How to Plan for Giving Season at Your Company

Every year, as the holidays approach, inboxes flood with donation requests, nonprofits launch their big campaigns, and companies start asking themselves: What should we be doing for the giving season?

If you’re wondering how you can create a strategy that actually engages employees (and doesn’t just feel like another box to check), you’re in the right place. Let’s break down what giving season is, why it matters for businesses, and how you can use Groundswell to turn good intentions into measurable impact.

Table of Contents:

• When Is Giving Season?
• Why Businesses Should Participate in the Season of Giving
• How to Plan for Giving Season with Groundswell
• How to Maximize Employee Engagement During Giving Season
• Tips for Measuring Success
• Build Your CSR Program Just In Time for Giving Season

When Is Giving Season? 

“Giving season” usually refers to the period between late November and the end of December. It includes big moments like Giving Tuesday, holiday fundraisers, and year-end campaigns. 

Nonprofits love this stretch of the calendar because roughly 30% of all annual giving happens in December alone (source). For corporations, that means it’s prime time to launch giving initiatives that get employees excited about getting involved, whether that’s through charitable donations, volunteering, or creative campaigns. 

Why Businesses Should Participate in the Season of Giving

Yes, giving season is about generosity, but let’s be honest: it’s also about optics and outcomes. Employees want to work for companies that stand for something, and customers want to support brands that put their money where their mission is. 

Engaging in the season for giving isn’t just a “feel-good” move—it’s smart business. When you take advantage of this cheerful season, you’ll:

• Boost employee morale and retention.
• Strengthen your brand reputation.
• Create measurable social impact.
• Stand out from competitors who are still just cutting a check and calling it a day.

And here’s the kicker: if you sit out the giving season, you’re basically handing your competition the chance to be more generous, look more innovative, and appear more aligned with today’s workplace values. Employees notice. Customers notice. Even investors notice.

So, the question isn’t if your company should get involved—it’s how you’ll do it better.

How to Plan for Giving Season with Groundswell

The old-school approach to corporate philanthropy is clunky: think endless matching spreadsheets, one-off fundraisers, and a whole lot of admin work. Groundswell makes it easy to modernize your approach so you can focus on impact, not paperwork.

Here are some holiday fundraising ideas you can launch through Groundswell’s platform. 

1. Run a Year-End Giving Campaign

A year-end fundraising campaign doesn’t need to be exclusive. Encourage employees to support causes they care about by giving them access to personal donor-advised funds (DAFs) through Groundswell. Instead of restricting them to one nonprofit campaign, empower them to give where their values guide them.

2. Host a “Day of Giving”

Pick a date, set up company-wide giving challenges, and match employee contributions in real-time. A little friendly competition goes a long way toward driving participation.

3. Celebrate a “Giving Month”

Stretch the season of giving beyond just Giving Tuesday. Use Groundswell to schedule weekly donations spotlights, highlight different nonprofits, or gamify employee engagement throughout November and December.

4. Blend Volunteering with Donations

Groundswell isn’t just about money. You can also plan, organize, and track volunteer hours. Pair fundraising with service opportunities for a holistic year-end giving campaign.

How to Maximize Employee Engagement During Giving Season

Even the best-planned campaigns can fall flat if employees aren’t excited to participate. The good news? With the right approach, you can turn giving season into something your workforce actually looks forward to.

Here are some strategies to boost engagement:

• Make it personal. Employees want to support causes that matter to them, not just the ones leadership chooses. Give every team member the power to make an impact where their values align and watch the giving grow.
• Tell impact stories. Don’t just track donations; share what they accomplish. Highlight the nonprofits your employees are supporting, showcase stories from beneficiaries, and make the impact feel real.
• Keep it inclusive. Remember: not every employee celebrates the same holidays, but giving season can be framed as a universal opportunity to support community and social good. Make participation flexible so everyone feels welcome.
• Mix in volunteering. Not everyone can give financially, but many employees are eager to give their time. Pair donation campaigns with volunteer opportunities, and recognize both equally.
• Use friendly competition. A little gamification can go a long way. Try posting leaderboards, implementing department challenges, or setting company-wide goals (like hitting a certain number of volunteer hours). Celebrate milestones publicly. People love recognition!

By designing campaigns with your people in mind, you’ll transform giving season from an HR initiative into a cultural moment that employees talk about long after the year ends.

Tips for Measuring Success

The right data can tell you just how much of a difference your giving season efforts made. With Groundswell, you can:

• Track employee participation rates.
• See total donations, matches, and volunteer hours in one place.
• Share impact reports internally (to boost morale) and externally (to strengthen brand reputation).

Translation: you’ll have actual numbers to back up your social impact goals, plus a compelling story to tell.

Build Your CSR Program Just In Time for Giving Season

The giving season is crowded. Nonprofits, competitors, and even social media influencers are all vying for attention. To stand out, you need a strategy that’s authentic, scalable, and employee-first. Groundswell helps you do just that.

This year, skip the old-school approach and give your employees the power to make an impact on their own terms. It’s almost giving season—make sure your company is ready to show up! Request a demo today to get started