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Frequently asked questions

Everything you want to know about how Forge works, how marks work, and where the money goes. Can't find your answer? Get in touch.

Getting Started

Can I support charities without donating money?
Yes — that's exactly what Forge is built for. Instead of donating cash, you watch short ads. Each ad you watch generates real advertising revenue. Forge then distributes 80% of that net revenue to vetted nonprofits that you choose every quarter. You support the causes you care about without spending anything.
How does watching ads for charity work?
When you watch an ad through Forge, the advertiser pays for that impression — just like any ad platform. The difference is what happens to that revenue. On Forge, 80% of net ad revenue goes to a community pool, distributed to nonprofits based on how users allocate their marks each quarter. Your watch generates the revenue. Your marks direct it.
What is Forge?
Forge is a consent-based advertising platform. You voluntarily watch short ads, earn governance tokens called marks, and every quarter those marks determine how ad revenue is distributed to vetted nonprofits. You decide which causes matter — not an algorithm, not a boardroom.
Is Forge free to use?
Yes. Creating an account and participating is completely free. There are no subscription fees, no hidden charges, and no cost to watch ads, earn marks, or vote on cause allocations.
How do I join?
Forge is currently in early access. You can join the waitlist at yourforge.app. When your spot opens, you'll get access a private dashboard for your account. There is also a Chrome browser extension you can install that is more passive and periodically nudges you to watch an ad.
Do I need an account to watch ads?
You can watch ads without an account using an anonymous session. Anonymous watches will generate revenue but only registered users earn marks. So if you want a say in where that revenue goes, a free account is the way to go.
Is there a mobile app?
Not yet. Forge currently runs as a web app and a Chrome browser extension. A mobile experience is on the roadmap.

Marks & Earning

What are marks?
Marks are Forge's governance token — they are not money. They can't be bought, sold, or transferred. What they do is give you vote weight: the marks you allocate to a cause during the quarterly voting phase determine that cause's proportional share of the community pool. More participation means more voice.
How do I earn marks?
You earn marks by watching ads through the Forge web app or Chrome extension. Each completed ad watch earns a fixed number of marks. Only authenticated users earn marks — anonymous watchers generate revenue but no governance weight.
Is there a daily limit on ad watches?
Yes — 20 ads per day per account. This keeps the system fair and prevents abuse. The limit resets daily.
Do marks expire?
Yes. Marks are tied to the current cycle. They expire when the quarterly voting phase closes. Any marks you haven't allocated at that point simply disappear — they don't roll over, carry a cash value, or accumulate across cycles. This keeps governance fresh and participation relevant.
Can I buy marks or transfer them to someone else?
No. Marks cannot be purchased, traded, gifted, or transferred between accounts. Influence on Forge comes from participation, not payment. This is a core design principle and won't change.

Nonprofits & Causes

How are nonprofits vetted?
Every cause on Forge must be a registered 501(c)(3) organization with a four-star rating on Charity Navigator — the highest available. No cause pays to be listed. The vetting process is non-negotiable and applies equally to all organizations regardless of size or category.
Who decides which causes receive funding each quarter?
The community does — not a committee, not an algorithm. Every member directs their marks to whichever approved causes they support during the quarterly allocation phase. Every approved cause on the ballot can receive revenue, not just the top five. Each cause's vote share determines its share of the distributed revenue. The top five causes by total mark weight earn featured tier status for the following quarter. Forge does not pick favorites or override community votes.
Can I nominate a new cause?
Yes. Nominating a cause costs 50 marks from your current balance. If the nomination passes vetting and is approved before the allocation window opens, it goes straight onto that quarter's ballot — meaning the community can vote for it and it can receive funding that same cycle. If it's rejected because the organization doesn't meet Forge's criteria, those marks are forfeited. The small cost discourages frivolous nominations.
What happens to a cause that doesn't receive many votes?
New causes that fail to clear a minimum vote threshold in their first eligible quarter are removed from the ballot. They can be re-nominated in a future cycle. Established causes — those with history on the platform — are given more latitude: a cause must fall below the threshold for four consecutive quarters before it is deactivated. This rewards causes that have built genuine community support while keeping the ballot from becoming bloated with inactive listings.
What type of charity does Forge support?
Forge currently supports charities in four broad categories: Environment & Conservation, Animal Welfare, Healthcare, and Children's Welfare. We are launching with 12 founding causes — all independently vetted, all four-star rated on Charity Navigator. As we grow, more categories and more causes will be added.

Revenue & Transparency

What percentage of ad revenue goes to nonprofits?
80% of net ad revenue is distributed to the community pool each quarter. 'Net' means after actual operating costs — hosting, payment processing, legal, and similar expenses — are deducted from gross revenue first. The remaining 20% goes to Forge Foundation to sustain platform development.
How does Forge make money?
Forge retains 20% of net ad revenue to fund platform operations and development. That's it. We don't sell user data, run hidden fees, or take additional cuts. Advertisers pay for placements; a portion sustains the platform and the majority flows to nonprofits.
Are my contributions tax-deductible?
No. When you watch ads and allocate marks, you're influencing how Forge Foundation distributes revenue it earned from advertisers — you're not making a direct charitable donation. Forge Foundation makes the actual transfers to nonprofits. Please consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
When does Forge distribute funds to nonprofits?
Distributions happen quarterly, at the end of each funding cycle. The cycle moves through four phases: nomination (new causes submitted and vetted), allocation (two-week voting window where members direct their marks), distribution (80% of net revenue sent to all causes proportional to votes received), and completion (results published, next quarter's featured tier announced). Timing details for each active cycle are published in the platform.

Privacy & Your Account

Do you sell my data?
Never. Forge does not sell personal data to any third party. Advertisers receive only aggregated, anonymized statistics — total impressions and completion rates. No individual user data is shared.
Can I delete my account?
Yes, at any time from your account settings. Deletion removes your personal information and revokes your authentication. Activity records are anonymized to preserve the integrity of the marks ledger. Any marks you hold expire naturally at the end of the current cycle.
What happens to my marks if I pause my account?
Pausing stops ad delivery and mark earnings. Your existing mark balance is frozen — it won't grow, but it won't disappear until the natural end of the cycle. You can reactivate your account at any time from settings.