As a professional fundraiser, I appreciate the collectivist bent of this book promoting communal philanthropy through giving circles. Some good philanthropy history and basics about giving vehicles as well. The majority of the book are anecdotes about collective giving that promote both philanthropy but also care for community , connectedness, and civic engagement.

In The Big We, influential philanthropist Hali Lee challenges our traditional understanding of philanthropy and makes her case for the power of giving. Drawing from the experiences of real-life circles—including Hali’s own Asian Women Giving Circle—The Big We argues for the radically simple idea that when we work together, we have the power to make the world a better place.

When you think of philanthropy, what do you envision? Uber wealthy donors? Extravagant galas? In recent decades, philanthropy has come to be seen as something exclusive to those with an abundance of resources. But giving doesn’t have to mean donating millions of dollars. It can be as simple as a group of people who come together to make an impact on their community. In The Big We, Hali Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles—a group of people who come together to pool their resources to do something good in their community. Born of traditions of generosity rooted in many of our ancestral cultures, giving circles provide a way for us to overcome our sense of overwhelm at the many problems we face.

Through stories of real giving circles around the country, including her own experience starting the Asian Women Giving Circle, Lee shows us a more expansive vision for the future of philanthropy. One led by people who are refocusing on community, who care about rebuilding the civic space, and who are yearning for connection, purpose, and shared vision. And through these giving circles do we see not only the immense impact we can have in our own backyards, but also the tremendous scope of change we can achieve through the power of collective action.

My Take:
"The Big We" is timely and a great resource for thinking about democracy, loneliness and culture from a philanthropic lens. I would recommend this book for philanthropic practitioners and scholars, Gilded Age historians, and more.