How much good can you possibly do in your life? This issue—how to help the most people who need it—is a seemingly insurmountable problem.
But through Amplifier, a movement motivated by Jewish values, this problem has become less troublesome. Amplifier has a solution for people dedicated to turning their empathy into action: it’s called “giving circles.”
The idea isn’t that hard to imagine: get a group of your friends together and pool your resources for a cause. Amplifier has provided a crucial structure for people looking to get into the philanthropy game, in a way that is both significant and accessible. They’re not satisfied with the status quo, though. They’re looking to disrupt the world of philanthropy even further by taking the concept into communities not accustomed to the idea. They’re building an incubator, and they want you.
“We want to use this incubator to not just expand the idea of giving circles,” says Aviva Stampfer, the organization’s community manager, “but to expand the idea of what giving circles can be used for.”
Amplifier is used to diversity in the causes they’ve helped to spur on—there’s even a Challah for Hunger giving circle. But there’s one common factor: the people who started them were interested in charitable giving in the first place. Out of the 30 people they expect to sign up for the incubator, half will be individuals who want to donate to a cause with their friends and family, and the other half will come from professional philanthropic organizations.
The incubator will be a multi-month experience for the participants. In October, Amplifier will fly them all to New York for a two-day training.
“We’re going to bring in a whole bunch of giving circle rock stars, experienced giving circle feeders and members, inspiring trainers, and educators for a training and networking event that is going to help them learn everything they need to go off on their own for the next eight months and recruit new giving circles through the grant process,” says Stampfer.
The goal is to have 30 new giving circles set up by July 2016. But what else happens during those eight months?
“During that time, they get a personal giving circle coach,” says Stampfer, who works out of WeWork’s Gramercy space.
This mentor offers “lots of remote training opportunities,” helping each member of the incubator start up their own giving circle, in addition to serving as a conduit between other similar giving circles across the country.
Of course, philanthropic conversations often revolve around personal money, which can be difficult to discuss when you’re trying to expand your giving circle.
“We’re really devoted to experiential training,” Stampfer says, “and that means we hope our participants are able to go back into their communities and take part in these conversations themselves.”