2024 saw a variety of crises affecting people across the world, from hurricanes to floods and violent conflicts. For many companies, it’s not a matter of if but when the next one will affect your organization and employees. It can be hard to know how to help those affected by crises but with an Employee Assistance Fund (EAF) you can be ready to step up for employees in need, no matter the emergency. 

Global Impact has nearly 70 years of experience distributing funds to those in need. We seamlessly process assistance funding offering non-taxable income to employees and tax-deductible contributions to the program. When you work with us to establish an EAF, you’re in good hands.  

As we entered 2025, we saw continued need for EAFs with events like the Los Angeles Wildfires, Winter Storm Enzo, Santorini earthquakes, and more. So, we’re reflecting on all the good our EAFs were able to do for people around the world last year. Read on for an analysis of our EAF programs in 2024 and how an EAF can help your workplace, then learn more about our EAF work here. 

Key Program Metrics 
Last year we successfully supported our clients and their diverse workforces worldwide, reviewing and approving nearly 8,000 applications across multiple clients. Here are some key program metrics we saw across clients in 2024: 

  • On average, clients provided approximately 1,250 grants to employees in need, with an average grant amount of $1,445. 
  • Overall, we distributed more than $5,000,000 in financial assistance to individuals globally. 
  • Our clients’ programs align closely with industry benchmarks — under 1% of employees receive grants each year and more than 90% of applications are approved.  

Fundraising Efforts 
Employee Assistance Funds (EAFs) typically draw from several key funding sources to provide financial support to employees at times of emergency. Common sources include corporate contributions, employee donations, matching gifts, special fundraisers, and beyond. Insights from our 2024 EAF client survey revealed that companies are actively seeking ways to enhance their EAF fundraising efforts. 

In 2024, our EAF clients saw an average donation of $32,445 through workplace giving sites such as Benevity and Cybergrants with several clients participating in matching gifts for these contributions. Leveraging our expertise in fundraising at Global Impact, particularly in employee giving, we also developed new marketing resources for our clients in 2024.  

We also highlighted HP’s successful fundraising efforts during their annual Relief Month in our recent corporate fundraising white paper. HP uses donations to their HP Employee Relief Fund to provide grants of up to $5,000 to employees, and matches employee donations up to $10,000 per employee each year, demonstrating effective fundraising strategies.

While many programs still require significant corporate commitment, we see workplace giving as a great way to engage employees in your Employee Assistance Fund. EAFs present a valuable opportunity to foster community within the workplace, enabling employees to support and receive support from one another during challenging times.

Growth & Impact 
EAFs have seen increased adoption over the last few years as companies prioritize employee well-being, especially in response to natural disasters, global crises, and other employee hardships. Trends suggest continued growth in 2025, driven by corporate social responsibility initiatives and the integration of EAFs into broader employee benefits programs. 

At Global Impact, our client base expanded in 2024, and we are already bringing on new clients in early 2025. As our network grows, we actively seek feedback to ensure that our EAFs remain relevant and effective in supporting employees during their greatest times of need. Based on insights from our 2024 client survey, we have developed new tools and resources to help clients better communicate with their employees about accessing the program, donating to the fund, and integrating EAFs into annual reports and social impact metrics. 

We are proud to empower companies to help employees during their most challenging times. We have worked with long-term clients and brand-new companies to distribute grant funds to employees around the globe over the past year and we are grateful for these partnerships. We see continued growth coming in 2025 as Employee Assistance Funds become a key element of employee well-being benefits and overall employee engagement efforts. 

Looking for more information? 

  • Reach out to [email protected] to launch an EAF for your employees. We’d be thrilled to work with you!