U.S. Giving Circle Research Advisory Group
Through the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy in partnership with researchers represented by Grand Valley State University, Syracuse University and the University of Nebraska, JustChange is a part of an informal advisory committee providing input on “new research into the scale, scope, and impact of giving circles.” More specifically looking at:
- How various models or structures of giving circles or various activities or compositions within giving circles might make a difference in growing philanthropy among women and men, people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds, levels of income, and other demographic variables.
- How length, type or level of engagement within giving circles might make a difference in growing philanthropy.
- How in-person versus online or hybrid connection and engagement might make a difference in growing philanthropy.
- How the above might affect who benefits from philanthropy, including increasing giving for specific communities or issues such as causes for women and girls.
- How being part of a network of giving circles might influence their impact.
- How the above characteristics might impact community foundation and other hosts of giving circles and how hosts might in turn influence giving circles’ impact.
Community Project with uOttawa: Millenials’ Giving
Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and supported by a host of partners, including the University of Ottawa and its Faculties of Social Sciences and Education, created E=MC², a research initiative aiming to help caring Canadians build stronger communities. The premise of the partnership began with Statistics Canada dataset, the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (CSGVP), where we know those most likely to volunteer are young, highly educated and have a high household income. Furthermore, they are more likely to volunteer if they have been active in student government in high school, had parents who volunteer, or saw someone they admired volunteer. Despite these findings, members of the millennial generation are the recipient of negative stereotypes and biases.
Without evidence, some are labeled as being less involved in their communities than their parents’ generation. As members of the millennial generation, E=MC² and its partners are interested in challenging this stereotype by demonstrating they are active members in their community. In addition, creating a better understanding of the motivations and circumstances surrounding the creation of organizations like JustChange in an effort to expand the model to other cities and provinces across Canada and to other countries. Together, JustChange and E=MC² are exploring how the CSGVP data and recent literature can contribute to understanding millennials’ motivations and patterns of giving and volunteering. Click here to learn more.
JustChange Impact Report 2012-2014
After two years of funding bold ideas, JustChange asked an ambitious question, are we having an impact? The report is the result, covering:
- Our mission, method, and core beliefs
- Presents the impact we have made in our first two years of operation
- Recognizes the partners that have contributed to our success
- Showcases our grantees and their ideas’ progress
- Demonstrate the ways in which we promote new models of giving and engage the community on this topic
- Shares the lessons we have learned – both personal and professional, and
- Communicates our path forward
