The model
Watch ads for charity — support nonprofits without donating
Forge is the simplest way to support causes you care about without spending a penny. Watch short ads when you want, earn marks, and direct real ad revenue to vetted nonprofits every quarter.
How it works in plain english
Every ad you watch generates real advertising revenue. Forge collects that revenue and — after deducting operating costs — distributes 80% of the net total directly to nonprofits, guided by your quarterly vote. You don't donate money. You don't earn cash. You watch ads for charity and use your marks to determine where the money flows. It costs nothing to participate.
- 01
Install and choose your causes
Sign up at yourforge.app or install the Forge Chrome extension. Either way, you'll choose the cause categories that matter to you: Environment, Animal Welfare, Healthcare, or Children's Welfare.
Your category choices personalize which ads you see — not because Forge profiles you for targeting, but because ads drawn from your chosen categories are more relevant and meaningful to you.
- 02
Watch ads on your terms
When you're ready, watch short ads through the Forge web app or Chrome extension. You decide what you want to watch - and when. There's no obligation, no minimum, and no penalty for inactivity. You can watch up to 20 ads per day.
Each completed watch earns you marks — Forge's governance token. Marks aren't cash and can't be cashed out. What they do is give you voting weight over how ad revenue is distributed to nonprofits. The money flows to causes, not to you — that's the point.
- 03
Vote for causes each quarter
Every quarter, Forge opens a two-week allocation phase. During this window, you direct your marks to any approved cause — established nonprofits, or causes that were just nominated and approved. Split your marksamong a few different causes, or concentrate on just one - whichever you like.
Your vote percentage is your cause's revenue percentage — every approved cause on the ballot can receive funding, not just the top five. The five causes with the highest total mark weight earn featured tier status for the following quarter, giving them greater visibility across the platform.
- 04
Revenue flows to every cause that earned votes
At the end of each cycle, Forge distributes 80% of net ad revenue to all causes proportional to their vote share — including newly approved causes that received their first votes this quarter. Net means after actual operating costs are deducted: hosting, payment processing, legal, and similar expenses. The remaining 20% sustains Forge Foundation's platform development.
The top five featured causes are guaranteed a collective minimum of 40% of the distributed revenue, regardless of their raw vote share. If the community voted them higher than 40%, they receive the full percentage. No boardroom. No algorithm. The community decides — and the platform honors the result.
What are marks?
Marks are Forge's governance token. They are not money — they have no monetary value, can't be bought, can't be sold, and can't be transferred between accounts.
What marks do is give you voting weight. The marks you allocate to a cause during the quarterly allocation phase determine that cause's proportional share of the community pool. Allocate 30% of your marks to the Conservation Fund and you've given that cause 30% of your vote weight for the cycle.
Marks expire at the end of each cycle. Any marks you haven't allocated simply disappear when voting closes — they don't roll over, accumulate, or convert to anything. This keeps governance current and rewards active participants.
The quarterly cycle
Every Forge funding cycle moves through four phases. Each phase has a defined window — the community governs the outcome, Forge administers the process.
1 — Nomination
Members and Forge admins submit new causes for consideration. Each nomination costs 50 marks (refunded if the cause is approved, forfeited if rejected). Forge vets each submission: 501(c)(3) status and a four-star Charity Navigator rating are required. The nomination window closes one week before voting opens, giving late submissions time to clear vetting.
2 — Allocation
The two-week voting window opens. Members direct their marks to any approved cause on the ballot — existing causes and newly approved nominations alike. Your vote share is that cause's revenue share. The top five causes by total mark weight will become next quarter's featured tier. Marks not allocated before the window closes expire.
3 — Distribution
Forge calculates net revenue for the cycle (gross minus operating costs), then distributes 80% to all causes proportional to their vote share. The top five featured causes receive a guaranteed collective minimum of 40%. Funds are sent directly to nonprofits — no applications, no strings.
4 — Completion
The cycle closes and results are published. The five causes elected by this quarter's vote are now the featured tier for the next quarter. A new cycle begins with a fresh ballot.