About Causes

Facebook Platform presents an unprecedented opportunity to engage our generation, most of whom are on Facebook, in seizing the future and making a difference in the world around us. Our generation cares deeply, but the current system has alienated us. Causes provides the tools so that any Facebook user can leverage their network of real friends to effect positive change.

The goal of all this is what we call "equal opportunity activism." We're trying to level the playing field by empowering individuals to change the world. Existing nonprofits must raise hundreds of millions of dollars and leverage massive direct marketing campaigns to attract members. We're democratizing activism by empowering activists with an arsenal of tools for users of Facebook who want to leverage their network on Facebook to effect positive change.

Any Facebook user with a little passion and initiative can create a cause, recruit their friends into that cause, keep everybody in the cause up-to-speed on issues and media related to the cause, and, most importantly, raise money directly through the cause for any U.S. registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit or Canadian registered charity. We process the donations automatically via credit card, tally the results, and report the donation activity via a public "scorecard" in the cause. This allows us to reward people who grow their causes, donate, and successfully raise money.

This is a natural evolution of social networking. Leveraging real world social networks is an important part of activism, fundraising, and political campaigning. This is especially true of grassroots activism, local-chapter style nonprofit organizations, and the walks/runs used by many charities to raise money. Given all this, it's a bit surprising that online social networks haven't been more aggressively leveraged until now.

Please visit our discussion and reviews page to provide us with your comments and suggestions.

Who We Are

Causes was built by Project Agape.

Project Agape was co-founded by Sean and Joseph. In addition to being a co-founder of Project Agape, Sean is also a managing partner at The Founders Fund. Previously Sean was a co-founder of Napster, Plaxo, and Facebook. Joe comes from a background of grassroots organizing, having worked on the ground in political campaigns on the city, state, and presidential level.

Causes is built and maintained by eight outstanding software engineers: Josh, Christopher, Brad, Jennifer, Jimmy, Kevin, Kristján and Keith. The look and feel is designed by Josh Williams.

We also place a high priority on building and maintaining close relationships with nonprofits. This effort is lead by our Nonprofit Director, Randall, and ably supported by Tam, Peter, Matthew, and Daryn. Tam also leads our user and nonprofit support.

We are based in downtown Berkeley, CA, where our office is managed by Susan.

Nonprofit Partners

U.S. Nonprofits

American Heart Association	Global Justice	Humane Society of the United States	Teach For America
The Heritage Foundation	Ashoka: Innovators for the Public	The ONE Campaign	Save Darfur Coalition
	Greenpeace	Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Canadian Charities

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society	Muscular Dystrophy Canada	Salvation Army	Canadian Cancer Society	The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
Habitat for Humanity	World Literacy of Canada	Childhood Cancer Foundation	Urban Promise	Engineers Without Borders

Become a Partner Nonprofit

If you are a nonprofit that wishes to work directly with Causes, please visit http://www.causes.com/partners/partners/new.