Budge

Budge is a venture-backed mobile micro-donation platform founded in 2011 by cousins Hillan Klein and Marc Lipsitz, with its headquarters in New York City. The company was established to address a perceived gap in the philanthropic sector, aiming to make charitable giving more engaging and accessible, particularly for Generation Y. The founders' journey began from a shared frustration with traditional, cumbersome donation processes and a desire to channel time spent on mobile gaming into purposeful action. Klein's background in social media and web redesign at National Australia Bank, combined with Lipsitz's experience in user behavior and product design at Breville, provided a complementary skill set for the venture.

The core of Budge's business is a mobile application that merges social interactions with charitable micro-donations. Users can create challenges or dares for their friends—ranging from silly stunts to competitive wagers—and the loser of the challenge makes a small donation, typically up to $10, to a charity of their choice. This model targets Gen Y consumers who are accustomed to social media and mobile-first experiences. The platform incorporates gamification elements, rewarding users with points and badges for donations, which can be redeemed for discounts with sponsoring partners. Revenue is primarily generated by taking a small transaction fee, up to five percent, from each donation.

In addition to its consumer-facing app, Budge offers a marketing platform for corporations. This service allows businesses to conduct corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns and sponsor non-profit organizations through the app. This dual approach serves individual users, non-profits, and corporate clients. The platform also offers white-labeling options for partners. Budge has partnered with a variety of non-profits in the United States and Australia, including organizations like Breastcancer.org, Pencils of Promise, and Keep a Child Alive, to provide users with a diverse selection of causes to support. Keywords: micro-donations, charitable giving, mobile fundraising, social challenges, gamification, philanthropy app, Gen Y giving, corporate social responsibility, CSR platform, non-profit fundraising, peer-to-peer fundraising, donation platform, charity challenges, social good, mobile giving, fundraising app, cause marketing, digital philanthropy, venture-backed, social gaming for charity