The Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County (WGCCC) is a dedicated group of women who use philanthropy to pool their resources to fund grants for local nonprofits, organizations and community initiatives. Through their combined contributions, members address and financially support Cumberland County’s needs. They are a collective philanthropy initiative of the Cumberland Community Foundation that brings women together to create lasting impact. 

The Women’s Giving Circle serves an invaluable purpose of helping with community causes. While the motions were in place beforehand, the circle, then known as the Women’s Giving Circle of Fayetteville, had its first member meeting in 2008, and has progressed to accrue 135 members since. It was started to uplift causes for women and children in Cumberland County, assisting with tuition assistance programs, housing and food insecurity, literacy programs and much more. 

“It’s probably one of the most powerful organizations and probably the most important organization that I belong to because I truly believe we’re making an impact on a lot of women and children and making a difference in our community,” said Alisa Debnam, WGCCC historian and one of the very first members. “Where there are gaps in resources, we’re filling those gaps and so it’s extremely important because we’re stronger together.” 

Members of the Women’s Giving Circle hope to make a significant impact on the community and better it for each other. 

“Helping other women and children here in the community – they are the foundation of our community. If they are in a good place, our community is in a better place. They’re the ones that help bring up the children, it makes such a difference in our community, and sometimes people just need help, they need a leg up, there are things that they can’t control,” said Debbie Best, current chair of the Women’s Giving Circle. “Helping make someone’s life better, that ripple just keeps on going out, you don’t even know who you’re affecting. You do something, and you don’t even realize the lasting impact it has, but it has an impact; it makes a difference.” 

The structure and operation of the Women’s Giving Circle differ from traditional charity models in that the members have an active insight into how their money is being spent. The Women’s Giving Circle has members dedicated to reviewing grant applications from different organizations and researching key areas in the community. 

Their community scorecards outline research-based needs in Cumberland County and their contribution to the area, and the maintenance of their endowment fund ensures sustained future impact. 

“With the Women’s Giving Circle, we’re able to pool that money together to have a greater impact, and specifically state, based on these different ones, what the funds will be used for, and we’re able to pick and choose and see really where we want that money to go,” said Best. “We’re able to be very targeted in helping the demographic that we really want to focus on.”

The members vote on which organizations get funding, and are able to interview representatives of organizations and do on-site visits. Members have an active hand in what they’re donating to, remaining in connection and keeping up to date on the progress of their contributions. 

“We helped with the build of a home for families, and that was extremely touching to me. We [got] an opportunity to meet the family, we actually signed the trestles going into the home with inspirational messages and signed our names,” said Debnam. “In addition to funding the home, we donated a quilt to that family and presented it to them when the home was finished, and I can’t tell you how meaningful that was and how much it meant to the family that someone really cared about them. That was probably my most important gift and interaction with people that we provided funding for.”

As a women-led group, the Women’s Giving Circle brings a vast range of experiences that shape its approach to community work. They have identified a significant need in Cumberland County and endeavor to put their resources to good use right where they live. 

“Compared to other counties in the state, we have a huge, huge need in so many different areas. This past year, we gifted almost a hundred thousand dollars to about eight nonprofits. That’s significant, and it’s grown because when we first started it was just a few women, and that first year they gave about $26,000, but every year it just keeps growing and growing,” said Best. 

In addition to the ongoing contributions and involvement, the Women’s Giving Circle is working to involve younger generations to sustain its mission. 

“I’m leading an initiative called A Pathway to Collective Giving for Emerging Members, which is designed for women ages 18 to 40. The goal is to introduce younger women to philanthropy in a way that is relational, educational and financially accessible. We want young women in our community to see themselves as philanthropists from the very beginning of their journey,” stated Kasi Turner, cochair and member of both the WGCCC Membership Committee and the WGCCC Grants Committee. “Through this initiative, we’re cultivating young philanthropy and ensuring that the Women’s Giving Circle’s mission continues to grow and thrive for years to come.”

WGCCC is always looking to welcome more members, businesses and partners into the fold. 

Individuals interested in joining the Women’s Giving Circle should feel free to reach out to thewomensgivingcircle@gmail.com to connect with current members. The Cumberland County Foundation’s Giving Tuesday is a great way for local businesses to get involved as well. 

“The power of our collective giving is REAL. When we pool our resources and intentions, we create change that no one individual can accomplish alone,” Turner concluded.