Groundswell

Groundswell Competitive Intelligence & Landscape

groundswell.io ·

Overview

Groundswell Overview

Groundswell (groundswell.io), established in 2020, is an all-in-one Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform designed for modern companies, with its headquarters located at 880 Apollo Street, Suite 246, El Segundo, CA 90245, USA. The company's core mission is to democratize philanthropy by providing innovative tools that empower a new generation of philanthropists and maximize their impact. They aim to simplify and streamline corporate giving, volunteering, and grant-making processes, reducing administrative burdens and accelerating fund delivery compared to traditional platforms.

Groundswell offers a comprehensive suite of products and services built to manage various social impact programs. Key offerings include employee giving and volunteering platforms, which facilitate gift and match programs, as well as the creation and management of volunteering events. They also provide solutions for corporate grants, grants management, and employee assistance funds. A distinguishing feature is their DAF-as-a-Service platform, which enables flexible and tax-efficient giving through Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), with donations processed significantly faster than industry averages.

The platform caters to a wide range of organizations, from growing teams implementing their first corporate giving programs to enterprise companies looking to scale their social impact initiatives. Their target market includes various internal departments such as social impact and CSR teams, HR, finance, and IT, by offering solutions that foster a culture of impact, save time and money, and ensure secure and compliant management of donations.

Groundswell also supports nonprofits by providing a simpler way to access and manage funding opportunities.

Groundswell Giving Inc. provides the software for managing corporate giving programs and charitable contribution accounts, while Groundswell Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, holds company and individual charitable funds. This dual structure ensures both the technological innovation and the philanthropic integrity of their services. Their pricing structure includes plans for growing teams starting at $4,500 per year and more comprehensive options for expanding programs and enterprise companies, starting at $12,500 per year.

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Competitors

Groundswell Competitors

Groundswell (groundswell.io) operates in a competitive landscape for corporate social responsibility (CSR) platforms, facing rivals that offer similar functionalities for employee giving, volunteering, and grants management. One key competitor is Benevity, which provides comprehensive CSR software encompassing community investment, employee and customer engagement, and nonprofit support, including volunteering, giving, and grants management. While both offer similar services, Groundswell differentiates itself with features like instant donation matching with 24-hour distributions, a native mobile app, and transparent pricing, contrasting with some competitors' delayed matching, manual processes, and higher fees [https://www.groundswell.io/compare/all].

YourCause, another significant competitor, is highlighted by Groundswell as an older solution.

Groundswell positions itself as a modern alternative to YourCause, emphasizing its ability to deliver 24-hour disbursements, transparent pricing, and integrated grantmaking and employee hardship support, in contrast to YourCause's potentially outdated technology, high fees, slow timelines, and separate grants platform [https://www.groundswell.io/competitor-ad-yourcause-alt].

YourCause was formerly PE-Backed and is based in Plano, TX [https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/472217-14].

Deed is also identified as a direct competitor.

Groundswell suggests that organizations are switching from Deed due to evolving CSR market demands and the need for a solution built for scale.

Groundswell promotes its all-in-one platform for modern giving, volunteering, grantmaking, and employee engagement as a superior alternative to Deed [https://www.groundswell.io/compare/deed].

Other notable competitors of Groundswell include Percent Pledge and Millie.

Percent Pledge is a Venture Capital-Backed company based in Boston, MA.

Millie, also Venture Capital-Backed, is based in Norwood, MA, and operates in the business/productivity software sector [https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/472217-14]. Additionally, Groundswell competes with companies like Spiral and CharityVest [https://www.cbinsights.com/company/groundswell-7/alternatives-competitors].

Submittable also offers overlapping functionalities, particularly in grant application collection and review, funds tracking, and employee volunteering, though Groundswell uniquely offers anonymized grant application review and one-click volunteer sign-up in Microsoft Teams or Slack [https://www.submittable.com/groundswell-alternatives].

Alternatives

Groundswell Alternatives

Product & Pricing

Groundswell Product and Pricing Intelligence

Groundswell (groundswell.io) offers an all-in-one CSR platform designed to simplify and streamline corporate giving, volunteering, and grant management for modern companies [https://www.groundswell.io/csr]. Their core product focuses on providing an easier-to-use, faster-to-launch, and more cost-effective solution compared to traditional platforms [https://www.groundswell.io/products/giving]. A significant differentiator is their DAF-as-a-Service platform, which simplifies corporate giving by handling complexities like tax filings and governance, allowing for quicker fund distribution, often within 24 hours, compared to months with legacy systems [https://www.groundswell.io/csr].

The pricing for Groundswell's services starts at $4,500 per year for growing teams looking to implement a corporate giving program [https://www.groundswell.io/pricing]. This base plan, referred to as "Philanthropist," includes features such as tax-advantaged giving accounts (DAFs), access via web and mobile app, unlimited giving campaigns, instant matching, next-day distribution, and admin-free payroll giving [https://www.groundswell.io/pricing]. Groundswell Giving, Inc. handles the software licensing fees, while Groundswell Charitable Foundation is a separate entity for holding company and individual charitable contribution accounts [https://helpcenter.groundswell.io/hc/en-us/articles/27506512383636-Finance-FAQs].

Groundswell offers various products that integrate within its single platform, including Employee Giving for boosting engagement, Employee Volunteering to transform hours into community impact, and Grants Management to simplify the grants process [https://www.groundswell.io/blog/deed-vs-groundswell]. Their Enterprise Reporting provides real-time analytics and customizable dashboards across all giving, volunteering, and grantmaking programs, eliminating the need for separate spreadsheets [https://www.groundswell.io/products/enterprise-reporting]. The company emphasizes reducing administrative burden and providing a centralized hub for all CSR program management [https://www.groundswell.io/csr].

Hiring & Layoffs

Groundswell Hiring and Layoffs

Groundswell (groundswell.io) is actively engaged in expanding its team, signaling a strategic focus on growth and enhancing its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform. The company's "Careers" page indicates that "It’s a great time to join the Groundswell team," suggesting a period of recruitment rather than layoffs.

This hiring trend aligns with Groundswell's mission to "democratize philanthropy" by providing innovative tools for maximizing social impact [https://www.groundswell.io/about-us]. Their platform integrates employee giving, volunteering, corporate grants, and employee assistance funds, aiming to be an all-in-one solution for modern companies [https://www.groundswell.io/].

The company's growth strategy appears to center on making CSR programs more efficient, user-friendly, and accessible to a broader range of organizations, from small businesses to large enterprises [https://www.groundswell.io/enterprise]. By emphasizing an "All-in-One CSR Platform," Groundswell is likely seeking talent to further develop its technology, sales, and customer support capabilities to meet the demands of this integrated approach.

Key areas of investment for Groundswell include enhancing user experience, strengthening integrations with other business tools, and maintaining robust security and compliance standards [https://www.groundswell.io/]. Therefore, job openings would likely reflect a need for skilled professionals in software development, cybersecurity, sales, and customer success, all crucial for supporting their comprehensive platform and expanding client base.

Overall, Groundswell's hiring patterns indicate a company in an expansion phase, committed to innovation in the philanthropy and social impact sector. Their recruitment efforts underscore a strategy to solidify their position as a leading provider of integrated CSR solutions, with no public information suggesting recent layoffs.

Leadership

Groundswell Management and Leadership Team

Groundswell (groundswell.io) is spearheaded by its CEO, Jake Wood, who is a prominent voice in the social impact space. Wood has actively participated in discussions surrounding employee engagement and philanthropy, as evidenced by his LinkedIn Audio conversation with The Muse founder Kathryn Minshew, discussing topics like "The Great Resignation" [https://www.groundswell.io/blog/the-great-resignation-vs-the-great-reshuffle]. His leadership emphasizes challenging industry norms, particularly regarding donation distribution delays that plague legacy platforms [https://groundswell.io/blog/the-big-donation-distribution-problem-you-dont-know-about].

The company is dedicated to democratizing philanthropy and empowering a new generation of philanthropists, a mission that originated in 2020 [https://www.groundswell.io/about-us]. This core belief guides their product development, focusing on intuitive design and efficient solutions for corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs [https://www.groundswell.io/].

While specific details about the entire C-suite or individual board members are not publicly available on their primary domain, Groundswell highlights a strong focus on security and data protection. They mention that while every team member contributes to data protection, a dedicated Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) plays a critical role in overseeing their industry-leading information security practices, compliance, and risk management [https://www.groundswell.io/security].

Groundswell also emphasizes a customer-centric approach, with a team of experienced account managers providing personalized assistance to maximize social impact programs, rather than relying on endless ticket queues [https://www.groundswell.io/]. This commitment to support is reflected in their positive reviews and numerous G2 badges in CSR and Corporate Volunteering Platform categories [https://groundswell.io/blog/groundswell-g2-fall-awards]. The Groundswell Impact Team is also responsible for sharing company news and insights [https://groundswell.io/blog/groundswell-g2-fall-awards].

Financials

Groundswell Financial Performance, Fundraising, M&A

Groundswell (groundswell.io) launched its all-in-one corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform in 2021, after securing $15 million in venture capital funding led by Google Ventures (GV) [https://www.groundswell.io/is-benevity-the-best-platform-for-you]. The company offers various pricing tiers for its software, with its "Foundation" package starting at $4,500 per year and its "Philanthropist" package beginning at $12,500 per year. Pricing for more advanced features like Groundswell Grants Management is available upon contacting sales [https://www.groundswell.io/pricing].

Groundswell operates two distinct entities: Groundswell Giving, Inc., which provides the software for managing corporate giving programs and individual charitable contribution accounts (Donor-Advised Funds or DAFs), and Groundswell Charitable Foundation, a separate entity that holds the company's charitable assets [https://helpcenter.groundswell.io/hc/en-us/articles/27506512383636-Finance-FAQs]. Software licensing fees are invoiced by and paid to Groundswell Giving, Inc. annually [https://helpcenter.groundswell.io/article/169-finance-faqs].

The company emphasizes its commitment to providing a more efficient and cost-effective CSR solution, with a focus on faster fund distribution, often within 24 hours, in contrast to legacy platforms that can take weeks or months [https://groundswell.io/]. This efficiency extends to reducing administrative burden, with claims of up to 95% reduction in admin work for programs like employee matching [https://www.groundswell.io/products/giving]. These operational efficiencies are crucial for Groundswell's financial health and competitive positioning in the CSR software market.

Partnerships

Groundswell Partnerships, Clients and Vendors

Groundswell provides an all-in-one CSR platform for modern companies, with a strong focus on secure and seamless integrations. The platform offers native integrations with Candid’s GuideStar for reliable nonprofit information, and can connect to clients' business intelligence (BI) tools via its data API for comprehensive CSR initiative tracking and reporting. For employee volunteering, Groundswell integrates with VolunteerMatch and Idealist, providing access to a vast database of volunteering opportunities. Additionally, the platform supports integrations with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.

Groundswell partners with key financial services to ensure efficient and compliant donation processing. For grants to U.S.-based charities, Groundswell partners with Chariot for domestic distribution, utilizing Chariot Account Deposits (CAD) for direct ACH or paper check deliveries. For international grants, Groundswell collaborates with CAF America to distribute funds safely and compliantly to global charities.

Notable clients utilizing Groundswell for their corporate giving programs include several investment management companies: Axonic Capital, BrightSpire Capital, Hawk Ridge Capital, and One River Asset Management. The accounting and advisory firm GHJ also implemented Groundswell to streamline its employee giving and private foundation management. An unnamed enterprise insurance company has praised Groundswell for scaling its volunteer program.

Groundswell employs various subprocessors to support its operations, including Google LLC and Amazon Web Services for infrastructure, Hubspot for sales, Increase for Banking-as-a-Service, and JumpCloud for identity management. Internally, Slack is used for collaboration.

Groundswell maintains SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and industry-leading infosec practices to ensure secure, efficient, and compliant management of donations, with a reported 99.5% uptime.

Events

Groundswell Event Participations

While Groundswell (groundswell.io) primarily focuses on providing an all-in-one CSR platform, their software is deeply integrated with event participation for both employee giving and volunteering initiatives. The platform enables employees to create and manage their own volunteer events or sign up for existing opportunities, handling event communications, calendar invites, reporting, and hours logging with automated event management features to decrease administrative tasks and increase engagement [https://www.groundswell.io/csr][https://www.groundswell.io/products/volunteering][https://www.groundswell.io/drive-engagement].

The company itself provides resources and guidance for launching social impact programs, including articles and toolkits, rather than directly hosting large-scale public events [https://www.groundswell.io/].

Groundswell also facilitates internal community engagement by highlighting important causes for its users, encouraging support for featured nonprofits, and providing volunteer opportunities through its platform, as seen with their "July Causes to Support" initiative [https://www.groundswell.io/blog/july-causes-to-support-in-groundswell].

Groundswell offers personalized product demonstrations to prospective clients, providing a direct engagement opportunity to showcase how their platform helps launch and manage employee giving, volunteering, and grants programs [https://www.groundswell.io/request-a-demo]. This serves as a key interactive event for businesses interested in their solution. They also maintain a robust help center and resource section, offering extensive support and information for their community [https://www.groundswell.io/help-center].

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Groundswell's primary value proposition that differentiates it in the competitive CSR platform market?

Groundswell's primary value proposition is its all-in-one CSR platform with a DAF-as-a-Service model, enabling significantly faster fund distribution—often within 24 hours—compared to legacy systems that can take weeks or months. This efficiency is coupled with features like instant donation matching, a native mobile app, and transparent pricing, contrasting with competitors' slower processes and less clear fee structures.

Given Groundswell's active hiring, what strategic areas are they likely prioritizing for growth and development?

Groundswell's active hiring indicates a strategic focus on expanding its CSR platform and client base. They are likely prioritizing talent in software development, cybersecurity, sales, and customer success to enhance user experience, strengthen integrations, maintain robust security standards, and support their comprehensive, all-in-one platform approach.

How does Groundswell structure its operations to handle both software provision and charitable fund management?

Groundswell operates through two distinct entities: Groundswell Giving Inc., which provides the software and collects licensing fees for managing corporate giving programs and individual Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and Groundswell Charitable Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit that holds company and individual charitable funds. This dual structure ensures both technological innovation and philanthropic integrity.

What does Groundswell's client list, including several investment management firms, suggest about its target market or perceived strengths?

Groundswell's client list, featuring investment management companies like Axonic Capital, BrightSpire Capital, Hawk Ridge Capital, and One River Asset Management, suggests its platform is appealing to finance-centric organizations. This indicates a perceived strength in handling financial complexities, compliance, and efficient fund management through its DAF-as-a-Service model, which resonates with firms in this sector.

How does Groundswell address the challenge of international grant distribution for its clients?

Groundswell addresses international grant distribution by collaborating with CAF America. This partnership allows Groundswell to safely and compliantly distribute funds to global charities, ensuring that clients' international philanthropic efforts are executed effectively and in adherence with regulations.

What role does CEO Jake Wood play in shaping Groundswell's strategic direction and public image?

CEO Jake Wood is a key driver of Groundswell's strategic direction, particularly its mission to democratize philanthropy and challenge industry norms regarding donation distribution delays. His public engagements, such as discussions on 'The Great Resignation,' highlight his emphasis on employee engagement and intuitive, efficient CSR solutions, shaping the company's image as an innovator in the social impact space.

How does Groundswell position itself against competitors like Benevity, YourCause, and Deed?

Groundswell positions itself as a modern, all-in-one alternative to competitors like Benevity, YourCause, and Deed. It emphasizes instant donation matching, 24-hour fund distributions, a native mobile app, and transparent pricing, contrasting with what it describes as competitors' delayed matching, manual processes, outdated technology, and higher or less transparent fees.

What are the core components of Groundswell's pricing model for its CSR platform?

Groundswell's pricing model for its CSR platform starts at $4,500 per year for its 'Foundation' package, targeting growing teams, and $12,500 per year for its 'Philanthropist' package, aimed at expanding programs and enterprise companies. Pricing for advanced features like Grants Management requires direct contact with sales. These fees cover software licensing provided by Groundswell Giving Inc.

What specific technological integrations does Groundswell offer to enhance its all-in-one CSR platform functionality?

Groundswell offers specific technological integrations to enhance its platform, including native connections with Candid’s GuideStar for nonprofit data, a data API for BI tools, and integrations with VolunteerMatch and Idealist for volunteering opportunities. It also supports communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams for engagement and uses subprocessors like Google LLC and Amazon Web Services for infrastructure.

How does Groundswell's approach to events differentiate its platform from traditional event-hosting companies?

Groundswell's approach to events focuses on enabling and streamlining event participation for employee giving and volunteering initiatives through its software, rather than directly hosting large-scale public events. The platform provides automated event management features for creating, managing, communicating, and logging volunteer activities, reducing administrative burden for client companies.

What is the significance of Groundswell's SOC 2 Type 2 compliance in its service offering?

Groundswell's SOC 2 Type 2 compliance signifies a strong commitment to data security, privacy, and operational reliability, which is crucial for managing sensitive financial and personal information related to charitable giving. This compliance provides assurance to clients that Groundswell adheres to industry-leading information security practices, including a reported 99.5% uptime.

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