Max Gladwell

NBC affiliate in San Jose, CA, does a spot on Causes

Berkeley is famous for having it’s own unique energy and for its commitment to social causes. Co-founder of the group “Causes” Joe Green said, “We think it captures the activist spirit a little bit.” At the company called “Causes,” a small but dedicated staff runs its dot-com startup not to get rich, but to help non-profit agencies use technology to fundraise.

The goal is pretty simple. “Anybody can start a cause and it can get really huge,” said Green. Green’s company uses the power of social networking websites like Facebook to bring people together so they can help others. Think of it as grass roots organizing, for the dot-com generation. “We’re not really re-inventing the wheel. We’re taking things like matching grants, fund-raising pledges, things that have been done in the real world, and bringing them online, and making them accessible to many more people,” said Green.

“Causes” has already helped raise millions of dollars for thousands of non-profit groups, but still challenges itself to do more. Its posted live fundraising results on a big board in its office.

The company knows it’s got a big potential audience and it knows how to reach them. “When you really focus on that, there’s no reason you can’t get a majority of people on Facebook to give $20.00 a year, $50.00 a year,” said Green. Using technology, to encourage philanthropy. Joe Green’s college roommate was Mark Zuckerberg who founded Facebook.

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