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Central Georgia Empowerment Fund

The mission of the Central Georgia Empowerment Fund is to cultivate charitable giving within the African American community, build capacity and financial sustainability of nonprofits that serve the African American community, and address the most pressing needs facing African Americans in the Central Georgia region. The CGEF will unite and inspire African Americans’ involvement in philanthropy. CGEF will also enhance the long-standing tradition within the Black community to uplift and empower others

Why It Matters

This giving circle will leverage our collective resources to encourage effective philanthropy and enhance community service within the Black community in Central Georgia. Everyone is welcome to participate in this collective effort to support Central Georgia’s Black communities.  Our region is diverse and in order to drive solutions that will positively impact the entire community we must be able to mobilize, empower, and sustain efforts that speak directly to that diversity. Members of the circle will pool their financial contributions to support meaningful and lasting solutions. 

How to Join

The program is managed by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and led by community volunteers who are members of Central Georgia Black Giving Circle.

General Membership Donors who contribute annually are CGEF members. This can be paid as a one-time gift of $325 or $1000 or it can be paid in monthly installments of $30 or $84. Click here to join now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to join?

Anyone and everyone is eligible to join. Membership is open to all persons who believe in our mission!

May a business join?

Yes. Businesses are welcome and encouraged to join. There is one vote per membership.

What are the membership dues?
  1. An annual membership is $325. This can be paid as a one-time gift via check or credit card, or it can be paid in monthly installments of $30 via debit or credit card only. *Couples may share an annual membership ($325). However, there is only one vote per membership.
  2. A benefactor gift is $1,000. 100% of these gifts are placed in the CGBGEF endowment. Benefactors receive one vote.
Where do the membership dues go?

Your membership dues contribution is divided in half. Half of the contribution goes into the Central Georgia Black Giving Fund that is used to award grants and cover expenses for CGEF events during the year. The other half is placed in the Central Georgia Black Giving Endowment Fund for future grantmaking.

What do you mean by “endowment fund?”

An endowment fund is a permanent charitable account in which the principal is retained and invested. Over time the fund’s balance will grow and it will produce annual income available for grantmaking.

I already support the charities I care about.  Why should I join CGEF?

Great! We hope you will continue to do so. CGEF is not a substitute for directly supporting the causes and organizations that are important to you. Central Georgia Black Giving Fund is a way to grow the impact of your charitable giving, learn about new organizations and meet like-minded people. It is a way to become involved in philanthropy at a level that might not be available to you individually.

What is a Giving Circle?

A Giving Circle is when individuals come together around a common issue or cause and pool their collective charitable dollars to have greater impact. Nationally, giving circles have emerged as a growing philanthropic trend among donors of all sizes and backgrounds.

Who can apply for a grant from the CGEF?

Applicants must be a 501c3 organization or lead a charitable initiative with leadership and constituents that are representative of the demographics of the region.

How does an organization apply?

There will be an online application on the CGEF website that nonprofits can complete. The application will open each summer and guidelines will be on the website found here. Grants will be announced during Black Philanthropy Month.

What is the grants process?

Each year, nonprofits can apply for a grant from the CGEF program. After the application deadline, members can volunteer to review the applications, make site visits, and select the finalists. The finalists will present their requests at the Grant Finalist Event, and then members will vote on each application. The scores will be averaged, and the projects will be ranked according to their average score. Then the members will vote on how to distribute the available funds to the applicants. After the grants are approved by CFCG’s board and awarded, members can also participate in site visits to see the grants in action.

Why Join?

  • Build connections with a diverse network.
  • Experience the power of collective giving.
  • Learn with your peers to give more effectively.
  • Fund local nonprofit organizations that serve the African American community.
  • Change the face of philanthropy. 
  • Discover volunteer opportunities.
  • Receive a tax deduction for your gift. 



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