COMMUNITY FEATURE AMID STEEP DROP IN CHARITABLE GIVING, DENVER PHILANTHROPIST LAUNCHES GIVING CIRCLE Denver’s new giving circle, People Who Care, wants to make a difference - and onboard new members STORY BY JAMIE MILLER A STALWART OF DENVER’S PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY is launching a giving circle to generate funding for equity and social welfare causes—demonstrating the power of collective giving over individual donations. “Most people say, ‘Well, what can I give personally? Can I give enough to really make a difference?’ That is not an issue here,” said Donald Burnes, founder of People Who Care Giving Circle. Burnes is a board member of Denver VOICE and has been an avid member of Denver’s philanthropic community for over 20 years. After learning about the concept of giving circles, he decided to start one. The central idea of a giving circle is that modest contributions, when pooled together, can generate a major impact. Giving circles can be formal or informal, but all are made up of like-minded individuals spanning across generations, identities, and locations. The common thread is that all members are looking to amplify their philanthropic impact. This concept is gaining popularity. Philanthropy Together estimates that in 1995, there were 50 circles, while today there are 4,000 groups globally. There are 78 giving circles within 50 miles of Denver alone. Membership ranges from 10 individuals to 10,000, and donation limits range from a few dollars to thousands. “When people become members, they become part of the decision on who gets granted the money. Members can nominate a potential recipient, and then we vote on who to grant the funds to,” said Burnes. People Who Care plans to give quarterly, with long-term goals of hitting 250 members and raising $100k yearly. They plan to give their first grant by the end of this year. TRENDS IN PHILANTHROPIC GIVING The overall trends for individual donors have been declining for years, likely due to inflation and generational differences. There is potential for further decline following the introduction of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which limits itemized deductions and cuts tax benefits for wealthy donors by 2%. Underneath the top-line figures, collective giving efforts like giving circles are growing. Between 2017 and 2023, close to 4,000 groups mobilized approximately 370,000 philanthropists, collectively contributing over $3.1 billion towards various causes— doubling its impact and membership since 2016, according to Nonprofitpro.com. There is a variety of reasons for this growth, including people’s desire to amplify their impacts, join a community, and the approachable nature of giving circles, Burnes explained. “Folks who don’t necessarily have a lot of money to contribute. They can contribute a manageable amount, maybe $100 a quarter to start. When you become a member, you get to know other contributors and non-profits. It gets you more familiar with the philanthropic arena in a way that you probably would not otherwise,” said Burnes. PURPOSE-DRIVEN INVOLVEMENT Every circle has its own purpose. People Who Care focuses on social equity and social welfare charities operating in the MetroDenver area. Some have more specific missions, like impacting marginalized women and adolescent girls or addressing economic and health inequities. Identity-based groups are also common, like Latinas LEAD, to strengthen which was launched in 2016 the leadership development of Latinas to drive social change. Other circles are geared towards specific fields such as women in business, artists, or technology. “It is a whole new way of thinking about fundraising. You give a small amount, and with enough people, we have enough money to make grants that really make a difference,” said Burnes. People interested in joining People Who Care may contact PHOTO COURTESY OF DON BURNES Donald Burnes via email at donwburnes@gmail.com. To locate other giving circles near you, explore the Global Giving Circle Directory at philanthropytogether.org/directory. October 2025 DENVER VOICE 5
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