How to Invite Friends to Join Your Giving Circle
Find Your People. Multiply Your Impact.
A Giving Circle is more than just a way to give—it’s a way to belong. You come together with friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family to support the causes you care about through collaborative giving. Each month, you contribute alongside others and decide together where the funds will make the greatest impact.
It’s a simple, powerful way to give—and a meaningful way to belong.
With Grapevine, you can start or join a Giving Circle in just a few clicks. And when you invite others to join you, you’re not just growing a group—you’re growing your impact. Because the more voices at the table, the more change you can create together.
Why Join a Giving Circle?
Make a Bigger Difference, Without the Burnout
You’re part of a team. You share the giving—and the impact. It’s a way to do more, together. Your gift stretches further when it's part of a community effort.
Grow Through Connection
This isn’t just about giving—you’re growing alongside others who care deeply. It’s a space to build community, explore meaningful causes, and share in the impact you're making together.
Giving That Fits You
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here. Give in a way that feels right—whether you’re casting votes or simply staying tuned in. Every contribution counts, and every member plays a role in something bigger.
Your Impact, Amplified
Every donation, no matter the size, helps move real change forward. From youth programs to mental health support and more, you’re helping nonprofits do what they do best—create lasting impact.
Share Your Story With Others
Your story can spark someone else’s. When you talk about what moved you to join a Giving Circle—what matters to you and why—you invite others to reflect on their own values and get involved.
One-on-one conversations are often where that connection starts. They’re more than just a chat—they’re an invitation into something bigger. Sharing your “why” encourages others to share theirs, and from there, you build not just participation, but real partnership.
Here’s a quick guide for effective 1:1s:
- Share your “why” — what drew you to this work and why it matters to you.
- Learn their “why” — listen with curiosity and care.
- Build belonging — show how they fit into the community.
- Focus on partnership, not just participation.
- Be purposeful and goal-oriented in your conversation.
- Identify intentional outcomes and clear next steps.
- Meet virtually or in person (in person is always best when possible!).
Start with a purposeful one-on-one conversation using this conversation framework to help people feel more engaged and activated around their mission.
- Introduce Yourself - Tell your story—what brought you here, what lights you up.
- Ask Questions & Listen with Purpose - Ask questions to develop a deeper understanding of what motivates them. Be curious about what they care about. What causes matter to them?
- Share the Impact - Talk about how Giving Circles work and the difference your group is making.
- Extend a Clear Invite - Make sure the person knows they are key to your success and ask them to take action. Don’t be shy, have a clear ask.
- Follow-up, follow up, follow up! - Keep the door open. A follow-up message or invite can turn interest into action.
"Some of us may think our personal stories don’t matter, that others won’t care, or that we should talk about ourselves so much. On the contrary, if we do public work we have a responsibility to give a public account of ourselves – where we came from, why we do what we do, and where we think we’re going.”
-Marshall Ganz, Rita E. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society at Harvard Kennedy School
How to Invite Your Friends to Your Giving Circle
Grapevine is a user-friendly platform designed to make collaborative giving simple and accessible. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to grow your Giving Circle, you can easily invite others to join your Giving Circle using a few quick steps:
Link Invite
Share your unique invitation link via text, social media, or email.
Email Invite
Type in individual email addresses to send personal invitations.
Import Contacts from Gmail
Quickly connect your Gmail account and select contacts to invite.
Print QR Code
Download and print a QR code that directs people straight to your Giving Circle page.
How you invite is up to you. What matters is that you do. Each share brings new energy, new ideas, and greater impact to your circle—and your community.
Want to Get Even Better at Building Community?
You may also catch the replay of this energizing session of Community Growth & Engagement Training with Gillian Bergeron, where we dove into practical tips and inspiring strategies to grow your Giving Circle and deepen engagement — this interactive training will help you:
- Craft your Giving Circle’s story to inspire new members
- Build trust-based pitches that resonate
- Strengthen relationships with current members
- Practice real-life conversations with peer feedback
- Walk away with actionable tools and renewed confidence
No matter where you are in your Giving Circle journey, you have everything you need to make a difference. Every invite, every conversation, every shared story helps build a stronger, more generous community. Take that next step—because your leadership can inspire real change.
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