The Story Behind 100 Who Give
By Valerie Macon
A little more than a decade ago, Carolyn Walters was juggling the demands of young children and a busy career when a persistent feeling began to surface: She wanted to do more for her community. The volunteer opportunities she encountered often left her either overcommitted or lacking meaningful impact. Determined to find a better way to contribute, she began exploring how she could support nonprofits through fundraising and donor outreach. What she discovered surprised her — remarkable nonprofits she had never even heard of, and a concept called giving circles, would change the way she viewed philanthropy and community engagement.
After reading about a giving circle in Canada, Carolyn called the group to learn more about how it worked. Inspired by the simplicity of the model, she and a friend decided to bring the idea home to Apex, where she lived at the time. They invited 15 women to gather in a living room and shared a vision for a new kind of community giving, one designed for busy women who wanted to make a meaningful impact without overwhelming commitments. The formula was simple: 100 women, one hour, $100 each quarter. If 100 women participated together, that collective contribution could become $10,000 for a local nonprofit — all raised in a single hour.
Before the idea could take off, the group needed an identity. Carolyn realized the giving circle was designed for women who cared deeply about supporting their communities in a meaningful yet manageable way. The concept became clear: 100 women coming together to make a collective impact through philanthropy. Then came the moment that tied it all together. While shopping, Carolyn spotted a small silver owl coin near a checkout counter. She picked it up, turned it over, and read the phrase engraved on the back. “Give a hoot.” Instantly, she knew she had found the perfect name. “That’s it,” she remembered thinking. “100 Women Who Give a Hoot.” Everything suddenly fell into place.
The organization was started just over 10 years ago as a group of community women that wanted to give back. Women who want to get to know the needs in their community and be able to give back in a tangible way. Many of these women have busy jobs or busy families, so they want to know exactly what they’re signing up for.
The appeal lies in its simplicity. Once each quarter, 100 women gather for just one hour — typically on a Monday or Tuesday evening — turning an ordinary weeknight into an opportunity to make a real difference. Each member contributes $100, and because 100 percent of every donation goes directly to the selected nonprofit, the collective impact is immediate: $10,000 raised in a single hour, on a single night. As Carolyn puts it, “You walk out of there feeling like you really did something meaningful.”
The organization later expanded to include a men’s chapter, 100 Men Who Give a Damn, founded in Apex. The chapter has experienced remarkable growth, attracting a steady stream of new members and support from local businesses. Its success has inspired the creation of additional chapters, including a new men’s group in Mebane, where organizers are holding interest meetings and working toward their goal of reaching 100 members before launching their first official gathering. Today, the men’s and women’s chapters in the Triangle each boast more than 200 members, drawing participants from Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, and Holly Springs.
Carolyn Walters, founder and executive director of 100 Who Give, explains that the organization exists to empower local citizens to create stronger, more generous communities. By helping future chapter leaders establish giving circles in their own areas, 100 Who Give provides the platform and tools needed to build this model in communities across the state. Today, 100 Who Give operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with three active chapters: 100 Women Who Give a Hoot of Greater Raleigh, 100 Women Who Give a Hoot of Chapel Hill/Durham, and 100 Men Who Give a Damn of Greater Raleigh. A fourth chapter, 100 Men Who Give of Mebane, is preparing to launch soon.
When members sign up, they agree to donate $100 once a quarter. A member can nominate up to three non-profits a year to be recipients of the collective donation. A team reviews those nominees. If they meet the established criterion, their names are “put into a pot,” and the chapter randomly selects three nonprofits and invites them to present at the quarterly meeting.
Carolyn explains, “Every quarter, we rotate the venue, and it’s really a celebration. When members arrive, they know the meeting will last just one hour. We’re firm on that because we made a promise to respect their time. Beforehand, there’s an optional social hour featuring a cash bar, charcuterie board, or other refreshments. There’s always a DJ, so when you walk in, it feels like a celebration. The nonprofits selected for that quarter are there as well, with a table where members can mingle and learn more about their work during the social hour. Then, as soon as the hour ends, we begin the meeting exactly on time.”
In that one-hour meeting, each of the nonprofits selected is invited to give a five-minute presentation that includes who they are, what they do in the community, and how the donation would help further their mission. At the end of those three five-minute presentations, a vote is taken, and the nonprofit with the most votes gets the major award. But, every presenter walks away with something. Since membership has grown, the amount of donations has been between $23,000 – $25,000 every quarter. So, while the award recipient receives the largest portion of the donation, the other two nonprofits also walk away with a good amount of money.
It takes a few minutes to count the ballots. While those ballots are being counted, the nonprofit from the last quarter that was awarded the top donation talks about what they did with those funds. Members get the benefit of learning how their donation was used, and they have a feeling of ownership and connection to that nonprofit. Some members have become board members for the nonprofits, and one has become chairman of the board. Many have signed up as volunteers.
When I asked Carolyn what inspires people to join, she said many members first hear about 100 Who Give through neighbors or social media. “What brings them in,” she explains, “is that it’s simple and it feels like an easy, meaningful way to give back.” In fact, the organization spends no money on advertising, relying almost entirely on word of mouth. Often, when someone attends for the first time, they enjoy the experience so much that they bring along two more people.
But what keeps members coming back is the sense of connection and belonging they find once they walk through the door. “Walking into a room with a hundred women can feel intimidating if you don’t know anyone,” Carolyn says, “but from the moment a guest arrives, they feel welcomed. There’s always someone to talk to, something to do, and a real sense of community. We hear that over and over again.”
The chapters attract a diverse membership from young professionals, typically in their late 20s, just beginning to have the disposable income to give back, to retirees, the oldest in their mid-80s. Single professionals, working parents, retirees, and everyone in between come together with a shared commitment to support local nonprofits.
100 Who Give recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Collectively, its three chapters have donated more than $1.35M since its inception. While that achievement is significant, what moves Carolyn most is the commitment she sees from members quarter after quarter. Whether in men’s or women’s groups, people continue showing up because they want to learn about the needs in their community. They love hearing the stories of local nonprofits and having the opportunity to support them.
One hundred percent of member donations go directly to the nonprofits. To make the events possible, each chapter relies on the generosity of business communities to support chapter operations and help offset ongoing costs (website, event costs, admin, printing, marketing, etc.). Carolyn notes that Coastal Credit Union has been an amazing community partner with 100 Who Give for nine of their 10 years.
As the giving circles continue to grow, their impact extends beyond the dollars donated to local nonprofits. They are creating connections, fostering civic engagement, and inspiring communities to work together for a common purpose. Looking ahead, Carolyn hopes the model will continue to spread across North Carolina and beyond.
“I can’t see why we wouldn’t have giving circles popping up throughout North Carolina. When I look back years from now, I hope to see hundreds, even thousands, of these groups thriving. Not only do they support their communities, but they bring joy, camaraderie, and a shared sense of purpose for both men and women. It’s a great feeling.”
For information and upcoming local meetings, check out their websites:
100 Women Raleigh: giveahootraleigh.org
100 Men Triangle: menwhogiveadamn.com
Local businesses interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities can contact Carolyn Walters directly at Carolyn@100whogive.com.
