The Circle of Giving

What The Circle of Giving does

The Circle of Giving is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2024 and headquartered at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee. It operates the Carousel of Dreams, a hand-carved wooden carousel featuring a menagerie of animals created by artist Ken Means over a 30-year period, and curates events such as The COG Experience and A Franklin Christmas. The organization funnels proceeds to an annually selected group of nonprofits serving Williamson County, functioning as the philanthropic arm of The Factory at Franklin.

The organization operates a single physical attraction with no disclosed ride pricing, complemented by party rentals and private event bookings (photo shoots, birthdays, corporate events). Its digital presence is a Squarespace website (thecircleofgiving.org) and a donation pipeline built on anedot.com, which supports tax-deductible giving. The Circle of Giving is founder-led, with the carousel itself functioning as the principal intangible asset and primary draw; marketing is conducted through the website, social media, and earned press.

Its customer base is bipartite: local nonprofit organizations in Williamson County that receive annual donations, and community visitors, families, and tourists — including event hosts and party rental clients — who engage with the carousel and venue. The business model is a hybrid of contributed revenue (direct donations) and earned revenue (admission and event/party rental fees), with no public pricing transparency and no institutional investor or venture capital ownership.

Name

The Circle of Giving

Legal name

The Circle of Giving

Website

https://thecircleofgiving.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Circle of Giving is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit that operates the hand-carved Carousel of Dreams by Ken Means at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee, channeling proceeds from rides, curated events, and party rentals to nonprofits serving Williamson County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Philanthropy Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Community philanthropy services
• Nonprofit fundraising events
• Family entertainment attractions
• Hand-carved carousel exhibits
• Private event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Donations: The organization accepts direct donations through its website via anedot.com platform to support its nonprofit mission and beneficiary organizations.
2. Event Hosting and Party Rentals: Revenue generated through admission fees and rentals for curated events including The COG Experience, A Franklin Christmas, and party rentals at the carousel location.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Circle of Giving is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Carousel of Dreams by Ken Means, a hand-carved wooden carousel featuring animals crafted over 30 years, located at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee. The organization curates and hosts events such as The COG Experience and A Franklin Christmas, offers party rentals, and channels proceeds and direct donations to support an annually selected group of nonprofits serving Williamson County, Tennessee.

Product overview

The Circle of Giving operates as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the nonprofit arm of The Factory at Franklin. The organization operates the Carousel of Dreams by Ken Means—a hand-carved wooden carousel featuring animals crafted over 30 years—as its primary offering. Additionally, The Circle of Giving curates events including The COG Experience and A Franklin Christmas, and makes direct donations to support an annually selected group of nonprofits serving Williamson County. The organization focuses on fostering philanthropy and strengthening the local nonprofit community through these experiential offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carousel of Dreams: A carousel attraction carved by Ken Means, operated by The Circle of Giving at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee. The carousel features a menagerie of wooden animal figures created over a 30-year period.

Products and services

• Carousel of Dreams by Ken Means A hand-carved wooden carousel featuring a menagerie of animals created by artist Ken Means over 30 years, located at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee. It is the central experiential offering of the nonprofit, open to visitors, families, and tourists.
• The COG Experience A curated event organized by The Circle of Giving to create meaningful experiences that generate support for nonprofits serving Williamson County.
• A Franklin Christmas An annual curated event hosted by The Circle of Giving as part of its community engagement and philanthropy initiatives.
• Party Rentals Rental of the carousel location for private parties, photo shoots, and special events, available to individuals, families, and organizations through inquiry with Brandy at [email protected].

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Factory at FranklincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Circle of Giving is the nonprofit arm of The Factory at Franklin. It operates the Carousel of Dreams within The Factory at Franklin venue, with the parent organization providing the physical location and infrastructure for the nonprofit's charitable activities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• DonorsChoose: Online giving platform that channels individual donations to a curated set of community projects. Comparable in the mechanism of routing small-dollar donations to a selected cohort of grantees.
• Points of Light: Nonprofit focused on volunteer and civic engagement, comparable as a mission-driven organization that mobilizes community participation to strengthen local causes.
• B&B Carousels: U.S. manufacturer and restorer of historic wooden carousel figures. Adjacent because the artisan craftsmanship of Ken Means is the proprietary asset of The Circle of Giving, and B&B represents the broader carousel craft ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Carousel Gardens Amusement Park: Historic carousel attraction embedded in New Orleans City Park, combining a heritage carousel ride experience with park-based event rentals. Closest direct analogue on the amusement/attraction side of the business.
• National Carousel Museum: Nonprofit museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historic carousel art. Comparable in being a charitable organization whose mission revolves around preserving and showcasing hand-carved carousel craftsmanship.
• United Way: Federated giving organization that pools donations and distributes to a portfolio of local nonprofits. Closely mirrors The Circle of Giving's model of selecting an annual slate of beneficiary nonprofits and routing donor funds to them.
• Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: Hyperlocal grantmaking foundation serving the same Middle Tennessee region. Comparable beneficiary model of channeling philanthropic capital to a curated set of local nonprofits.

Broad incumbents

• Silver Dollar City: Large theme park operator featuring heritage craft demonstrations and seasonal events. Comparable as a venue model that pairs an artisan/heritage experience with recurring event programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-circle-of-giving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Circle of Giving