Giving circles are a hot trend in philanthropy. Similar to the investment clubs of the 1990s that brought people together to talk about stock picking, giving circles are social groups where people pool resources and decide which non-profits to fund. If giving circles prove to be a hit, a few years from now cocktail party chatter might include: “I just got a hot tip on a non-profit you should consider!”

One of these giving circles is the NYC Venture Philanthropy Fund. With about 30 members, the circle consists of residents who work in both the non-profit and corporate worlds. Each year they vote on what areas to focus on, such as poverty or education, and then go through a process of identifying and selecting high-impact non-profits.