Grapevine

Grapevine operates an online platform dedicated to Giving Circles — groups whose members pool charitable donations and collectively decide which nonprofits and causes to fund. The platform handles the administrative side of collective giving: setting up a group, collecting and pooling member donations, communicating with members, issuing tax-deductible donation receipts, and granting funds transparently to verified nonprofits in good standing with the IRS. Groups on the platform typically follow a recurring cycle in which members pledge a donation, gather at quarterly events to learn about candidate nonprofits and allocate funds, and then track impact through nonprofit updates, events and volunteering.

The company describes itself as the only platform dedicated to Giving Circles, and distinguishes its approach — which it calls "crowdgranting" — from crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe and Classy by focusing on sustained communities of recurring donors rather than one-off campaigns. Circles on the platform are organized both geographically (for example Cleveland, Metro Atlanta, Denver, Reno, Virginia Beach, New York and Maui) and around causes and identities (for example women in tech, Black trans leaders, mental health professionals, sustainability in fashion and Pride). Grapevine also supports the "100 Who Care" chapter model and publishes a global giving circle directory, blog, resource center, matching programs and help center.

Grapevine operates alongside the Grapevine Giving Foundation (GGF), a 501(c)(3) public charity arm that facilitates charitable donations, issues tax receipts, and provides philanthropic resources to Giving Circles including seed funding and donation matching.

Founding story

Emily Rasmussen, who had worked in the nonprofit sector for several years, teamed up with Jessan Hutchinson-Quillian and Chloe Moon, senior engineers from Google who had helped launch Google's Giving Week and build Google's giving platform. They launched a first version of Grapevine as a platform connecting everyday people with experts to identify nonprofits matching their interests.

Business model

The platform is offered free of charge to giving circles and their nonprofit partners, with no platform or administrative fees. Costs to users come from third-party payment processing, and donors may optionally add a voluntary "Grapevine Community Support" contribution at checkout to fund Grapevine's work. An affiliated 501(c)(3) public charity, the Grapevine Giving Foundation, handles charitable donation flows, tax receipting, and provides seed funding and matching to circles. The company also cites partners and supporters who help fund and showcase the work.

Grapevine states it charges no platform or administrative fees. Payment processing fees are passed through: ACH/bank transfer at 0.8% per donation capped at $5; credit or debit card at 2.2% + 30 cents, 3.5% for American Express, plus 1% for international cards; and 3% for payments via check and donor-advised fund. Lower high-volume fees apply to donations above $10,000. Donors may voluntarily add an optional community support amount at checkout.

Traction

The company reports more than 100,000 members, over 1,000 giving circles, over $60 million in total donations granted since 2020, and 8,600 nonprofits supported.

Latest developments

Grapevine promotes member mixer events and matching opportunities for giving circles, and continues to expand cause-focused and city-based circles alongside programs for nonprofits, companies and "100 Who Care" chapters.