How can we help you today?

If you can’t find a specific charity on the app or web platform, you can submit a request to the Groundswell team to review and add to our charity database if it is eligible.

Many schools and houses of worship are eligible to receive tax-deductible donations, but because they are not required to report to the IRS in the same way the 501c3 charities are, they are not included in the IRS dataset that we populate our platform with.

Submit a request to add a charity via our Help Center here.  If possible, please include the following information when you reach out:

1. Charity name
2. EIN (employer identification number)
3. Website
4. Charity contact 

Please note: If you are looking to add a new charity to your companies approved list of match eligible charities (this doesn't apply to all companies), you can submit a request via the button found on the charity page on Groundswell. The request will be sent to your company’s Groundswell admin for review. Each company has a different internal review process to determine match eligible organizations.

Getting started with Groundswell is easy. Employees can follow the steps below to join their workplace giving program.

Step 1 - Join your company's giving program

First, your program admin will will send a Groundswell invitation to your work email address. Select the "Create account" button. This step should be completed within 7 days, before the link expires.

Step 2: Create an account

Next, you can create an account with your email and password credentials. You can expect to receive an email to confirm these credentials.

Step 3: Download the Groundswell app OR visit Groundswell's web app 

Visit Groundswell's web app here. 

OR 

Download the Groundswell App, so you can login and finish setting up your account! Once you login you can, explore charities, and start giving! 

Struggling to Find a Charity in Groundswell? Here’s Your Complete Guide to Help you Find the Charities you Care About Most!

With over 1.5 million U.S.-based charities and 300,000 international charities in our database, chances are the organization you’re looking for is already available in Groundswell. To help you find the charities important to you, follow these tips to refine your search:

Tips for Finding Charities in Groundswell

1. Search Using the Charity’s Legal Name
   • Groundswell’s database is synced with the IRS records, so charities often appear under their official, registered names. Ensure you use the full legal name for accurate results.
   • For international charities, Groundswell leverages the database from our partner CAF America.
2. Avoid Special Characters in Names
   • Registered charity names typically exclude special characters (e.g., &, !). Remove these for better search accuracy.
3. Search by EIN (Employer Identification Number)
   • EINs are unique to each organization and guarantee accurate results. Input the EIN into Groundswell’s search bar, and if the charity appears, you can trust it’s the correct one!
   • Need help finding an EIN? Check the guidance below for tips on locating a charity’s EIN!
4. Use Filters to Narrow Results
   • For charities with common names (e.g., United Way), use location-based filters to refine your search:
     • Enter the charity name in the search bar and press Enter.
     • Filter results by location:
       • Select the country.
       • Choose the state.
     • You should now see the specific chapter or branch of the charity. Note - this is often the best way to find your local school PTA.

How to Find a Charity’s EIN

If you don’t have the EIN handy, here’s how to locate it:

1. Use a Search Engine
   • Search for the charity name + EIN. For example, type “Team Rubicon + EIN” into Google.
2. Check the Charity’s Website
   • Look in these common locations:
     • Footer of the website.
     • “About Us” section.
     • “Financials” or similar reporting sections.
3. Use Charity Navigator
   • Search for the charity on Charity Navigator. Most profiles include the EIN.

Still Can’t Find Your Charity?

If your charity isn’t showing up, you may need to request that it be added to Groundswell through our New Charity Request Form. Here are some reasons a charity might not appear:

1. It’s a Newly Registered Charity
   • Recently registered charities may take time to appear in the IRS and CAF America feed and in Groundswell.
2. It’s a Church or School
   • Many churches and schools are not required to register with the IRS, but they have an “inherent” tax exempt status, so most donations to them tax-deductible. So if you can’t find them in Groundswell, we need to vet and then manually add them.
3. It’s Not an Eligible 501(c)(3) Organization
   • Only 501(c)(3) organizations that are in good standing with the IRS and eligible to receive tax-deductible donations are eligible for inclusion in Groundswell’s database.
     • There are some charities that may have a “tax exempt” status but donations to them are not always tax-deductible for the donor.

What Happens Next?

Each new charity request undergoes a vetting process. If the charity meets eligibility requirements, it will be added to the database. Otherwise, Groundswell won’t be able to include it.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure a smoother process and a higher chance of finding or successfully adding the charity you’re looking for!

In January 2023, the state of California’s Assembly Bill 488 (AB-488) went into effect. Included in this bill is a provision that prohibits platforms like Groundswell from distributing funds on behalf of our users to California-based charities or charities registered to raise funds in California identified as “delinquent” by the California AG’s office. Delinquency means that the charity is not in good standing with the State of California due to failure to submit both California-specific reports as well as standard IRS reports. Note: the law also applies to charities that may be based in other states, but are registered with the State of California to conduct fundraising activities in California.

What this means for making donations on Groundswell: Groundswell runs its dataset of nonprofits on the platform against the list of charities currently with a “delinquent” status. While users can still donate to a charity that may be on the delinquent list, Groundswell will hold those donations and only send to the charity when it is back in good standing with the State of California. We check against the list whenever it is updated by the Attorney General’s office, and allow donations to be processed once the charity no longer has a delinquent status. The donations will be held for 90 days, and if after that time the charity is still in a delinquent status with the State of California, we will return the funds to the user.

As a Donor-Advised Fund, the Groundswell Charitable Foundation must comply with this requirement - which means we legally cannot disburse funds to any California-based charity or charity that is registered to raise funds in California that has not submitted all necessary forms to the Attorney General’s office.

If a charity wishes to find out more information about its status with the State of California, they can go to the CA Attorney General's website, or contact the Delinquency Program directly using the link here. It can take approximately 30-90 days to process forms and supporting documentation to remove a charity from the delinquent list.

Donation Disbursement – Timing and Processing

Groundswell processes all donations through trusted distribution partners to ensure funds are delivered quickly, securely, and with full transparency. For U.S.-based charities, Groundswell partners with Chariot for domestic distribution. For grants to international charities, Groundswell partners with CAF America.

Each donation is delivered with the donor’s name (unless they choose to give anonymously or it was a donation made to an international organization) and includes any donation notes the donor provides.

1. U.S. Donation Disbursement via Chariot

Electronic Deposits to Chariot Account (Primary Method)

Starting on November 26, 2025, donations to U.S.-based charities made through Groundswell are delivered through Chariot. With Chariot, charities can use one central portal across Payers to receive funds and grant details uniformly. Once a charity has created and verified its Chariot account, Groundswell will deposit donations directly into that account. If a charity does not have a Chariot account, a paper check will be sent (see below).

Timing:

• Groundswell processes donations within 48 hours of the donation date
• Funds are deposited into the charity’s Chariot account
• The charity can then withdraw funds to its bank account whenever it prefers

Charities Receive:

• Donor name (unless they choose to remain anonymous)
• Donation amount
• Any donation notes included with the donation
• Full visibility to all their donations inside the Chariot Dashboard, including payouts, transaction history, and monthly statements

Paper Checks (When a Chariot Account Is Not Available)

Groundswell will issue a paper check when:

• A charity has not yet created a Chariot account
• A charity has not completed Chariot’s verification process
• A charity has explicitly opted in to only receive paper checks
• A temporary payout or verification issue prevents deposit into a Chariot account

Timing:

• Checks are processed within 48 hours of the donation date
• Checks are mailed to the charity’s IRS-listed address or the updated address on record
• USPS delivery typically takes 5–20 days

Checks include donor information (if not anonymous) and donation notes.

2. International Donation Disbursement via CAF America

Groundswell partners with CAF America to distribute grants to international charities safely, and compliantly.

Here’s how the process works:

Submitting Grants to CAF America

Groundswell sends CAF America a list of all grants to international charities every two weeks, along with a corresponding wire transfer.

CAF America’s Payment Cycle & Review

Once CAF America receives the grant list and funding wire:

• Grants are added to their weekly payment cycle, which closes every Thursday.
• CAF America’s finance team then performs a compliance and eligibility review.

How International Funds Are Sent

Depending on the charity’s country and eligibility:

• Funds may be sent directly to the charity (via direct wire or check); or
• Funds are routed through one of CAF’s expedited international partners, such as:
  • CAF Ireland
  • CAF UK
  • Good2Give (Australia)
  • Other regional CAF partners

Partners generally disburse funds within 14–20 business days.

If No Regional Partner is Available

CAF America will contact the charity directly to confirm:

• The correct mailing address
• Preferred banking details
• The safest and most compliant transfer method

3. Understanding Match Timing

If your employer offers a donation match, the timing of the match disbursement may differ from the original donation.

• Some companies process matches instantly
• Others process matches on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly schedule

Match timing follows your company’s specific giving program configuration.

Note: Offline match requests must first be reviewed by someone at Groundswell before the match is disbursed. Once the offline match is approved, the match will follow the match timing outlined above.

For questions about your company’s match timing, please contact your Groundswell Program Administrator.