Groundswell Implementation Guide

Setting up Groundswell as an employee benefit is easy. This resource will be a step-by-step guide to get your company set up with Groundswell. 

The implementation process is broken down into 3 phases:

1. Stakeholder alignment
2. Program configuration
3. Communications rollout

 

Stakeholder alignment

Step 1. Create a Groundswell admin account

You should receive an email invite to the admin portal from your project manager. Click on the link in the email to complete your admin account creation. 

 

Step 2. Review the "3 Keys to High Adoption"

We know that high adoption and participation are paramount to imbedding a culture of giving and gratitude at your company. We also know that when employees participate in employer led giving programs they are 57% less likely to leave your company. This gives you yet another edge in acquiring and retaining top talent.

Step 3: Design your programs and budget

There are 3 types programs to consider when designing your budget:

1. Launch gift - a set gift amount that employees receive when the enroll in Groundswell with your overall company program
2. Annual match - the annual amount your company would like to match for each employee's contributions
3. Surprise gifts - any random or surprise gifts you'd like to give your employees to garner excitement. Surprise gifts also drive initial employee engagement and adoption. Some companies generate continuous buzz around giving by sending out a random gift at regular intervals, like at monthly all-hands meetings. You can also use gifts to celebrate moments that matter to your employees.

Groundswell has created an interactive Budget Design Calculator.

 

Step 4: Fund your corporate giving account

Your gift and match programs will draw from this account. 

Navigate to Settings > Add funds. Here, you'll find all the banking information needed to complete a wire transfer. 

See video tutorial here. 

*Please note: Transfers to corporate Groundswell Charitable Foundation (GCF) accounts are irrevocable charitable contributions, and thus no longer assets of the company that administers the Groundswell giving program. The funds become assets of the Groundswell Charitable Foundation while the customer (your company) retains advisory rights to how the funds are utilized (hence, Donor Advised Fund). While these funds become assets of GCF, your company still controls the funds and how they are distributed via gifting and matching programs to the employees.

*Groundswell is not able to invoice you for your transferring of Charitable Funds.

*The Groundswell Charitable Foundation W-9 is attached below.

 

Program configuration

In this phase, you will complete the corporate portal administrative work necessary for set up and configure the previously defined giving programs. The following steps link out to help center articles that will be helpful to reference in the future if you need a refresher on managing your giving programs.

 

Step 5: Upload employees

Add all eligible employees to the platform. This doesn't not send any invite or communications to the employees yet. See how-to here.

 

Step 6: Create your launch gift program

In step 3, you designed your giving programs. In this step, you'll create your gift program(s). See how-to here.

 

Step 7: Create your match program

In step 3, you designed your giving programs. In this step, you'll create your match program(s). See how-to here.

 

Step 8: Upload your company logo

To ensure a seamless employee experience, upload your company logo. The logo will show up every time your employees. See how-to here.

 

Step 9: Add Groundswell emails to the "allow list"

Add the email address below to your email "allow list" to ensure all emails from Groundswell reach your employees. Please contact your internal IT admin to configure.

no-reply@notifications.groundswell.io 

 

Communications rollout

In this phase, you will define comms for a successful roll out and take time to understand the employee experience.

 

Step 10: Customize communications templates

We've provided 2 templates and an explainer video so you won't be starting from scratch.

We've got you covered, whether you...

1. Announce at an all-hands meeting combined with a follow-up email (highly recommended) OR 
2. Simply send out a great email before you invite everyone to join the program

Please see the customizable rollout deck and email template in the downloads at the bottom of this article.

Step 11: Review the employee enrollment process

Take a moment to understand what your employees will see once you officially send the program invites. Review the employee enrollment process here.

 

Step 12: Review employee FAQs

Review the FAQ pdf attached below that describes the Q&A's that your employees are most likely to ask you. Having a good understanding what questions could be potentially asked will keep you ahead of the game.

After reviewing, we suggest you include this as an attachment in your announcement communications.

You can download and review the FAQ document below.

 

Step 13: Try out the employee experience yourself

Knowing what your employees will experience will be crucial to a smooth rollout, should any questions arise. Here's how you can invite yourself to Groundswell as an employee:

1. In the admin portal, go to Employees.
2. Select your name and select "Send email invitation." This is an invite from you as the admin to you as an employee. 
3. Once you receive the invite to your email, follow the prompts to join your giving program.
4. Download the app, and sign in with the credentials you just created. 

 

Step 14: Announce to Employees

Now is the time to use the materials that you customized to make the announcement - whether at an All-Hands, Company-Wide email or Both.

 

Step 15: Program launch - invite employees!

This is it, time to launch the program to your employees.

1. Sign into your admin account
2. Click on Employees > Not invited
3. Click on the "Invite Employees" button to send out a mass invite to 

 

Guide Downloads