Creating a groundswell for change in the community
By Katie Koranda
Giving well takes more than good intentions. At Groundswell, we believe how we give matters just as much as what we give. As a growing consultancy, formalizing our commitment to the community means the opportunity to build our giving program from the ground up — based on our values, skills, and community needs.
We’re calling it Groundswell Gives.
The inspiration
We are big fans of Bob Burg’s Go-Giver philosophy, even naming one of our values after it. Our giving program brings that philosophy, and our values, to life.
If you’re not familiar with it, The Go-Giver Way boils success down to a counter-intuitive idea: that real success comes from leading with value, not from chasing gain.
This shows up as reaching as many people as possible with real value, giving consistently without expecting anything in return, and letting generosity flow in both directions.
But first, people
One of the reasons we are so inspired by this philosophy is that it aligns with our own values, one of which is “We put people first — always.”
What does it look like to put people first when developing a giving program?
Traditional workplace giving and volunteering programs often treat philanthropy as a transactional metric or public relations exercise rather than a tool for genuine transformation, according to corporate social responsibility (CSR) firm Realized Worth.
The focus is often on volume. How many employees volunteered? How much money was raised?
As a consulting firm that is serious about transformation and cares deeply about people, we wanted our giving program to focus on value, not volume. We set out to build a corporate philanthropy program with intention. One that provides value for both our team and the communities we partner with.
We started by hosting listening sessions with nonprofits on a mission to empower women. What did they need? What did their participants need? How could we show up in a deep and meaningful way — providing true value?
They told us they wanted companies that were eager to offer a more personal kind of impact than traditional volunteer activities, such as 1:1 mentoring, and while acts of service are valuable, what really matters is showing up, listening, and learning together.
These answers shaped our program pillars. We formalized partnerships with two local nonprofits that, yes, include team volunteering, sponsoring events, and making donations. All of those things are important pillars in any corporate giving program. But what truly excites us is the chance to match our consultants with women in professional and personal development programs, fostering meaningful, long-term relationships.
Our approach encourages a reciprocal partnership, where mentorship flows in both directions, and both groups learn from each other's experiences.
We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to share more.
Katie Koranda is a seasoned communications professional with deep internal and external communications expertise at large, global, matrixed organizations across multiple industries. As a trained spiritual director specializing in grief and loss, she brings a unique perspective to communications, blending strategic narrative and visual storytelling with deep relational awareness.
