5 Top Corporate Fundraising Platforms for Social Impact & CSR Programs

When many people hear the term “corporate social responsibility,” they think of corporate philanthropy. The concept of corporate philanthropy, or corporate fundraising, is simple and straightforward—a business donates to nonprofits and worthy causes and, in exchange, gets some positive media attention.

Under the surface, though, a lot goes into a corporate fundraising program. In 2026, it’s nearly impossible to run a finely tuned corporate giving program without the right software. The first big question companies must answer, then, is: “Which corporate fundraising software is best for us?”

This guide will help you decide which platform best suits your employer’s needs and supports its long-term CSR programs.

Table of Contents:

• What Does “Corporate Fundraising” Mean in CSR?
• What to Look for in a Corporate Fundraising Platform
• Corporate Fundraising Platform Comparison: Your Top Options
  
  • 1. YourCause (Blackbaud)
  • 2. Groundswell
  • 3. Submittable
  • 4. Benevity
  • 5. Bonterra CyberGrants
• Corporate Fundraising Ideas for Charity
• Which Is the Best Platform for My Business?

What Does “Corporate Fundraising” Mean in CSR?

Corporate fundraising means that a company is actively (or planning on) raising funds for particular nonprofits or causes. It’s one of the oldest and most common programs businesses use as part of their broader CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategies.

Corporate fundraising always involves the donation of company funds, but it can sometimes also involve donations from employees or community partners. Some large businesses execute their fundraising operations through associated corporate foundations, which are separate entities from the corporations themselves.

What to Look for in a Corporate Fundraising Platform

Although every company’s fundraising goals are unique, many share similar needs for the digital tools that support their programs. 

Capabilities you might want out of a corporate fundraising platform for your employer might include:

• Relatively quick distribution of funds to recipients (much quicker than the 120 days it takes for some CSR platforms)
• Instantly matched employee donations
• Automated reporting and data visualization tools
• Customizable campaigns with self-service capabilities
• Integrations with HRIS data
• Mobile-first platform for engaging deskless workers
• Integrated nonprofit-vetting system

Corporate Fundraising ≠ Fundraising for Nonprofits

Important note here: when you search for “corporate fundraising platform” or a similar term, you might come across software providers that cater specifically to nonprofits (such as Double the Donation). Corporate fundraising for nonprofits is distinct from the corporate fundraising a business or organization might do for CSR or social impact purposes.

Corporate Fundraising Platform Comparison: Your Top Options

There are dozens of software options out there, all promising to simplify your corporate fundraising programs. But which ones really come out on top? 

Check out our corporate fundraising platform comparison table below for the rundown.

Let’s take a closer look at each individual solution one-by-one to see what they do to enable corporate fundraising.

1. YourCause (Blackbaud)

• What It Is: Legacy CSR software with separate dashboards and products for different programs.
• Pros: Designed for large corporations; reporting capabilities
• Cons: Relatively high price tag; steep learning curve for new clients

YourCause, now a Blackbaud outfit, advertises itself as a comprehensive CSR software. If your company can afford the hefty price tag, it might take a while to get the hang of its numerous features.

2. Groundswell

• What It Is: All-in-one corporate fundraising platform integrated with employee volunteering, grants, donor-advised funds (DAFs), employee assistance/hardship funds, and other CSR programs
• Pros: Mobile-optimized software; reduced administrative burden on staff
• Cons: You might have so much fun with our platform that you forget about work entirely!

We might be a little biased, of course, but we’re quite proud of the corporate fundraising capabilities we’ve implemented in our comprehensive, mobile-first platform. Instant donation matching and 24-hour fund distribution mean the nonprofits closest to your employees’ hearts get money when they need it.

3. Submittable

• What It Is: Software with corporate fundraising, employee volunteering, grants, and other CSR programs for businesses, nonprofits, and governments.
• Pros: Cause Funds (bundling nonprofits around a specific cause); campaign customization
• Cons: Relatively high pricing for add-on features; no employee-led DAFs

Submittable, like YourCause, is a legacy software provider in the CSR space. The company has an impressive array of products and solutions, but be wary about add-on costs.

4. Benevity

• What It Is: Multi-layered CSR platform with numerous programs and functionalities for large corporations.
• Pros: Accessible dashboards; international nonprofit database (for companies who need it)
• Cons: Cluttered, non-intuitive dashboards and user experience; ticketed customer support system

Benevity’s full suite of CSR functions is out of reach even for many mid-sized corporations. Although Benevity can theoretically scale as your company grows, the customer service team may not always keep up.

5. Bonterra CyberGrants

• What It Is: Corporate and employee giving, grants, and volunteer platform for companies looking to focus their CSR efforts on philanthropy.
• Pros: Strong program integrations; intuitive reporting
• Cons: Limited peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities; complex implementation and steep learning curve

CyberGrants, now affiliated with Bonterra, can work well for large companies with the time and resources to learn the product. Even after implementation, it may not allow your employees to lead fundraising drives in meaningful ways, which can limit enthusiasm and participation rates.

Need Some Inspiration? Try These Corporate Fundraising Ideas for Charity

Sometimes, getting your coworkers excited about fundraising for worthy causes is more difficult than you bargained for. In these situations, it might help to gamify the giving.

Here are some ways you can drum up some awareness for corporate and employee giving programs in the office:

• Department versus department showdowns: which team can raise more, have a higher participation rate, or be the first to hit their giving goals?
• Time-limited 2x or 3x matched employee gifts.
• Prizes for employees who obtain the most outside donors for their fundraising profile.

Is the fundraising feeling a little buttoned down? Feast on these creative fundraising ideas from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Which Is the Best Platform for My Business?

The conventional wisdom around CSR and other workplace-related software is that you’re going to have to make a sacrifice in at least one of three significant areas: cost, functionality, or implementation timelines.

Groundswell believes you shouldn’t have to make these tradeoffs. From the start, our mission was to democratize CSR by offering an all-in-one platform that’s affordable for every organization. We’re proud to offer a scalable, mobile-first platform that reduces administrative burdens by up to 90 percent.

Schedule a personalized demo to see how Groundswell can elevate your corporate fundraising strategy.

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