Cape Coral donor circles

Cape Coral Community Foundation Donor Circles

Donor Circles are dynamic groups of Southwest Florida area philanthropists who are passionate and knowledgeable about specific topics. By collaborating, they can achieve greater impact by learning and giving together.

We currently support four grantmaking donor circles: Generous Couples, Giving Alliance of Women, Real Men Give, and Youth Philanthropy in Southwest Florida. Anyone can contribute and become a philanthropist of a Donor Circle. Each Donor Circle award grants to organizations that are working to create sustainable change in that area of interest.

Donor Circles are not membership clubs. They are grant making funds comprised of participants who want to make impact grants to local and regional nonprofit organizations. There are no fundraising events. The contributors to the fund pool their donations together to provide grants to charitable organizations. Each Donor Circle receives administrative back office support from the Cape Coral Community Foundation to provide charitable tax deductions to donors and help facilitate grants to nonprofit organizations selected by the fund participants. Each Donor Circle has a Lead Fund Participant who serves as a liaison between the foundation and the donor circle.

Cape Coral Community Youth Philanthropy

Cape Coral Community Youth Philanthropy

The mission of the Youth Philanthropy in Southwest Florida initiative is a youth education and leadership development program which teaches the art, science and business of philanthropy using the new learning paradigm of the Three Pillars of Philanthropy: Creating Community Impact, Vitalizing Donor Engagement and Building Strategic Volunteerism.

Under the umbrella of The Community Foundation, a donor circle fund has been created to teach grant-making skills to young people. Through the generous gifts of caring community philanthropists and donors, high school students raise monies each year to support nonprofit organizations offering youth programs.

Grant Opportunity

Due to Covid-19, there are currently no grant opportunities available.

Become a Philanthropist! Grant Opportunity Contact Us

Real Men Give

Cape Coral Real Men Give

Real Men Give check presentation

Real Men Give
The thought behind Real Men Give is that real men invest in the legacy of future generations by looking out beyond their sphere of influence. Under the umbrella of The Community Foundation, men have started their own donor circle to give $25,000 in grants to Southwest Florida nonprofits focused on scholarships and sports programs.

The concept behind Real Men Give is simple. Each man brings a $500 check to one annual meeting and vote for the nonprofits they feel should receive a grant. They set a goal to raise $25,000 and award the group’s first grant at the foundation’s annual ‘Friends of the Foundation’ reception.

“It’s all about giving back and making a bigger impact,” Dr. Neace said. “In the past, men have done the events through civic service and optimist clubs and burned themselves out with fundraising events.”

Grant Opportunity

Due to Covid-19, there are currently no grant opportunities available.

Become a Philanthropist! Grant Opportunity Contact Us

Giving Alliance of Women

Cape Coral Giving Alliance of Women

Cape Coral Giving Alliance check presentation

Patricia Portman, Executive Director Emeritus, launched the Giving Alliance of Women on February 3, 2003. When Dario and Alice Zuljani (owners of Ariani’s Restaurant) were asked to open their doors to serve lunch for this group of women philanthropists, they didn’t hesitate.

Over fifteen years later, Giving Alliance of Women is back stronger than ever! At the request of The Community Foundation board of directors, Patricia Portman is again leading the group she started while serving as the foundation’s Executive Director. The goals are the same as they were when the grantmaking fund was launched in 2003.

We invite all women to participate in this initiative and become informed strategist philanthropists. As a fund participant, you only need to make a $500 (or more) annual contribution. You will not be asked to participate in fundraising events. You will be a philanthropist, not a fundraiser. You will enjoy the camaraderie of being part of a cause-driven group of women philanthropists.

The goals of the Giving Alliance of Women:

  • To increase philanthropy in the community.
  • To involve women in strategic giving that produces lasting impact.
  • To serve as a catalyst for enduring change.
  • To build an endowment to benefit future generations.

Grant Opportunity

Due to Covid-19, there are currently no grant opportunities available.
Become a Philanthropist! Grant Opportunity Contact Us

Generous Couples

Cape Coral Generous Couples

Cape Coral Generous Couples check presentation

The concept behind Generous Couples is simple. Each couple brings a $1,000 check to one annual reception and votes for the nonprofits they feel should receive a grant. The goal is to recruit 25 couples ($1,000 each) who collectively give $25,000 and award the group’s grant at the Friends of the Foundation annual reception held each year in the spring.

Grant Opportunity

Due to Covid-19, there are currently no grant opportunities available.
Become a Philanthropist! Contact Us