Taking Positive Action Within Community

In 1923 biologist Hugh Smith was in Thailand sitting in the pitch dark when suddenly he was surrounded by brilliant light for one moment. Every few moments the illumination repeated.

What was he seeing? It was thousands of fireflies shining in unison.

After delving into why thousands of fireflies, all male, were shining in unison he realized that in the competitive world of fireflies attempting to attract a mate, they were choosing cooperation to achieve individual goals. By illuminating all at the same time, their mating success rates jumped from 3% to 82%!

Smith discovered that fireflies, working as an interconnected community with positive intent and focus on a common goal, was exponentially more beneficial to the individual AND the whole community.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept how our “self” benefits when we work together toward a common goal.

Over the past year, I’ve experienced these benefits as I’ve become engaged in collective giving through my relationships with Sacramento Venture Philanthropists and Impact100 Greater Sacramento.

I also have had the benefit of seeing the significant impact of collective giving through my client, and friends, at must! Charities on the Central Coast of CA.

Collective giving groups are growing in popularity as people seek connection and meaning in their lives.

The benefit of collective giving is that you can make a small contribution which is then combined with others to make a big impact. For example, Within Impact100 Greater Sacramento, each member contributes $1,000 annually. 100% of the $1,000 goes directly to grants. As a result, this year Impact100 Greater Sacramento awarded grants ranging from $100,000 to $25,000 to 5 nonprofits (a total of $250,000). That is a big impact.

There are many different collective giving groups that have lower donation amounts for people just starting to think about philanthropy (and many that have significantly higher individual commitments).

In the last 8 years, collective or combined giving groups have awarded over $8 billion in funding to nonprofits in the United States.

That is significant impact.

By joining a collective giving group, you can get involved in committees, review grant applications, and network. These are great ways for emerging leaders to learn and develop new skills outside of the workplace.

Coming together with groups of like-minded people to have impact in your community can positively improve your outlook, instill hope, introduce you to new people, and — in the words of Impact100 founder, Wendy H. Steele — “help us choose to shine on together.”

For me, participating in these groups has made the world seem more positive, intentional, and easier to navigate.

To find a giving circle near you (or to start one), simply Google “giving circles near me”.

To learn more about Impact100, check out Wendy H. Steele’s book, Invitation to Impact.