Giving Circle Awards Grants, Recruits New Members

The “OBX Giving for Good” Giving Circle is actively seeking and welcoming new members to join this innovative philanthropic group.

Sponsored by the Outer Banks Community Foundation, Giving for Good is a group of local families with school-age children who each contribute to a charitable fund and then make high-impact grants to charities that they chose.

“There are giving circles around the country, and they’re growing in popularity, for really good reason,” said Avery Harrison, the chair of Giving for Good. “Through a giving circle, families can pool their donations together, select their grants as a group, and make much a bigger impact together than they could have alone.”

Last year 21 families joined Giving for Good and donated $4,200 to Food for Thought, Room in the Inn, and the Outer Banks chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Each participating family could nominate a charity for the group to consider, and then each family had three votes to select the charities they wanted to receive the grants.

“We believe that philanthropy is a family ethic, so the goal of the Giving Circle is to involve our kids in giving back,” said Ms. Harrison. “We encourage the kids to help present their favorite charities to the group, and to vote on the charities that will receive our grants.”

Giving for Good also sponsored several volunteer days over the last year. The families have volunteered with the SPCA, at Surfing for Autism, and for Friends of Jockey’s Ridge by helping to plant dune grasses at the state park.

This year the Giving Circle is hoping to grow by recruiting new families for the club. Membership is open to any family who wishes to join. Each family is asked to contribute $250; these donations are 100% tax-deductible and are pooled together for nonprofit grants. The families will meet on Sunday, September 21 to nominate charities for grant-making, and again on Sunday, October 5 to select their charities, location to be announced.

“Some of our families can’t make every meeting, and that’s absolutely okay,” said Ms. Harrison. “Families can nominate charities or vote by email. And our meetings are very fun and family-friendly.”

Any family who wishes to join this year can mail their $250 contribution to OBCF, 13 Skyline Road, Southern Shores, NC 27949 (please write “giving circle” in the memo line) or can donate online at www.obcf.org/donate. Memberships are due by September 15. To learn more, please contact the Community Foundation at 252-261-8839, or visit the Giving Circle’s website and/or Facebook page.