"It's about practice, not just theory. Create opportunities for young people in particular to practice the ideas they're being introduced to." — Helen Stillman North Star Fund started the Springboard Giving Circle over five years ago in partnership with the New York chapter of Resource Generation. This Giving Circle was the first step towards what became the foundation’s initial foray into Giving Projects, and attracted many participants who have family foundations and were seeking practical skills to take back to their respective foundations. “Participants report feeling equipped to be leaders, they say that they feel skillful with their own families, their family giving and foundations. And most importantly, they knew how to talk about the issues that they cared about,” - Helen Stillman, Donor Program Director at North Star Fund The Giving Circle and Giving Project model is one tool to educate and empower next generation members and help them think about giving within the historical context of the philanthropy in the U.S. It provides them the skills sought by members of interviewed organizations, empowering members with the language and confidence to effectively discuss issues that can often be difficult and emotionally charged. The process guides grant making that addresses the root causes of systemic inequality, and allows participants to learn about organizations doing work that the members care about but might not be aware of. Many of the next generation participants report that after going through the giving project program, they are better able to contribute meaningfully to their families’ legacies of creating positive change, and soon came to be regarded by their elders as experts who were connected to social movements. Giving Circle participants become a bridge between families with wealth eager to make a difference and impacted communities whose solutions are informed by experiences of injustice and inequity.
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