The Internet has always been about giving people an equal voice. As a public service of Thoughtbug Software, we have decided to offer reduced-cost/free hosting to deserving social causes.
What does my cause get?
If approved, your cause will receive an account on the 5/5 plan at a reduced cost (or free, depending on ability to pay). It will behave the same way as our commercial offerings and contain the exact same features. If required, we will also install necessary scripts for your cause, such as blog software. Auto-upgrade will not be enabled, however.
Who is eligible?
Any non-profit organization or individual that is promoting a cause that is not suitable for our standard offerings or for offerings at other hosting companies. For the purposes of this paragraph, the following causes are not accepted:
- For or relating to the election of a public office in your country (for instance, a Web site pitching Hillary Clinton for President would not be accepted). This is to avoid possible problems with campaign finance law in the US and other nations.
- Advocacy for hatred of people based on race, gender (and gender identity), sexual orientation, ethnicity or socioeconomic background.
- Causes advocating the destruction of property or life, either in the US or abroad.
- International or domestic terrorism (a special case of the previous statement).
Regardless of the cause, all accepted applicants must follow our Terms of Service.
What is involved?
Participating in this program only requires a few steps:
- Send an email to nonprofit@thoughtbug.com. In the email, explain:
- Your cause's mission
- What you'll use the space for (give details here--this will be important for determining eligibility)
- Your ability to pay (if any).
- We will review the email you sent and will usually reply in a few days.
- The reply email will be one of three things:
- A yes answer with a promotion code. You can go to the normal signup page and enter it where asked. Note: those that qualify for free hosting will require manual setup--you will receive instructions as to what to do next.
- A "maybe" answer. This usually happens because we need more information from you. We may ask for proof of 501(c)(3) non-profit status (if your organization is in the US), or the equivalent in other countries, or for a more detailed explanation of any of the three items above.
- A no answer. We hope not to turn away any deserving organization or cause, but sometimes there are things beyond our control that would result in such an answer. In any case, we will explain the cause for refusal.
Other restrictions
Other than those specified above, we ask that you do not use your space to sell products or services, even if they are directly related to your cause. However, accepting donations is acceptable.
Question not answered here?
If you have any questions about this program, feel free to email nonprofit@thoughtbug.com.
