CHERRY BLOSSOM GIVING CIRCLE FUNDRAISING DRIVE

About the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle

We are a group of volunteers committed to creating positive change in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities of the Washington, DC metro area.

 

Representing diverse cultures, professional backgrounds, perspectives, and interests, we have pooled our resources to support AAPI-serving nonprofits in the area. We promote positive change in the area’s underserved AAPI communities.

 

For more information, visit our website at http://dcgivingcircle.wordpress.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or join our mailing list by emailing us at [email protected]!

 

Our Mission

To raise funds and awareness that will advance the work of Washington, DC metropolitan area nonprofits working to uplift the lives of underserved segments of the region’s AAPI communities.

 

Join the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle

Donate any amount to become a member of our giving circle and to join in our activities! If you donate $250 or more, you are eligible to vote and help select our grantee(s) for the year. Your donation is tax deductible. Your donation is being made to the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle, a component fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region.  This donation is eligible as a charitable contribution within the guidelines of the law in the United States.

 

If $250 is too much at one time, feel free to make quarterly donations, but just let us know that you’ve decided to do that.

In addition, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) will provide a 50 percent match for your donation! 

 

Why Join?

Joining the giving circle gives you a unique opportunity to develop skills and to become more connected by:

• Meeting and working with other members who care about our communities
• Learning about local AAPI organizations and issues
• Selecting grantees in a formal charitable giving process

Your contribution and involvement will make a significant impact! The nonprofit organizations we select will receive 100% of your donation.

 

Since we started the giving circle in 2009, we have provided a total of over $37,000 in grants to the following 11 nonprofit organizations in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013:

• Asian-American Homeownership Counseling Inc.
• Asian American Success
• Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
• Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Spoken Word and Poetry Summit
• Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project
• Asian Pacific Islander Queer Sisters
• Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL)
• Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co
• Emmaus Services for the Aging, Asian & Pacific Islander Senior Center
• Many Languages One Voice, DC Nail Salon Project

According to Leila Polintan, a giving circle member, “What makes our circle unique is our focus on supporting organizations with small operational budgets that are often overlooked by traditional funders. For such organizations, every dollar makes a big impact and enables them to be one step closer to meeting their missions.”

 

What is a Giving Circle?

A giving circle is a group of volunteers raising, pooling, and granting money together. Giving circles allow for a wide range of giving styles, philosophies, and values to be expressed by and for communities. Giving circles also provide social networks, leadership development, peer support, and learning among its members.

 

The Cherry Blossom Giving Circle is a member of the Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) National Giving Circle Campaign and receives matching grants to increase support to its recipient community organizations. For more on giving circles, download AAPIP’s giving circle brochure.