Eikenberry receives grant to study emerging philanthropic trend-giving circles

Angela Eikenberry of Blacksburg, assistant professor of public administration and policy in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, has received a grant from the Aspen Institute for her project, "Giving Circles and Their Impacts on Donor Attitudes and Behaviors."

Giving circles are a growing trend in grass-roots philanthropy operating mostly under the radar. A giving circle is a type of pooled fund that members use to make grants together; giving circles are sometimes called social investment clubs. Giving circles are flexible, allow members to express their creativity, and often organize around a common interest, such as environmental conservation or education reform.

Eikenberry is a leading national researcher on giving circles. She is conducting the study in collaboration with consultant Jessica Bearman and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers through its New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative and will have assistance with the survey portion of the study from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Alan Abramson, director of the Aspen Institute's Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program, noted the importance of studying emerging philanthropic trends.

"A number of forces are likely to change philanthropy in the future: an increase in the number of high net-worth individuals, greater involvement of donors in their philanthropy, accessible and powerful communications technologies that accelerate information-sharing and collaboration across great distances and organizational boundaries, and continued calls for philanthropy to be accountable and demonstrate impact," Abramson said.

The Aspen Institute, headquartered in Washington, D.C., and founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue.

The College of Architecture and Urban Studies is one of the largest of its type in the nation. The college is composed of three schools and the Department of Art and Art History, part of the multi-college School of the Arts. The School of Architecture + Design includes programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture. The School of Public and International Affairs includes programs in urban affairs and planning, public administration and policy, and government and international affairs. The Myers-Lawson School of Construction, a joint school of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the College of Engineering, includes programs in building construction and construction management. The college enrolls more than 2,000 students offering 25 degrees taught by 160 faculty members.