Circles
FUNCTION: There are four Circles, one for each of WIN's Areas of Giving: Health & Wellness, Environment, Arts & Culture, Education. Each Circle consists of members who want to focus on that particular Area of Giving. Circle members do a deep dive into the community to identify the most pressing issues affecting our local area and to pinpoint nonprofits involved with those issues and their needs. In the fall, each Circle organizes a kick-off event for that year's Area of Giving grant cycle. A few months later, each Circle hosts a panel discussion of local experts to educate WIN members about the community's profile and needs. Six months after grants are awarded, Circles conduct mid-year interviews with grantees to understand their progress with our grants. One year after grants are awarded, Circles conduct final reviews of winning projects. During the years between their Area of Giving, Circles members continue to network with each other and with relevant community organizations, and share information that may be of broader interest to all WIN members.
TIME COMMITMENT: Circles are most active August to May time period leading up the their grant cycle every four years. An average commitment is one hour weekly (four hours monthly).
COMMENT: Each Circle serves as the foundation for its particular grant cycle. It is a great way to get to know others who share your interest and passion in an Area of Giving.
CONTACT: Find information about each Circle below, along with contact information.
HEALTH & WELLNESS | ENVIRONMENT | ARTS & CULTURE | EDUCATION |
We’ve all heard it said – “health is everything” but did you know that health care accounts for only 20% of health outcomes? Social Determinants of Health – factors such as access to quality education, economic stability, adverse childhood experiences, neighborhood safety and health behavior have the greatest impact on health outcomes across a lifespan. As turns out, health is everything and everything is health. If you’re interested in exploring health and wellness in NHC, please consider joining WIN’s H&W Circle as we take a closer look at specific needs in our community and the work local nonprofits do to address these needs.Health & Wellness Circle | What makes WIN’s Environment Circle special? WIN may be the only local nonprofit who awards grants in this category. Past WIN grantees have saved injured birds, planted trees, confronted Environmental Injustice, educated our children about water quality and composting, and reduced cigarette butt litter in our community. Our local environmental nonprofits have many opportunities for hands-on volunteer work, from tree giveaways to educational outreach. Circle members actively volunteer with several environmental nonprofits, depending upon their specific interests. Circle activities will begin ramping up summer 2023 for our next grants cycle. If you care about preserving and improving New Hanover County’s air, waterways, and green space for all of our citizens, you are welcome to join us! Environment Circle | New Hanover County has a burgeoning arts scene. As Wilmington grows, so do the arts, which are an enormous economic engine for the county and an attraction for the regional population. The Arts&Culture Circle reaches out every four years (next time in 2025) to nonprofits involved in music, theater, painting, sculpture, dance, and film. Our purpose is to find out what they are doing, what they need to function, what new ideas they have, and how we can help them. To inform members about our findings, we hold interviews, sponsor a kickoff, and organize a panel of experts. In the "between grants" years, we cultivate relationships, attend events, and flag any new developments in the arts in NHC. Join us if you are excited to learn about NHC's cultural scene and contribute to its vibrancy. Arts & Culture Circle | The Education Circle has the enviable task of getting to know the superb educators in New Hanover County. From public school principals to university lecturers, to community outreach leaders, our circle leans out to learn the challenges and rewards they experience on a daily basis, and in return we are granted insight into their needs. There’s a fun kickoff event, then the serious work begins as we gather a forum of leaders for a panel Q&A for the membership. Our circle has been invited into schools to see the work first hand, learned of small non-profits that focus on specialist needs of under-served communities, and discovered the commitment of some dedicated professionals in our town. If your interest is in education, we would be thrilled to have you join us. Education Circle |