Dosomething

What Dosomething does

DoSomething is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 and headquartered in New York that operates dosomething.org, a self-serve online platform engaging young people aged 14-24 around social and civic causes. The platform matches members to low-barrier action campaigns across climate, mental health, hunger, equity, period equity, scam prevention, road safety, and related verticals, and wraps participation in an incentive layer of verified volunteer credit hours (e.g., 10 hours per Street Sweep completion) and scholarships of up to $1,500 for streak-based challenges such as Offline Mode. It also distributes Do'ers Toolkit and Educators Toolkit to schools and educators, and runs an article library covering resume guidance, money management, and civic topics.

The underlying technology is a member-facing web platform with self-serve onboarding, cause-based action recommendations, volunteer credit tracking, and a member-generated content layer (e.g., PSAs via Ripple Effect). There is no mobile app, no public API or SDK, and no documented AI/ML components; the platform is a content-and-campaign hub rather than a technical infrastructure product. The organization has reported mobilizing 8.5 million young changemakers cumulatively over 33 years and recently relaunched its brand via a co-designed 'Glow Up' with young members.

DoSomething's revenue model combines individual donations solicited via the website, corporate cause-marketing sponsorships (notably with 3M and Amazon MGM Studios for Project STEM Heroes, and Star Trek/403 Auction), share of auction proceeds, and foundation/grants via coalitions such as the C&S-led civic engagement initiative alongside Carnegie Corporation of New York, YPulse, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The for-profit adjacent subsidiary DoSomething Strategic (dosomethingstrategic.work) extends the brand into paid consulting for nonprofits and youth organizations. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via dosomething.org with secondary partner-mediated reach through schools, workplaces, and a 135-member college consortium; there is no traditional retail or reseller channel.

Name

Dosomething

Legal name

DoSomething

Website

https://DoSomething.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DoSomething.org is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a self-serve online platform that mobilizes young people aged 14-24 around social causes via action campaigns, volunteer credit hours, educator toolkits, and scholarships up to $1,500, funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and consulting subsidiary DoSomething Strategic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Civic Engagement Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAL

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Youth civic engagement
• Volunteer action campaigns
• Nonprofit youth programs
• Community service scholarships
• Social impact platform

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: DoSomething is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (charity) that solicits charitable donations through its website and donor pages. The site prominently features Donate buttons across navigation and footer.
2. Corporate partnerships and cause-marketing sponsorships: Revenue generated through branded cause-marketing campaigns with corporate partners such as 3M and Amazon MGM Studios, who fund programs like Project STEM Heroes in conjunction with major media tie-ins.
3. Charity share of auction and event proceeds: DoSomething receives a portion of proceeds from auction events (e.g., 403 Auction's Star Trek Universe 60th Anniversary Sale) where it serves as an official charity partner.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DoSomething.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit platform that mobilizes young people aged 14-24 to take action on social causes (climate, mental health, hunger, equity, period poverty, scam prevention, road safety). Members self-register online, select causes they care about, and complete low-barrier action campaigns that yield verified volunteer credit hours, signed certificates, and eligibility for scholarships of up to $1,500. The organization distributes toolkits (Do'ers Toolkit, Educators Toolkit) and runs cause-marketing programs with corporate partners to scale youth civic participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DoSomething.org Platform Central free-to-join platform for young people ages 14-24 to discover causes, access action toolkits, build skills, earn volunteer credits, and connect with a community of changemakers.
• Offline Mode Pledge-based road-safety program in which members commit to distraction-free driving, complete a 7-day or 30-day streak, and become eligible to earn up to a $1,500 scholarship.
• Street Sweep Action campaign in which members host their own neighborhood litter clean-up to keep streets and waterways clean, earning 10 verified volunteer credit hours and a signed certificate.
• Tackle Hunger Action campaign in which members donate food items to local food banks to help feed community members in need.
• Power to the Period Action campaign in which members collect and donate period products to people experiencing homelessness and people in need.
• Making Waves (Ripple Effect) Member-created action in which young people create and share a public service announcement promoting safe trash disposal and protecting local waterways.
• Report the Scam Community action in which members report scams to help protect others from fraud, identity theft, and financial loss.
• Letter Bee Member-created action encouraging young people to build genuine connections through heartfelt letters, acts of kindness, and storytelling while supporting those in need.
• Project STEM Heroes Nationwide initiative co-funded by 3M and Amazon MGM Studios that encourages young people to explore STEM careers through 60-second video submissions, awarding scholarships up to $1,500 and access to the Project Hail Mary New York City film premiere.
• Do'ers Toolkit Centralized downloadable toolkit providing campaign guides and resources for young people running civic action campaigns.
• Educators Toolkit Downloadable toolkit designed for educators to integrate DoSomething civic action campaigns into classrooms and produce verifiable volunteer credit hours for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.5 million young changemakers mobilized over 33 years
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• 403 AuctioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026403 Auction launched a Star Trek Universe 60th Anniversary Sale in Toronto featuring authentic set items, with a portion of proceeds benefiting DoSomething as an official Star Trek 60th anniversary charity partner. Auction restricted to Ontario residents; shipping unavailable due to timeline.
• Star Trek (franchise)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026DoSomething is one of Star Trek's official 60th anniversary charity partners. The relationship manifests via the 403 Auction event, which features authentic Star Trek Universe set items with a portion of proceeds directed to DoSomething.
• 3MflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 20263M co-launched Project STEM Heroes with DoSomething and Amazon MGM Studios in conjunction with the Project Hail Mary film premiere. The nationwide initiative encourages young people to explore STEM careers via 60-second video submissions, with $1,500 scholarships and premiere attendance as rewards. 3M also co-produced The Road to 2060 Career Guide.
• Amazon MGM StudiosflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Amazon MGM Studios co-launched Project STEM Heroes with DoSomething and 3M tied to the Project Hail Mary film premiere, providing media tie-in, prize fulfilment (NYC premiere access), and youth audience distribution.
• C&S (Institute for Citizens & Scholars)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026C&S announced a multi-year initiative to empower 20 million young people aged 14-24 to take civic actions (calling elected representatives, volunteering locally, hosting community conversations). DoSomething is a core delivery partner, with a goal of reaching 15 million via an online campaign tied to the U.S. semiquincentennial, deployed through schools, workplaces, and a 135-member college consortium.
• YPulsecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026YPulse is a current partner supporting the C&S-led civic engagement initiative alongside DoSomething, contributing youth research insights and outreach to Gen Z audiences via a participation platform launching summer 2026.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is a current partner in the C&S-led civic engagement coalition, supporting outreach through workplaces and the participation platform launching summer 2026.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Points of Light: One of the largest US volunteer-mobilization nonprofits, operating programs that engage individuals in service and civic action. Closely comparable to DoSomething in mission (volunteerism, civic engagement) and target audience, but with a broader (multi-generational) demographic and a heavier hands-on service orientation.
• VolunteerMatch: Online platform that connects volunteers with nonprofit opportunities. Directly comparable to DoSomething as a digital-first civic-action marketplace; differs in serving a multi-generational audience rather than specializing in 14-24-year-olds.
• Youth Service America (YSA): National nonprofit focused on youth (primarily K-12 and college-age) service, volunteering, and civic engagement. Directly comparable in age-targeted youth civic action and in the use of recognition/incentive programs (e.g., service grants), paralleling DoSomething's scholarship and volunteer-hour incentives.
• iCivics: Nonprofit founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor that provides civic-education games and curriculum to middle and high school students. Comparable in targeting Gen Z for civic engagement but oriented around classroom-based civic education rather than action campaigns and volunteer hours.
• Generation On: Youth service initiative (now part of Points of Light) that mobilizes young people in volunteer action. Directly comparable in youth-led service model and toolkits; differs in being an initiative of a larger incumbent rather than an independent nonprofit.
• Idealist: Action and volunteer-matching platform listing nonprofit jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. Comparable as an online civic-action discovery channel; differs in serving a multi-generational audience and emphasizing listings rather than curated campaigns.

Others

• Network for Good: Fundraising and donor-management platform for nonprofits, providing donation software and donor CRM. Comparable as a nonprofit-sector enabler and adjacent to DoSomething's donation-driven revenue model, but does not directly compete in youth civic action.

Broad incumbents

• AmeriCorps: Federal agency that funds national service and volunteer programs across age groups. Overlaps with DoSomething in mobilizing Americans into civic action but operates at vastly larger scale with federal funding and stipended service rather than volunteer hours and scholarships.
• Habitat for Humanity: Large US/international nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers — including youth — for housing builds and advocacy. Comparable in volunteer-driven nonprofit model with youth engagement channels, but operates at a different scale and around a single cause area rather than a broad civic-action portfolio.

Regional players

• City Year: AmeriCorps-affiliated youth service corps that places 18-25-year-olds in schools for a year of paid service. Comparable in mobilizing young people for civic action and in partnering with schools; differs in being a structured, paid service program rather than a digital action platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dosomething
• Facebookfacebook.com/dosomething

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dosomething