Creative Philanthropy & NCGives:
Creative Philanthropy, a founding partner with NCGives, works to catalyze and inspire leadership, vision and opportunities for North Carolina women to transform their relationship with their time, talent and treasure. Women by nature are philanthropists, freely giving time, talent and resources to transform families and communities. In collaboration with NCGives, Creative Philanthropy's efforts concentrate on creating a new understanding and culture that recognizes, acknowledges and expands women's infinite capacity to give. Working with local community leadership, Creative Philanthropy and NCGives have been instrumental in helping create women's funds, convening forums, connecting these funds through the creation of the North Carolina Network of Women Givers and a new web page on Philanthropy Journal.
Celebrate, Connect, Inspire
Women are making transformational collective connections around North Carolina to improve the health of their communities by creating women's funds and giving circles. Combining their financial resources and working with committed community leaders, women make high-impact grants that improve the lives of women and girls in their community.
NCGives and Creative Philanthropy connect women givers across North Carolina:
1. The North Carolina Network of Women Givers
The North Carolina Network of Women Givers celebrates the collective power of women. While not a membership organization, it is a rolling coalition to build capacity -- individually and collectively for women's giving across the state and learn about the statewide issues affecting women and children. The first North Carolina Network of Women Givers convened in Asheville in October 2006 and the second Network meeting in October 2007 at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh. Women connected, celebrated their successes, learned from one another, shared tools, resources, knowledge and inspiration.
2. Women's Funding Network, Seattle, Washington
In 2007, NCGives and Creative Philanthropy hosted a contingency of fifteen women givers from across the state to participate in the Women's Funding Network Conference to learn about national and international trends of women givers. The women returned inspired and informed about advancing the work in North Carolina and served as a leadership core for the statewide network.
3. Establishment of Women's Funds Across North Carolina
North Carolina is host to numerous women's funds and women's giving circles. NCGives and Creative Philanthropy have been instrumental in creating the following funds:
Bertie-Hertford Women's Fund (Bertie and Hertford Counties) - The Fund has established an endowment fund and is in the process of developing leadership and membership. Members contribute a minimum of $300 annually. Dr. Beverly Edwards, a Pediatrician in Ahoskie, is the Board President.Contact:
Peggy Birkemeier, Northeast Region Associate
The Harbinger Center, Suite 4
8845 Caratoke Highway, Point Harbor, NC 27964
1-888-375-8115 (toll free)
252.491.8166 (local)
Women Givers of Northeast North Carolina (Camden, Gates, Pasquotank & Perquimans Counties) - Established in December 2006, the fund hopes to recruit 50 members by the end of 2007. Members contribute a minimum of $300 annually. Members can make higher annual donations at the $1,000 level and can allocate the proportion to be distributed and/or saved in the group's endowment fund. Nancy Easterday, Director of Business and Community Development at Albemarle Hospital, serves as President.
In the fall of 2007, the Northern Albemarle Women Givers made their first three grants to services that benefit women and children in the Northern Albemarle Community Foundation area.Contact:
Peggy Birkemeier, Northeast Region Associate
The Harbinger Center, Suite 4
8845 Caratoke Highway, Point Harbor, NC 27964
Toll free: (888) 375-8115
Local: (252) 491-8166
The Women's Network (Wake County, NC) - Established in 2007, The Women's Network focused the inaugural year on recruitment efforts, educational/social events and a formal grant making process. Members connect in meaningful and purposeful ways to learn about the critical needs facing women and children in Wake County. In October 2007, The Women's Network awarded $65,000 for two high-impact grants that will have a significant impact on two Raleigh nonprofits serving women and children. Members make an annual $1200 commitment for five consecutive years.
Contact:
Carrie Gray
The North Carolina Community Foundation
4601 Six Forks Road, Suite 524
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
Toll free: (800) 201-9533
Local: (919) 256-6906
Fax: (919) 828-5495
Women Giving in Johnston County (Johnston County, NC) - Women Giving in Johnston County is currently seeking 25 founding members and will concentrate on recruitment efforts, education and a formal grant making process in its first year. Members connect in meaningful and purposeful ways to learn about the critical needs of Johnston County. Members make an annual $600 commitment for five consecutive years.
Carrie Gray
The North Carolina Community Foundation
4601 Six Forks Road, Suite 524
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
Toll free: (800) 201-9533
Local: (919) 256-6906
Fax: (919) 828-5495
The Women Givers of Nash-Rocky Mount (Nash and Edgecombe Counties) - The Women Givers of Nash-Rocky Mount group is currently seeking members and will concentrate on recruitment, education and grant-making during 2008. Members make an annual $300 commitment.
Contact:
Kelly Lee
North Carolina Community Foundation
PO Box 7394
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
(252) 245-1794
Additional funds will be created in 2008.
4. Collective Giving Forums
Designed to provide technical assistance for emerging and developing funds and giving circles, NCGives sponsors a series of forums in Raleigh, Elizabeth City, Rocky Mount, Hickory, Robeson County and Cornelius, NC. Participants demystify giving and learn leadership development, organizing skills, creating mission, vision and strategies for collective giving. The forums are led by Creative Philanthropy and two other NCGives partner organizations, Hindsight Consulting and Leading To Change.
5. Giving Circles
Creative Philanthropy provides technical assistance for emerging and established giving circles around the state through strategic planning, tools and consultation.
6. Women & Giving in The Philanthropy Journal
Women & Giving, a partnership with The Philanthropy Journal, NCGives and Creative Philanthropy, features news and information about women givers, effective giving, and causes women support. The site creates awareness of the role and unique value of women as donors; shares tools for giving and volunteering; helps women better understand the issues facing nonprofits that serve women and children; serves to inspire and further engage women in philanthropy and offers the opportunity to connect women givers of various background throughout the state.
About Creative Philanthropy
Creative Philanthropy's mission is to advance the understanding, practice and development of philanthropy in North Carolina. Beth Briggs founded Creative Philanthropy in 1995 to provide philanthropic consultation, grantmaking, strategic planning, emerging trends and issues identification to foundations, corporations and individuals. Creative Philanthropy enables donors to maximize the impact of their charitable giving on causes and initiatives that matter to them.
Briggs has been actively involved as a professional in the nonprofit sector for over thirty years. Her prior experience includes President of The North Carolina Public Television Foundation; President and Senior Counsel for Capital Consortium; Director of Development, US Olympic Festival -'87; Director of Development, North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research; Associate Director of the Asheville Community Foundation; and Assistant Director for the Public Welfare Foundation in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a native of Charlotte.
The recipient of the National Association of Fund Raising Executives Triangle Chapter Fund Raiser of the Year, Briggs sits on a number of local and statewide boards including the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, The A.J. Fletcher Foundation, North Carolina Amateur Sports and is a faculty member for the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Healthy Community Institute for Nonprofit Excellence.
