What We Do

Most of our community impact happens within the collaborative environment of our Circles, which bring together Full Circle Fund members with a common interest in one of our issue areas:

• Education
• Global Economic Opportunity
• Environment

Circles identify key issues, research innovative solutions, communicate closely with nonprofit and public sector leaders and then choose nonprofit partners to support, both financially and with consulting and hands-on work.

Each Circle performs four primary functions:

Member Education

Quarterly Speaker Series Events feature speakers who are experts in a social change field. Regular working meetings of each Circle give members a chance to hear from compelling speakers, develop leadership and teamwork skills, share best practices, report on grant project milestones and celebrate team successes.

Strategic Planning for Social Change

Each Circle develops a Theory of Change, a specific, strategic approach for how the Circle plans to engage their issue. To construct this Theory, the Circle thoroughly analyzes their issue and chooses the most effective approach, drawing upon members' skills and interests. This Theory then guides the Circle's grantmaking decisions.

Grantmaking

During each grant cycle, each of Full Circle Fund's Circles researches key sub-issues within their focus area and through this selects nonprofit innovators and social entrepreneurs to support. The grant process is informative and thought-provoking and results in teams that are ready to engage fully with our nonprofit partners.

Nonprofit Capacity Building

Our grants include both financial contributions and our members' hands-on project work. In addition to financial support, grantees also receive strategic support from a team of Full Circle Fund members with diverse expertise including accounting, marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, design of operational infrastructure, and technological assistance.

Read about our impact.

"I could write checks to other nonprofits 'doing good' in the world, but at Full Circle Fund I know that whatever I put in, in dollars and time, is compounded by the passionate work of many others who have complementary talents and connections. By being an active member, I can have a significant impact on how those resources are allocated and the organizations with which we partner."

Steve Schoettler

Founder of Junyo & Co-Founder of Zynga

Full Circle Fund Board Member