The Four C’s of Crowdgranting

Crowdgranting: A New Way to Give and Build Community

People have been running crowdfunding campaigns for years—whether it’s companies raising money to launch new products or individuals seeking financial support from others online. While crowdfunding is a well-known way to raise funds, a new approach to giving is gaining momentum: crowdgranting. Though the two may sound similar, they serve very different purposes.

Grapevine is the first-ever crowdgranting platform, bringing people together based on a shared cause, identity, or location to collectively decide where to donate regularly. But crowdgranting is about more than just raising money—it’s about building meaningful communities committed to making a difference.

So, how is crowdgranting different from crowdfunding? Explore the 4 C’s of crowdgranting below to find out!

1. Community

When giving to a crowdfunding campaign, donors typically contribute independently, with little to no opportunity to connect, meet new people, or build a community. In contrast, crowdgranting is built on collaboration—bringing people together to form a collective dedicated to making an impact. Like-minded individuals connect around a shared cause, identity, or location, pooling their funds before selecting a donation recipient. This process not only amplifies the impact of their giving but also fosters a strong sense of community among donors. Additionally, through this model, donors often build meaningful relationships with the nonprofits they support—learning directly from nonprofit leaders, seeing the impact of their contributions firsthand, and staying engaged in the causes they care about.

2. Collective Resources

A key similarity between crowdfunding and crowdgranting is the power of collective giving—both involve people coming together to donate toward a shared cause. However, the approach is fundamentally different. In crowdfunding, individuals contribute independently to a campaign. In crowdgranting, communities pool their funds first and then decide together where to make a larger, more impactful contribution.

Imagine 100 people each giving $100—that’s a $10,000 donation to an organization. That’s the power of crowdgranting!

3. Collaboration

When participating in a crowdfunding campaign, the donation recipient is decided upon before the campaign even begins. The individual or organization launching the campaign sets a goal to fund a specific project or recipient. So donors are asked to support a cause or organization that someone else cares about, not necessarily one that resonates with them.

When participating in crowdgranting, the decision process is community-driven. Instead of donating to a pre-determined recipient, members contribute to a collective fund first. Once funds have been pooled, the group works together to decide where the money will go—often through a nomination and voting process, ensuring that every member has a voice in the giving decision.

4. Continuation

Crowdfunding focuses on one-time campaigns, such as a company raising funds to launch a product or an individual seeking support for a specific project. Participating in a crowdfunding campaign typically means making a single donation to help fund that particular goal.

Crowdgranting, on the other hand, is about ongoing, collective giving. Instead of a one-time contribution, a community comes together to regularly connect and donate toward a shared cause or community. This sustained approach allows for greater impact over time, fostering long-term support and deeper engagement.

Beyond Crowdfunding: How Crowdgranting Creates Lasting Change

Both crowdfunding and crowdgranting serve important purposes. When a nonprofit needs to quickly fund a new project or a natural disaster calls for urgent relief, crowdfunding can be an effective solution.

Crowdgranting, however, is for those who want to build lasting connections and a sense of community through ongoing giving. It brings like-minded people together to regularly support a shared cause, creating meaningful community and sustained impact that makes a bigger difference over time.

Now that you’ve learned more about crowdgranting, join or start your own Grapevine. With training, support, and donation matching opportunities, Grapevine helps groups to launch, grow and succeed.