At Giving Circle, we scale up community service in two ways—through the website and off-platform. On the website, we have created a framework which is transparent and up to date so that interested people can volunteer, contribute and donate to your cause knowing the progress you are making. They are also able to communicate with one another and in this way they can help you to scale up community service. Off-platform, we scale up community service through our strategic and advisory interventions as well as helping NGOs market & sell products.

There are two ways in which fundraising is possible through the Giving Circle website. The first is crowdfunding, where you can create a campaign and have the public donate to your cause. The other is through donation events which can be created through the Changemaker login.

No we do not charge a fee for fundraising. However, there are payment gateway fees for transactions done through the website. Therefore, the funds that you will receive will be net of the payment gateway fees.

Yes, we do enable crowd funding. To ensure that people keep coming back to your cause, we provide them with information regarding your past events, your vision and mission as well as all the good work you have been doing. This helps them make an informed decision when contributing to your crowdfunding campaign.

Apart from promoting our platform on social media and search engines, Giving Circle will promote your NGOs projects on the website itself so that more people can find out about the work you are doing and then sign up as volunteers. In order for people to sign up, it is important that you keep your projects up to date and use the social share buttons to help us spread the word about your cause.

Yes, you can raise funds for any purpose including material collection. People can contribute both in cash and kind depending on your requirement. Please use the Create An Event feature to get started. Then choose between a fundraising event or a material collection drive.

Once the funds have been raised, you can go to the My Account section to see the dashboard for details on these funds including the amount raised and the people who have contributed to your campaign. To settle the funds please write to [email protected] to start the settlement procedure.

The Giving Circle website gives you the ability to create a micro-site for your NGO. This micro-site can contain all the information you would like donors, volunteers and contributors to see. You can add images from the campaigns you have done in the past and keep interested people updated on future events and fundraising/ material collection drives. Apart from these services on the website, we also provide services off-platform. Please see the Off-Platform section for more details. You can also get in touch with us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029 for more details.

Yes. Giving Circle believes that goodness also has to be marketed and hence we support NGOs with marketing depending on their requirements. However, we do not believe in cookie cutter solutions. It is advisable that we get in touch with you to understand what you need and at which stage of the changemaking process you are. Once we have a clear understanding of your unique needs we can create a marketing plan for you and also implement the plan.

Yes, as soon as the donation is made, the donor will receive the 80G certificate on their registered email id. This is provided your NGO already has an 80G provision and you have shared the same with us in advance.

You can invite volunteers by using the social sharing options provided to your project screen. You can invite volunteers to join you for your larger mission or specific projects or events.

You can use the Update button in the My Account section to broadcast an update to your donors, contributors and volunteers. These updates will appear as notifications on their accounts once they login to Giving Circle. They will also receive updates via email. It is important to keep all stakeholders informed on a regular basis, so use the Update feature regularly!

Yes, Giving Circle supports NGOs in all types of fundraising, including institutional funds, as it is a necessary step in scaling up their work. Please contact us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029 for more information.

Yes, Giving Circle supports NGOs in raising CSR funds. We recognise that fund raising is an essential part of scaling up, however, it is important that we get an in-depth understanding of  your requirements in order to help you with the same. Please get in touch with us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029.

Speaking about your work is the first step towards spreading your message and cause to people. The second step is to put this information in a way that will be easy for visitors to understand. You will have to identify one or two personas that resemble your target audience in order for you to convey information about your NGOs. The Giving Circle website provides detailed guidelines on how to structure your communication, give details about your vision & mission, the genesis of your NGO, the community you are representing, your beneficiaries, and a portfolio of projects. There is also an image gallery where you can upload pictures from your projects. Please make full use of the page dedicated to your NGO and create events to attract more people to your cause. Giving Circle also promotes itself to like-minded, socially inclined people, to drive the traffic to the website. Visitors to the website are prompted to choose their area of interest and are directed to the projects listed under the same.

Sorry, we do not support individuals from raising funds. However, they can create a campaign for material collection. The reason for this is that fund raising requires certain legal factors and due-diligence standards to be in place before we can allow individuals to raise funds.

Yes. Individual Movements are very close to our heart. Indeed, the origin of Giving Circle was in supporting individuals to create “my circle of goodness”. Individuals are allowed  to create material collection drives and time volunteering drives. However, individuals are not allowed to create fundraising campaigns without the institution support of an NGO or trust.

Giving Circle welcomes the good work being done around the country. Please visit the Report Goodness section to inform us of any individual or group which you think we should cover in the Changemaker story section and we will surely look into it. You can also write to write to us at [email protected]

The primary thrust areas included under Community Service are nothing but the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) chalked out by the United Nations which have to be adhered to by all countries including India. The SDGs are: No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Clean Water & Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry Innovation & Infrastructure, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities & Communities, Responsible Consumption & Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land, Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions, and Partnerships for the Goals.

While NGOs and people from development sector are aware of SDGs, a lay person may not understand these terms. Therefore we can create sub-categories within the SDGs in common language that is relatable and easy to understand. 

Giving Circle is a cause-based platform and not an event-based platform. Those wishing to raise funds for a medical cause through your NGO or trust can do so. However, due to our due-diligence standards, we do not allow individual fund raising events at this time.

Business ideas are not supported for fundraising on this platform. However, socially-inclined individuals who are with an NGO or trust can raise funds for their long-term efforts, provided they fall under one of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Social media management is a service that Giving Circle offers to NGOs. The engagement model depends on the unique needs of the NGOs. There is no cookie cutter solution for this, and hence it will be important for us to speak to you in detail before we create a model for you. Please write to write to us at [email protected] to get started.

Yes, Giving Circle consults NGOs that wish to scale up community service work. We would encourage you to write to us at [email protected] so that we can get an in-depth understanding of your project and the change that you wish to bring.

We support NGOs with capacity building by formally engaging ourselves with them off-platform. If this is something that interests you, then please to write to us at [email protected]

Giving Circle believes that donors and volunteers are as important to the changemaking process as the Changemaker. Therefore we encourage Changemakers to keep donors and volunteers engaged, gratified and updated. This can be cumbersome and repetitive process if it has to be done manually. Therefore, Giving Circle has come up with options to keep donors and volunteers engaged through broadcast messaging options & update buttons.

Yes, NGOs can send updates to donors on deployment of funds. We would strongly recommend that you share updates once funds are deployed so that donors can be well-informed about how and where you are using funds. Not only is this a moral responsibility but it will also build credibility and trust ensuring that the donor returns for future drives. 

Yes, NGOs can send updates to volunteers on events. Updates can be sent for events in which volunteers have participated and events where they have not participated too. Not getting updates from NGOs is one of the biggest reasons for volunteers dropping off. Volunteers give us their time, which is the most precious resource in the giving process. So it is up to NGOs to respect the same and keep volunteers up-to-date on how the project is progressing. This will ensure that volunteers are engaged and that they return. Please go to the My Accounts section to update volunteers regularly.

Yes, a small fee is charged for enabling payment gateways. Payment gateways make the platform user friendly and quick unlike net-banking transfers which can make the process slow and cumbersome. The fee that is charged is not kept with Giving Circle. It is given to the payment gateway for providing this convenience.

Yes. Collaboration is an integral part of scaling up community service and we encourage NGOs to collaborate and learn from one another so that they can make their mission larger and create more impact. You can begin by sending an email to the Changemaker by clicking the Connect to the Changemaker functionality on the changemaker’s page. Alternatively, you can write to us at [email protected] and we will be happy to connect you to the NGO.

Yes, you can create different projects for each of the thrust areas. By creating projects under different thrust areas, it will be easier for volunteers and donors to find something that they are interested in. However, there may be projects that fall under two or more SDGs. For example, plantation of fruit trees for farmers will fall under Climate Action, Decent Work and Economic Growth and Zero Hunger. In such a case, you can map the project to multiple SDGs.

To start a fundraiser, click Become A Changemaker. Here, you will need to register yourself as an NGO with the necessary legal documentation. Next, you will have to create a project with your mission, vision and goals. After the project creation is complete, you can start a fundraising event under this project. Registration and project creation are a one-time process. All subsequent events will automatically go through without having to upload legal documents again.

To start a crowdfunding campaign, click Become A Changemaker. Here, you will need to register yourself as an NGO with the necessary legal documentation. Next, you will have to create a project with your mission, vision and goals. After the project creation is complete, you can start a crowdfunding event under this project. Registration and project creation are a one-time process. All subsequent events will automatically go through without having to upload legal documents again. However, we strongly recommend that you start a crowdfunding event only after you have created 2-3 other events as this will increase your credibility.

The Giving Circle website has been designed in a way that will create a digital repository of all your good work including projects, events, details of beneficiaries, etc. This repository serves as a means of establishing credibility among donors and volunteers. This process begins with defining the project itself in a structured manner so that more people can be clued into your vision and mission. The more you use the platform and keep it updated, the larger you digital repository becomes and therefore credibility also increases.

Yes, Giving Circle is a cause agnostic platform which supports NGOs working in all kids of areas. We have created primary thrust areas according to the UN SDGs as well as secondary areas of work which are easier for the lay man to relate to. There are no restrictions on the number of primary of secondary areas which an NGO can pick.

Yes. Updates will appear as notifications in the My Account section. You will also receive emails with updates. At Giving Circle we believe that a donor’s contribution is as important as a Changemaker’s contribution and therefore the updates on the donations you have made are available. We encourage Changemakers and NGOs to keep donors updated on how and where the funds have been used.

NGOs or changemakers will update you with the latest activities and events. Notifications will appear in the My Account section upon logging in. It will also be sent to your registered email. You can also choose to engage with the changemaker or NGO by using the Connect to the Changemaker functionality.

To get featured on Volunteer Diaries please reach out to us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029.

Yes, at Giving Circle we believe that community engagement must start early in life and therefore we encourage students to give their time, ideas and skills to volunteering activities. Go to the Explore All Projects section to search for projects that align with your interest. Once you have identified a project of your interest you can explore all the events taking place and join them right away. If you think that your college or educational institution can benefit from our structured student volunteering programmes then please write to us at  [email protected] and we will be happy to take the conversation forward.

Yes. Please visit the My Account section to see the journey of all the activities you have participated in across various NGOs. We encourage you to share your journey with your friends and family and on social media through the share buttons so that they too can appreciate the work that you are doing for the development of the country.

Simply go to the Contribute To A Change page and use the filters to find a project or NGO that works in your area of interest. Once you have identified the projects that you prefer, you can see more details about the organization, its mission and vision, goals and upcoming events.

As a platform we do not issue a certificate for volunteering, however, you can ask the NGO that you have worked for to issue it to you. If the NGO is unable to issue the certificate, then please write to us at  [email protected] and we will try our best to help you out. If you feel that your volunteering journey may inspire more people to volunteer with our NGOs then please write to us at the email id given above with the subject line ‘Volunteer Diaries’ and we will get in touch with you for more details on your story.

Yes, if you have contributed to a fundraising event or a crowdfunding campaign and the NGO you have donated to has the provision to give an 80G certificate then you will receive a tax certificate instantly. Please go to the My Account section to download the certificate. We will also email you a copy to your registered email id.

Before onboarding an NGO, Giving Circle goes through the registration papers of the NGO that certify their authenticity. We also go through the previous work they have done, their presence on social media and websites. We are also constantly in touch with the founders. However, as volunteers and donors, we would strongly recommend that you go through the NGOs or individual projects’ details before deciding to commit your time and money. If you see something unusual, then please bring it to our notice by writing to us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029.

We would recommend that you find an NGO which is doing something in your area of interest first rather than offering your skills to any and every NGO. Once you have identified an NGO in your area of interest, go to their Events section and explore which ones require your particular skills.

Yes. Please go to the NGO’s events page to see which types of volunteering they require. Giving Circle believes that volunteering can be done effectively even if it is remote. This is so not only after the pandemic but even otherwise. Having said that, we do encourage you to visit the NGO physically so see the impact of your activity in person.

Yes. For those who wish to donate without having to register, we have the Express Donate facility. Filter the projects that interest you and simply donate. Some details will still be required, however, as an 80G certificate has to be issued to you.

Giving Circle, as part of its due diligence, goes through the registration papers of the NGO that certify their authenticity. We also go through the previous work they have done, their presence on social media and websites. We also encourage NGOs to conduct their beneficiary facing or community facing activities on the platform in a transparent manner so that it adds to a digital repository of their work. So when a donor or volunteer browses through an NGO’s page, they will see all the information and past events on one single page.

Yes, we do engage in Employee Volunteering Solutions. Employees can either choose to participate at their freewill for any of the causes mentioned on the website or if they wish they have their own volunteering solution then we can engage with the corporate to design the same. The website can be white labeled as well. If you wish to have a digitally enabled employee volunteering solution for you company then please get in touch with us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029.

Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) means enabling individuals to carry out social work, to be aware of their surroundings and structure themselves in a way that they are giving back to society. ISR also requires also requires a structure in which it will thrive, such as the structure provided on Giving Circle, in academic institutions and corporate volunteering programmes. ISR gives the individual as sense of philanthropy, not in a sporadic way, but in a structured manner which aims at an outcome.

Yes, we have a structured programme designed for corporates for this purpose. We also offer the Giving Circle platform which can be used as it is or we can create a white label version of it for your organization.

Yes, when the Giving Circle application is integrated with the organization’s details, we can record the volunteering time.

Yes, we can integrated the NGOs that you are currently partnering with as an academic institution or corporate into the platform so that your students or employees can choose from the projects and events conducted by these NGOs. These NGOs can also use the platform to update students and/or employees about the latest activities.

Our employee volunteering training has goals, targets, task and outcome orientation as well as some freewill. It is designed to be similar to professional goals. Some modules can be customized depending on the requirement of the organization. Our aim is to bring individual social responsibility to the forefront so that employees find the volunteering programme meaningful rather than just clocking in hours.

There are multiple ways in which Giving Circle can engage with your organization when it comes to CSR activities. One way we can engage is by taking up the CSR budget and monitor all CSR activities end-to-end. We can also on-board certain NGOs depending on which causes  or UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) the company is looking to support.  Beyond this, we can also support your organization with employee volunteer training and creating a digital repository of all the good work that your employees have undertaken. Please get in touch with us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029 to find out what else we can do for your organization.

Academic institutions are one of our favourite areas for introducing interventions as we believe that students have a solution mindset and are more open minded too. We interact with the academic at various levels starting with creating a blueprint for the social work programme to offering projects to students. We also provided evaluation matrices that can be used by institutions to monitor students’ progress in the projects. Please check the Academia section for more details.

For starters, colleges can promote the Giving Circle platform to students so that they can look at the various projects that are taking place. Depending on their area of interests and skills they can choose to volunteer with some of these projects. The second way could be for the institution to take up a structured community service curriculum where Giving Circle can create the blueprint. Giving Circle can bring together all the stakeholders, i.e. the institution, the students, the NGO & Changemaker, and beneficiaries to create a long-term programme which students can experience during their time at the institution. This will also help students as they go forward in life.

Yes, the platform can be white labeled for colleges, schools and corporates. Please get in touch with us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029 for further details.

At Giving Circle we believe that community engagement must start early in life and therefore we encourage students to give their time, ideas and skills to volunteering activities. Go to the Explore All Projects section to search for projects that align with your interest. Once you have identified a project of your interest you can explore all the events taking place and join them right away. If you think that your college or educational institution can benefit from our structured student volunteering programmes then please write to us at  [email protected] and we will be happy to take the conversation forward.

There are two ways in which fundraising is possible through the Giving Circle website. The first is crowdfunding, where you can create a campaign and have the public donate to your cause. The other is through donation events which can be created through the Changemaker login.

Before onboarding an NGO, Giving Circle goes through the registration papers of the NGO that certify their authenticity. We also go through the previous work they have done, their presence on social media and websites. We are also constantly in touch with the founders. However, as volunteers and donors, we would strongly recommend that you go through the NGOs or individual projects’ details before deciding to commit your time and money. If you see something unusual, then please bring it to our notice by writing to us at [email protected]  or WhatsApp us on 92233 69029.

Yes. Please go to the NGO’s events page to see which types of volunteering they require. Giving Circle believes that volunteering can be done effectively even if it is remote. This is so not only after the pandemic but even otherwise. Having said that, we do encourage you to visit the NGO physically so see the impact of your activity in person.