008 – Emily Rasmussen – Giving Together: Increasing Impact Through Community

Welcome to **My Friends in Philanthropy**, the podcast dedicated to sharing the stories, struggles, and hope behind the organizations and individuals making a real difference. In this episode, Patti Parker sits down with **Emily Rasmussen**, founder and CEO of **Grapevine**, the leading platform for Giving Circles. Emily shares how everyday people—not just big donors—can pool their resources, learn together, and make meaningful charitable impact in their communities. Together, they explore why collaborative giving is one of the fastest-growing movements in philanthropy and how Grapevine is making it easier than ever for anyone to become a philanthropist. This episode is for aspiring donors, nonprofit supporters, financial advisors, community leaders, and anyone who has ever wondered if a small contribution could truly make a difference. Here's what we cover: - What a Giving Circle is and how a group of people can combine modest donations into transformational gifts for nonprofits - Why collaborative giving is becoming one of the fastest-growing movements in philanthropy - How Grapevine helps anyone find an existing Giving Circle or launch one of their own in just minutes - Why you don't need to be wealthy to become a philanthropist and how pooling resources creates impact far beyond individual giving - How Giving Circles help donors discover new nonprofits, volunteer opportunities, board positions, and deeper community involvement - How Grapevine provides secure donation processing, transparent voting, tax receipts, nonprofit grant distribution, and community management all in one platform - Why getting started is often the hardest step—and how just a few minutes today can begin a lifelong journey of charitable impact To learn more about Grapevine or start your own Giving Circle: 🌐 Visit: grapevine.org Access the Global Giving Circle Directory here**:** https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle-directory **Patricia Heaton Parker** has been an active member of the Financial Planning Industry for over 25 years. Her firm, Discovery Wealth Management, is an Independent firm specializing in the needs of clients going through transition. *Discovery Wealth Management is a DBA of Accurate Wealth Management, LLC.* Whether it's retirement, marriage, divorce or being widowed, change is difficult. Finding someone to trust, someone who will help you make smart financial decisions, is challenging. Patricia has helped hundreds of clients over the years find peace in these turbulent times. Services include Financial Plans (initial and ongoing) and Investment Management services. The initial consultation, whether by phone or in person, is free and obligation-free. It is time to see whether the client and advisor are a good fit. Any investment management services are available on an annual basis as a percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM). This fee is based on account size and will be quoted upon retainer. She believes in helping the communities we serve. As a former Registered Nurse, Patricia has been highly beneficial to her clients as they deal with end of life issues of their own, or with their parents. In addition, several clients have been referred to her after recently losing loved ones because of her sensitivity, insight, and experience. **Learn more about Patti's advising here:** **discoverywealthmanagement.com/our-team**