Charitable fund options: Giving circles

A giving circle provides a way for friends, family members or co-workers to collectively support charities and causes.

What is a giving circle?

A giving circle is a group people who pool charitable gifts to achieve a greater impact. As a group, members make decisions on what organizations to grant to and witness the change their charitable gifts make. Donors make gifts to an IRS-qualified public charity, in this case Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing (in the form of a donor-advised fund), and receive potential charitable tax deductions. We administer the gifts, holds or invests the assets and offers support and resources to the giving circle.

How to establish a giving circle fund

1. Create a fund.
2. We will establish your fund based on the type of giving circle selected and send it to the chair/fund advisor for signing. Your financial professional also receives a copy (if applicable).
3. For gifts of stock, include copies of either the stock certificates or the most recent brokerage statement. We will contact you with specific instructions on how to transfer the stock.
4. For gifts of cash, do not send checks now. You may send a check after you receive confirmation your fund is established, or members have been invited to give online.
5. Once the chair/fund advisor has confirmed your fund is established appropriately, we'll send information on how to manage your fund online along with a toolkit and resources for beginning your giving circle.

Target Audience

• Church small groups/Bible study groups;
• Networking/professional associations;
• Families seeking an affordable alternative to private family foundations;
• Social groups seeking additional ways to connect;
• Deepen relationship and educate themselves about philanthropy; and
• Supporters of charitable organizations, brought together to leverage their giving (i.e. alumni groups, parents, volunteers).

Benefits of a giving circle

• A giving circle can be established with as little as $200/person using gifts of cash or publicly traded securities or other assets. (giving circle fund minimum applies.)
• Giving circle members may choose to make additional outright and deferred gifts to the fund over time, or create their own donor-advised fund.

Connect with a gift planner