From Crowdfunding to Community: Giving Circles and Sustainable Giving

Written By Abigail Morse

How could giving circles reshape the future of philanthropy — and what might they unlock for your nonprofit?

In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, Dave sits down with Emily Rasmussen, Founder & CEO of Grapevine and one of the leading voices in the modern collective giving movement. From her early life as a professional ballet dancer to her work in microfinance in rural India to now building the largest platform dedicated to giving circles, Emily brings a truly unique perspective to what generosity can look like when people do it together.

This conversation moves fast (in the best way!) as Dave and Emily dive into the resurgence of community-driven philanthropy, the psychology behind recurring generosity, and why giving circles just might be one of the biggest under-the-radar bright spots in the entire fundraising landscape.

If you care about connection, recurring giving, and the future of generosity… this one’s for you.

Key Topics They Cover:

1. Emily’s Unexpected Journey to Philanthropy

  • From professional ballet to global arts leadership to microfinance in rural India

  • How her early work in hyper-local, community-led financing became a blueprint for her later work in philanthropy

  • The common thread: using creativity and community to unlock impact

2. The Deep Roots of Collective Giving

  • Giving circles: newer term, ancient concept

  • Cultural traditions like tontines, susus, and self-help groups as early models

  • Why doing good together is resurging now — and how it answers today’s loneliness + disconnection crisis

3. What Giving Circles Actually Are (and Why They Matter)

  • A clear, simple definition (100 people × $100 → $10,000 grant)

  • How members nominate, vote, learn, and build lasting relationships

  • “The Four C’s”: Community, Collective Resources, Collaboration, and Continuation

  • Why giving circles create real belonging, not transactional giving

4. The Powerful Connection Between Giving Circles & Sustainable Recurring Giving

  • Stunning data:

    • Only ~2% of new nonprofit donations are set to recur (GivingTuesday Data Commons)

    • 50–80%+ of new giving-circle donations on Grapevine recur

  • Why recurring giving is “baked in” to the giving circle model

  • How collective models build trust, accountability, and long-term donor loyalty naturally

5. How Nonprofit Leaders Can Tap Into the Giving Circle Movement

  • How to find circles already giving in your region or cause area

  • Why nonprofits should ask their donors whether they’re in one

  • The rise of nonprofit-created giving circles + group-based donor communities

  • How giving circles can supercharge board engagement, next-gen donors, and mid-level giving

They Also Talk About:

  • The role of trust, transparency, and “the five T’s” of generosity

  • How Grapevine supports giving circles with infrastructure, community tools, and the global directory

  • The surprising overlap between giving circles and workplace giving

  • How companies are experimenting with employee-led giving circles

  • Why generosity evolves with culture — and why that’s actually encouraging

So… what might happen if your community had a giving circle of its own? Or if you joined one yourself?

Watch or Listen:

Watch this episode now by clicking the video above, or by visiting Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Key Resources:

Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Abigail, Tom, Kirsten, and Victoria.

Abigail Morse
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