FAQ

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đŸ’” Fees and Payments

Does it cost money to join Grapevine?

It’s completely free to create your account and make donations on Grapevine. You can sign up here.

Is my donation tax deductible?

All donations on Grapevine are to verified nonprofits in good standing with the IRS. You’ll receive a receipt after you complete your donation. You may be able to claim a charitable contribution for the amount of the gift. Please check with your tax professional.

How are donations on Grapevine processed?

The Grapevine Giving Foundation is the new 501.c.3 public charity (EIN #87-2389502) organization associated with Grapevine. Previously, Grapevine worked with a 501.c.3 nonprofit fiscal sponsor to enable it to pool charitable donations for giving circles, provide donors with charitable tax receipts, and then grant those funds to nonprofits chosen by the groups. With the newly established Grapevine Giving Foundation, the platform will continue this work directly through the foundation, enabling an even faster and more flexible process for receiving and granting donations. Learn more here.

Does Grapevine have any fees?

We don’t charge any platform fees, but our payment processor, Stripe, charges the standard credit card fee of 2.2% + 30± credit and debit card fee (3.5% for AmEx and +1% for non-US cards), or 0.8% up to $5 for bank transfers through Plaid. If you’d like, you can leave an optional tip on your donation that supports Grapevine’s work.

What payment methods does Grapevine accept for donations?

Donations may be submitted via Credit Card or ACH payment online through our payment processing partners, Stripe and Plaid. We also accept DAF or Check donations directly through the Grapevine Giving Foundation.

How is my donation payment secured?

All Grapevine donations are secured by bank-level, 256-bit encryption. We utilize SHA-256 RSA Encryption verified and signed by Let's Encrypt Authority X3.

Can my company sponsor or match my donation?

Yes! Many companies provide matching or employee directed donations to the nonprofit of an employee's choosing, or will cover fees for joining a networking group - these can include Grapevine! Start a conversation with your manager or HR/CSR department to either make the donation in your name, or to clarify your benefits and whether they will cover this for you if you aren’t sure.

Here are some common ways that companies cover or match donations.

Directly on Grapevine: Use a company credit card to make a donation directly on Grapevine. Just head to your group page, select "Donate" and then add the payment information for your corporate card. You can also send the donation page URL directly to your manager or HR/CSR representative to make a payment via credit card or ACH direct deposit.

Through company donation portals, like Benevity: Make a donation directly to Grapevine via your company donation portal. Make the donation to Grapevine Giving Foundation, EIN #87-2389502. When making the donation, make sure to include your Giving Circle name as the purpose for your gift.

With a check: Make checks payable to Grapevine Giving Foundation and include the Giving Circle name as the purpose, and member name as the affiliation. Then mail the check to: Grapevine Giving Foundation, P.O. Box 23752, New York, NY 10087-3752.

How do I cancel my regular donation?

Sign into your account and go to Your Donations. Under your Upcoming Donations you'll see the following three options:

  1. Change Payment Method
  2. Change Amount
  3. Cancel Donation

Select the option you'd like to proceed with.

Do you share donor information with nonprofits?

Grapevine does not share donor information.

How to donate to a Grapevine giving circle off the platform

Making donations via the online Grapevine.org platform is the preferred method of making your donation to your giving circle on Grapevine. However, you may make donations via check, direct transfer (ACH), or Donor Advised Fund (DAF) account as well. Please find below the information on sending a check. For privacy reasons, reach out to community@grapevine.org directly for direct transfer (ACH) and Donor Advised Fund (DAF) instructions.

  • CHECK
    • Make the check payable to: Grapevine Giving Foundation
    • Include the Purpose*: [INSERT GIVING CIRCLE NAME]
    • Mail the check to:
      Grapevine Giving Foundation
      P.O. Box 23752
      New York, NY 10087-3752
    • Submit an “Off Platform Payment Submissions” form here.

*If you do not include the Giving Circle name on the check, we will not know where to send your donation on the Grapevine platform and it may not get attributed correctly. We are not responsible for any misplaced or misdirected funds.

  • Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
    • Login to your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) account.
    • Select the following for a grant: Grapevine Giving Foundation (EIN 87-2389502)
    • Include the Purpose*: [INSERT GIVING CIRCLE NAME]
    • Confirm/ change the mailing address on file to^:
    • Grapevine Giving Foundation
      P.O. Box 23752
      New York, NY 10087-3752
    • Submit your “Off Platform Payment Submissions” form online: Go here or copy and paste the URL here into your browser: https://grapevinegiving.typeform.com/to/MiNYrPbk

*If you do not include the Giving Circle name, we will not know where to send your donation on the Grapevine platform and it may not get attributed correctly. We are not responsible for any misplaced or misdirected funds.

^The DAF may have a different business address on file for Grapevine. It is very important that you change this to the address above in order for your payment to be received and processes in a timely and accurate manner.

  • Direct Transfer/ ACH Payment
    • Login to your financial service provider account and navigate to the option for making donations via Direct Deposit/ ACH. Follow these instructions and provide the information below when prompted.
    • Account Name: Grapevine Giving Foundation (EIN 87-2389502)
    • Account Number: 900018638
    • Routing Number*: 325070760
    • Include the Purpose^: [INSERT GIVING CIRCLE NAME]
    • Submit your “Off Platform Payment Submissions” form online: Go here or copy and paste the URL here into your browser: https://grapevinegiving.typeform.com/to/MiNYrPbk

* This routing number can only be used for direct deposits and ACH transactions. For wire transfers, please use routing number 021000021.

^If you do not include the Giving Circle name, we will not know where to send your donation on the Grapevine platform and it may not get attributed correctly. We are not responsible for any misplaced or misdirected funds.

PLEASE NOTE: All of these donation methods can take weeks to process and show up in your giving circle account. Grapevine does not control this entire process, so cannot be held responsible for any delayed processing and does not take responsibility for the loss of any funds while being transmitted through these channels. If you’d prefer a faster and more reliable payment method, please make your donation on the grapevine.org platform.

🏘 For Nonprofits

How can I expect to receive donations made through Grapevine to my nonprofit?

If you are part of the Bill.com network, you will receive your disbursement via direct deposit. If you are not part of the network, you will be contacted via email with the option to join the network in order to receive direct deposits. If you accept, your disbursement will be made via direct deposit. If you do not accept, your disbursement will be sent via check.

If a donation is made through Grapevine to my nonprofit, when will I receive the funds?

Grapevine disburses donations to organizations monthly, once they've reached the processing threshold of $100. When we make your disbursement, we also send you an email to let you know and provide any relevant details. Read more about our process here.

Can a fiscally sponsored nonprofit receive funds from Grapevine?

Yes, we can grant money to fiscal sponsors. However, some fiscal sponsors may have their own restrictions around accepting funds. As a donor or giving circle leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that the fiscal sponsor will accept funds from Grapevine.

How can I update my nonprofit's profile on Grapevine?

If you'd like to make updates to your profile on Grapevine, you can do so by filling out the form here.

Can I use Grapevine to process all donations for my nonprofit?

Absolutely! If you’re interested in partnering with Grapevine to collect donations, please reach out to us at info@grapevine.org.

📌 Getting Started

How is Grapevine different from other crowdfunding and donation platforms?

Grapevine is the first crowdgranting platform. Unlike crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, GoFundMe and others that support one-time campaigns for a specific cause, Grapevine helps people come together to pool their donations on a recurring basis, and then collaborate to decide where to give the total amount. Grapevine is more than just a site for collecting donations, we help bring people together with tools for communicating, member invitations, and more.

How can I create a Giving Circle?

If you’re an individual donor, giving circle, foundation, company, or nonprofit interested in setting up your own Grapevine Giving Circle, head you can start your group right here: https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle-setup/step-1