Alumni Excellence Award Recipient: Amy Neugebauer ‘06

When Amy Neugebauer ‘06 started The Giving Square in 2018, she was guided by a singular imperative: “We’re all in this together. We have a responsibility to each other.” 

The Bethesda, Maryland-based nonprofit helps kids between the ages of 7 and 14 discover the power of giving – not just money, but time, empathy and action. To date, more than 6,400 children at 100 schools in Maryland, Missouri and Virginia have explored their philanthropic identity through The Giving Square's experiential programming in schools. 

At the heart of The Giving Square is the concept of the "town square", a communal space where people of all ages traditionally have come together to help, receive help and recognize a shared responsibility to one another. For Neugebauer, who is the organization's Director, the model reflects a lifelong personal mission: to validate children’s voices and give them agency in molding their world. 

Her childhood in Seattle shaped the vision. Driven by curiosity and empathy, Neugebauer grappled with issues ranging from historical injustices, like Japanese internment camps in Washington state, to unhoused individuals in line to receive shelter. 

“I could see myself in the people who were in that line,” she recalls of a night volunteering at a local shelter. “It brought me so much closer to the issue.” 

At Maryland, Neugebauer took part in the College Park City University Partnership, which brings together community leaders with the campus to engage in commercial revitalization, community development and housing opportunities. Years later, her experiences as a parent reinforced the need for structured opportunities for children to engage meaningfully. “I was very aware of what was available to me, and then thinking about it from the perspective of my child, I realized there was limited innovation in the space,” she says. 

The Kids for Kids Fund, the organization’s flagship program, empowers children to make grant decisions. Students reflect on issues that matter to them, explore local nonprofits, advocate for their priorities, and ultimately work together to decide how to allocate $1,000 grants to a local non-profit supporting kids. Since 2018, participants have allocated more than $240,000 in grants to kid-serving nonprofits. 

“We want kids to derive meaning and learning in the experience,” Neugebauer says. “It’s not about raising funds. It’s about responsibility and impact. We’re trying to solidify this philanthropic identity before there’s a political identity, before college admissions, before marketing of the self.” 

The curriculum is intentionally designed to handle difficult topics – such as homelessness, immigration and grief – in age-appropriate ways. Over the years, Neugebauer has observed trends in the issues that resonate most with children. “A few years back, grief was the top concern. Last year, it was immigration,” she says. The program allows children to process their own experiences while thinking critically about the needs of others. 

Beyond fostering empathy and responsibility, The Giving Square addresses an often-overlooked issue among children in the digital age: loneliness. 

Neugebauer sees philanthropy as a remedy. “It takes us out of ourselves,” she says. “Doing good for others is one of the most cited strategies for improving health and well-being.” Through collaborative projects and celebration events, children feel seen, heard and empowered. 

Looking to the future, Neugebauer envisions a new field of philanthropic education for children, equipped with research-backed tools. “If every child grows up believing and knowing that they’re a philanthropist, that’s success,” she says.