A Legacy of Tradition...Black Men giving Back!

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A Legacy of Tradition (ALOT) is a Giving Circle comprised of ordinary African American men. Its members are collectively engaged and focused on impacting and bridging the societal gaps faced by African-American males in the areas of education, collective giving, and community responsibility.

What is a Giving Circle?

Giving Circles are an enormously powerful way to impact social change and pave the way for a new frontier in philanthropy. In the same way that venture capital supports innovation in the business world; Giving Circles use a model of “venture philanthropy,” infusing nonprofits with financial and intellectual capital, resources and contacts. Joining or forming a Giving Circle provides you with a hands-on opportunity to explore and collaborate with others who share the desire to make focused social investments with impact. In a Giving Circle, you pool your resources with colleagues and/or friends who share a common interest in a social cause or issue. Together, you gain in-depth understanding of your interest area, focus on ways the group can have impact, make joint social investment decisions, and leverage your monetary contributions with volunteerism and expertise to the charities you support. Donors often commit to participation in a Giving Circle for several years at an established dollar level and the entire group engages in strategic decision-making to determine which charities to partner with.

Giving Circles allow for a wide range in charitable styles, philosophies and politics, and vary in structure, size and focus. Usually a circle begins with an individual gathering a small, informal group whose members share a desire to:

o Learn more about philanthropy as a vehicle for social change
o Leverage the impact of their charitable contribution
o Connect substantively with the communities and causes they care about
o Participate in a social network of people who share similar interests and values

The Advantages of Forming Giving Circles are Many:
o Pooled dollars invested towards a key issue can have a far greater impact than smaller, individual gifts.
o Collective “know-how” of a group adds value and impact to volunteerism and philanthropic investment, (i.e. developing budgets, evaluation, providing technical support and contacts, etc.).
o Creating partnerships with a small number of nonprofits allows a deeper level of involvement to better gauge your return on investment.
o Participating in a Giving Circle is an excellent way to deepen your understanding of issues important to you.

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