors through one-on-one education and support on topics such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and various health issues affecting these populations. The grant to the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program will support their Asian American Legal Clinics which expands access to free, legal services for low-income and elderly Asian Americans through Legal Advice Clinics, will and estate planning, naturalization clinics and help with an assortment of civil legal issues.”

Read their full PDF announcement > AAGC Grants Announcement (2009)

The Cherry Blossom Giving Circle (CBGC), the first Asian American giving circle in Washington, DC, launched with an event on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Over 40 people attended the gathering at Current restaurant and lounge to learn more about the giving circle, DC’s Asian American community, and philanthropy.  Three guest speakers – Peggy Saika, Jimmy Lynn and Sunitha Malepati – shared their perspectives on philanthropy and the joys of being part of a giving circle.

Read informational PDF > The Cherry Blossom Giving Circle Launches