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Sara Lomelin: Everyone Can Be a Philanthropist
Welcome to Smart, Amazing Conversations with Dr. Nancy, a podcast that explores the stories of life and leadership from extraordinary women – and men – who are making a difference and creating a better world. Each episode features powerful conversations filled with personal stories, insights, and actionable advice to inspire you to lead, learn, and make a difference.
Show Notes:
Dr. Nancy welcomes Sara Lomelin, founding CEO of Philanthropy Together and a global catalyst for democratizing philanthropy. Lomelin shares her journey from her childhood in Mexico City to becoming a visionary leader, named to the TIME100 Philanthropy list and Forbes 50 Over 50 for her work expanding the power of collective giving. She explains how giving circles—groups of people who pool their resources to support causes they care about—are transforming who gets to be a philanthropist. Discussing how the “Five T’s” of giving (time, treasure, talent, testimony, and ties) have inspired hundreds of thousands of people to create giving circles that contribute to their communities, Lomelin also details their donor education, women-led initiatives, and hyper-local impact, building a more equitable and community-driven world.
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About Sara Lomelin:
Sara Lomelin is the founding CEO of Philanthropy Together, a global catalyst advancing the power of collective giving. A 2025 TIME100 Philanthropy honoree, TED mainstage speaker, and Forbes 50 Over 50: Impact leader, she’s twice been named to the NonProfit Times Power & Influence Top 50. Lomelin launched the Latino Giving Circle Network, now the largest network of Latinx philanthropists in the U.S. and has trained leaders in 20+ countries. Featured in ForbesWomen, SSIR, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and Inside Philanthropy, she champions an equitable, community-led vision of generosity. Under her leadership, thousands of giving circles have mobilized everyday philanthropists to contribute billions to nonprofits.
Timestamp:
[00:02:41] Roots in Service
Lomelin shares her upbringing in Mexico City, where family, faith, and a culture of community service shaped her values and commitment to helping others.
[00:06:02] First Giving Circle
She recalls starting an informal giving circle in Dallas to support young moms and children, which provided the purposeful spark that led her to a career in philanthropy.
[00:07:00] Building the Latino Giving Circle Network
After moving to the Bay Area, Lomelin launched women-led Latina giving circles that began with 16 women and expanded across the region into a robust national network.
[00:08:19] Co-Designing a Movement
A convening backed by the Gates Foundation catalyzed a year-long collaborative process of working groups that became Philanthropy Together in 2020.
[00:09:30] From National to Global
Pandemic-era virtual trainings drew participants from around the world, expanding the giving circle movement beyond the U.S to wherever people wanted to support their local communities.
[00:11:55] Democratizing Philanthropy
Lomelin defines philanthropy as love of humanity and a practice accessible to everyone—not just the wealthy—through collective giving.
[00:14:21] Greater Impact on Small Organizations
With so many crises in the world now and small organizations being flooded with clients, Lomelin points out that “regular people” can really make a difference on a smaller scale.
[00:18:34] The Five T’s of Giving
She outlines time, treasure, talent, testimony, and ties as expansive ways anyone can contribute and impact their community.
[00:20:34] Hyper‑Local Impact in Action
Lomelin tells a story about how member testimony mobilized new donors, grew the giving circle members, and boosted funding by tens of thousands of dollars in minutes—without bureaucracy—during a recent grants night.
[00:24:09] Process of Donor Education and Awards
Even in a large circle, the members learn about the projects first, with expert speakers providing information on assessing projects for various levels of grant awards.
[00:25:27] Matching Gifts Multiply Change
Lomelin explains how high-net-worth allies can direct their philanthropy through matching giving circle grants to drive targeted, local outcomes.
[00:28:08] Join or Start a Circle Philanthropy Together has a list of thousands of giving circles available. Lomelin invites listeners to find one near them—or find a cause they care about and begin their own with free trainings.