The Orchid Giving Circle at the Texas Women’s Foundation was launched in 2015 and modeled after many successful Asian giving circles around the country. We are a group of Asian women philanthropists in North Texas ranging in age from our 20s to our 70s, and we represent a wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and professions. We take inspiration from the Asian Women Giving Circle of New York, which has raised and distributed $620,000+ in grants over nine years.
Mission: The Orchid Giving Circle is a group of Asian women pooling our resources to provide community grants that support social change and services for North Texas Asians. The Orchid Giving Circle has an interest in Asian women-led social change projects and organizations. Our goal is to increase awareness of the local Asian population, community needs and knowledge about philanthropy.
Year Established: 2015
Why fund Asian-American Organizations?
- Less than one percent of all philanthropic dollars is invested in Asian-American communities.
- Asian-Americans have been historically under-represented as funders and as grant recipients.
- The label “model minority” creates an inaccurate picture that Asian-Americans do not need help when in fact parts of our community have dire needs currently unmet.
- Putting philanthropic dollars into community-based social change projects is putting money into the hands of local experts working to make our society systems more equitable.
Why women-led?
- Women-led, family-serving projects receive few philanthropic dollars.
- Investing in women is investing in the social fabric that holds local communities together.
- Women invest in families and communities.
- There is still inequity and gender (still) matters.
Total Amount Given: $117,000 in 2017
Organizations & Projects Funded: Against the Grain Productions, Chetna, Heart House Dallas, and Mosaic Family Services.
The Orchid Giving Circle is hosted at the Texas Women’s Foundation. Donations to the giving circle can be made here.