No. OpenGiving is not a charity.
We're a technology company building marketplace infrastructure for participatory fundraising. Think of us as the pipes, not the water — we provide the mechanics that let people raise funds, sell items, and build impact profiles.
What We Actually Are
OpenGiving is a peer-to-peer marketplace platform. We enable:
- Campaign creators to launch fundraising campaigns
- Sellers to list items and route a portion of sales to campaigns
- Buyers to shop and automatically support causes
- Contributors to give directly to campaigns they care about
Every action builds a GivingProfile — a permanent, public record of your impact.
Why the Distinction Matters
Charities are organizations with specific tax status and regulatory requirements. They receive donations and distribute funds according to their mission.
OpenGiving is infrastructure. We don't receive donations or decide how funds are used. We build the tools that let communities support each other in multiple ways — not just cash.
The Bottom Line
We're not a 501(c)(3). Contributions made through OpenGiving are not tax-deductible unless the campaign is run by a registered nonprofit (which is noted on those campaigns).
We're building the rails for a new kind of participation. The causes and communities decide how to use them.
