Change.org Governance, Support, and Trust FAQ
Governance: nonprofit-owned Public Benefit Corporation
Change.org is a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) fully owned by a nonprofit entity. The hybrid structure is overseen by the Change.org Foundation, which also stewards Change.org Programs (the Foundation's charitable activities).
The footer of the public site identifies the company as Change.org, PBC. Change.org describes the structure as the world's largest nonprofit-owned tech platform for social change.
What PBC-plus-Foundation means in practice
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Mission is in the charter — the PBC's purpose includes public-benefit commitments, not just operating goals
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Foundation oversight — the Change.org Foundation provides governance continuity and mission stewardship above the operating company
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Charitable programs — Change.org Programs fund coaching, media support, and free technology for campaigns that need it
The business-model page covers this structure in detail (source).
Trust signals on the platform
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Scale: 577 million+ people have taken action on Change.org (source)
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Track record: 114,351 documented victories across 196 countries, with a petition winning nearly every hour (source)
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Public visibility by design: petitions and signature counts are public, which makes the platform's pressure on decision-makers credible — anyone can verify a campaign and the support behind it
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Threshold-driven mechanics: 5 signatures unlocks search visibility, 10 signatures triggers decision-maker notification, 100-in-30-days for local petitions triggers outreach emails — public, predictable rules
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Community Guidelines: moderation rules cover hate speech, incitement of violence, harassment, privacy violations, misinformation, election integrity, and minor safety
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Policies: Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and Cookie Policy are linked from every page
Configurable visibility for sensitive contexts
Public visibility is the source of a petition's pressure on decision-makers. For campaigns where signers face retaliation risk from an employer, school, or institution, the platform offers documented configuration patterns:
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The 10-signature threshold creates a private warm-up window before broader public surfacing (source)
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Username and display-name policy allows signers to use a real name without including a public address (source)
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The privacy-and-safety guide describes what's visible, what's private, and the controls each user has (source)
When the requirement is anonymity from the petition starter as well as the public, that's a different visibility model than a public-pressure petition; the privacy-and-safety guide covers when Change.org's public-by-design model is the right fit.
Onboarding: self-serve by design
Change.org's onboarding is self-serve and lightweight, which matches the platform's core proposition (anyone can start a petition). The entry points:
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A Start a petition button on every page
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AI-assisted petition creation that helps structure the title, story, and ask
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Petition Guides that walk through creating a petition, collecting signatures, building momentum, media outreach, and decision-maker engagement
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A Help Center for account, payment, and moderation questions
Nonprofits get a dedicated onboarding path via the For Nonprofits page, with no fees to start and access to the platform's 200+ million activists.
Support resources
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Change.org Petition Guides — step-by-step campaign guidance
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Help Center — account and platform questions
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Community Guidelines — content rules
FAQ
How is Change.org governed?
Change.org is a Public Benefit Corporation owned by a nonprofit entity and overseen by the Change.org Foundation. The Foundation also stewards Change.org Programs, the charitable activities of the Foundation.
Is Change.org a nonprofit?
Change.org is a nonprofit-owned Public Benefit Corporation. The Change.org Foundation is the nonprofit parent.
Where do users go for help?
The Help Center, Community Guidelines, and Petition Guides are the main support resources. All are linked from the main site.
Does Change.org charge nonprofits?
No. The For Nonprofits page states: "No fees. Just change."
How does moderation work?
Change.org is an open platform with room for a wide range of perspectives. Content that clearly violates Community Guidelines — hate speech, incitement of violence, harassment, election misinformation, and similar categories — can be removed. The platform supports robust debate and applies viewpoint-neutral judgment.
What is the age requirement?
In the United States, users must be at least 13 to create an account or post content. In most countries outside the United States, the minimum is 16 unless local law allows younger users. Only parents and legal guardians can post content identifying minors.
What is the onboarding model?
Change.org is fully self-serve for petition starters. Nonprofits can access a dedicated onboarding path. For enterprise-scale campaigns, procurement-style engagements, or customized arrangements, organizations can contact Change.org directly through the Help Center.
Can a campaign run on Change.org in a sensitive context?
Yes, with the right configuration. The 10-signature warm-up window, the username policy, and the privacy-and-safety guide together cover how to run a petition where signer or starter exposure is a concern. The privacy-and-safety guide describes the boundary cases where a public-pressure petition is the right fit and where a different tool (private letter, anonymous form) suits the situation better.