From Burnout to Belonging: How CSR Leaders Can Support & Empower ERGs Through Giving Circles

Your ERG leaders are already shaping company culture. Here's how you can give them the tools to thrive, without burning out.

The Opportunity (and the Challenge)

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a vital role in shaping culture, promoting inclusivity, and creating safe spaces at work. Employees join them to connect with peers, support diverse communities, and drive change—with 97% saying ERGs make the workplace more equitable and inclusive (Benevity, 2023).

But despite their clear impact, many ERG leaders are overwhelmed. They juggle event planning, DEI initiatives, and community building—all while managing their day jobs. Without proper infrastructure or support, this can lead to burnout.

CSR leaders know how critical these groups are—but often struggle to offer meaningful support. And traditional corporate giving models aren’t helping, they often feel top-down, rigid, and disconnected from what employees actually care about.

In a time when only 34% of U.S. employees report being engaged at work (Gallup, 2024), we can’t afford to let ERGs operate in isolation or without resources.

What’s Missing from Traditional CSR

Even well-resourced companies are facing challenges when it comes to aligning CSR initiatives with employee values. Why? Because traditional giving models aren’t designed for connection—they’re designed for transactions.

Meanwhile, ERG leaders are left figuring out:

• How to consistently engage members
• How to fund programming that resonates
• How to demonstrate value to leadership
• How to do all of the above without burning out

They’re doing crucial, unpaid labor. Yet in one survey, 44% of ERG-related comments mentioned lack of recognition or leadership support (Great Place to Work, 2023).

The outcome? A disconnect between purpose-driven employees and company-sponsored initiatives.

To close the gap, companies need CSR strategies that are inclusive, participatory, and grounded in shared values. Enter: Giving Circles.

What Are Giving Circles?

A Giving Circle is a group of individuals who pool their donations and decide together where to give. On Grapevine, the only platform dedicated to Giving Circles, the model is designed to work seamlessly inside companies and ERGs by offering:

• Social connection: Members gather around shared causes
• Equity and inclusion: All voices are heard, and companies can fund participation to remove economic barriers
• Flexibility: Meet monthly, quarterly, or annually—online or in-person
• Real impact: Employees choose the nonprofits per company guidelines, and the collective gift is amplified with corporate seed or matching gifts

Grapevine handles donation processing, tax receipts, and grant disbursements so ERG leaders can focus on what matters: community and connection.

Why Giving Circles Work for ERGs

Giving Circles don’t just align with ERG values, they amplify them. They provide a measurable, meaningful way for ERGs to:

• Host purpose-driven events that double as team-building
• Nominate and vote on nonprofits tied to cultural heritage, community issues, or ERG and company goals
• Leverage pooled funds, company matches, or corporate seeding to increase impact
• Track and report on engagement and nonprofit outcomes with Grapevine’s built-in analytics
• Collaborate across departments or with other ERGs

Most importantly, Giving Circles offer something employees are craving: shared purpose. With 93% of employees saying ERGs support well-being and 97% saying they foster community and belonging (Benevity, 2023), this model is a natural extension of what works.

It’s time to evolve CSR from transactional to transformational.

By integrating Giving Circles into your ERG and CSR strategies, you’re not just funding initiatives—you’re fueling connection, belonging, and purpose across your company. You’re recognizing the labor of ERG leaders and giving them tools to thrive, not just survive.

Support your culture builders. Back your employee changemakers. And reimagine what corporate giving can be—together.

Ready to get started? Talk to our team to learn more about how Grapevine can support your ERGs.