30: Giving Circles for Philanthropy | Sara Lomelin

Sara Lomelin, discusses the importance and evolution of giving circles and how she and Philanthropy Together are taking ‘giving’ back into the mainstream.

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Connecting and Catalyzing the Field of Giving Circles to Democratize and Diversify Philanthropy

Giving Circles resonate with many diverse communities because they’re social, communal, fun, transparent, and accessible. ...They are incubators for civic engagement where people become more aware of the issues. Share on X

Giving circles have existed since the beginning of time—we just didn’t call them that. Across the world, communities have always found ways to support each other for shared prosperity.

However, in the U.S., wealth and finances have become deeply personal and private. If you don’t feel able to give a significant amount—or you’re unsure where to start—you might never get involved in philanthropy at all.

In this episode, Sara Lomelin joins us to talk about how giving circles are bringing giving back into the mainstream—and beyond.

Meet Sara Lomelin: Champion of Collective Giving

Sara is a true connector. Originally from Mexico City, she moved to the U.S. 24 years ago and began her philanthropic career as a fundraiser for the Bay Area Latino Community Foundation—despite knowing nothing about fundraising at the time.

She helped launch a giving circle of 16 Latinas, each contributing $1,000 per year. From that seed, she grew the largest Latino donor network in the country.

Today, Sara is the Founder and Executive Director of Philanthropy Together, an organization whose mission is to connect and catalyze the field of giving circles to democratize and diversify philanthropy.

The Community Knows What the Community Needs

A giving circle is a group of individuals with shared values who unite to create change.
Key to their success is trust—both among members and between the circle and the organizations they fund.

Unlike crowdfunding, giving circles are democratic.

Members set giving priorities and vote on where the funds go.
Members often contribute more than money, offering time, talent, and testimony to the causes they support.
Civic engagement increases naturally as members deepen their commitment to community issues.

As Sara emphasizes: the social element is the “sticky power” that keeps giving circles vibrant and growing.

Philanthropy Together: Scaling Collective Giving

Giving circles have exploded globally as an alternative to mainstream philanthropy.

Around 2,000 giving circles exist in the U.S., with 150,000 active members.
Cumulative giving has surpassed $1 billion.
Contributions range from $1 a day to seven-figure donations.

Realizing there was no infrastructure to support this momentum, Sara helped spearhead the creation of Philanthropy Together—a five-year initiative supported by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Their flagship program, Launchpad, is a giving circle incubator providing:

Resources
Tools
Training

Launchpad’s virtual format has allowed it to scale globally, launching 26 new giving circles with members from Mexico, Germany, France, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Brazil, and beyond.

The Future of Philanthropy: Inclusive, Collective, Global

Through programs like Showcase, Scale, Strengthen, and Sustain, Philanthropy Together is helping new and existing giving circles thrive.

Sara’s vision is clear: turn giving circles into a mainstream force—inviting everyone into the world of philanthropy, no matter their background or giving capacity.

Giving circles are not just about writing checks. They are about community. They are about power. And they are about reclaiming giving as a collective, joyful, transformational act.