Because I said I would
Because I said I would is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 that distributes Promise Cards and related programs to build accountability and resiliency skills among students, incarcerated individuals, grieving families, and individual donors, operating from a 92-acre Ohio camp headquarters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersRocky River, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Because I said I would does
Because I said I would is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 by Alex Sheen and headquartered on a 92-acre property in Walhonding, Ohio (with a Mount Vernon, Ohio mailing address). The organization's stated mission is to empower people with resiliency skills and mental health habits, primarily through the distribution of "Promise Cards" — physical and digital accountability tools that ask recipients to make a written promise that the organization then helps track and publish. It serves a multi-segment audience that includes K-12 schools, corrections facilities, grieving families, and individual donors/participants, with publicly tracked pledges exceeding 9,000 to date.
The core product set is built around the Promise Card, supplemented by The Promise Planner (a digital accountability tool), free lesson plans for schools, podcasts, books authored or produced by the founder, and TEDx-style public speaking content. Programmatic infrastructure includes school chapters, volunteer advisory boards, a corrections program, a bereavement support line of programming, and on-site retreats at the Ohio camp, alongside a livestream leadership development studio for remote delivery. The organization does not operate a mobile app, API, or software platform with disclosed technical architecture.
The business model is donation-driven. Revenue mechanics combine individual giving across tiers (entry-level $10-$500 contributions and larger one-time gifts), merchandise sales (Promise Cards and related goods), paid corporate and group retreats at the camp, and livestream leadership training. The organization has 11-50 employees and is incorporated as a US 501(c)(3). No financials, grants, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed in the input material.
Because I said I would firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Because I said I would
- Legal name
- Because I said I would
- Website
- https://becauseisaidiwould.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Because I said I would is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 that distributes Promise Cards and related programs to build accountability and resiliency skills among students, incarcerated individuals, grieving families, and individual donors, operating from a 92-acre Ohio camp headquarters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Because I said I would industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Character Education and Social Services Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Because I said I would is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rocky River
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Because I said I would business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations at various levels ($10-$500+ suggested amounts, plus custom amounts). Includes processing fee coverage option. Also accepts equipment and supply donations.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of Promise Cards in bulk, apparel, books, and branded merchandise through the organization's e-commerce store.
- Corporate and Group Programs: Revenue from leadership retreats at camp, corporate retreats, and group pricing for Promise Cards and programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free Promise Cards - No cost basic offering |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-based support |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Merchandise and bulk products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Because I said I would product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Because I said I would is a nonprofit organization that distributes Promise Cards (physical and digital accountability tools) and delivers character education programs in schools and prisons, bereavement support for grieving families, and corporate leadership retreats at a 92-acre camp in central Ohio. Programs are funded primarily through donations, with supporting merchandise sales and event/retreat fees.
Product overview
Because I said I would is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of character education and resiliency programs rather than a traditional software product. The core offering centers on Promise Cards (physical and digital accountability cards), supported by school programs (high school chapters, assemblies, and lesson plans), a corrections program for prisons, and bereavement support services. The organization operates a 92-acre camp retreat in central Ohio as its worldwide headquarters, hosting family grief support programs, corporate retreats, and leadership development workshops. Supplementary offerings include published books, podcasts, the Promise Planner tool, and an e-commerce store for merchandise and bulk Promise Cards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Promise Card: Physical and digital promise cards used to write and track commitments
Products and services
- Promise Cards Physical and digital cards used to make and document promises, distributed free or for purchase, designed to promote accountability and promise-keeping behavior across schools, individuals, and organizations.
- School Programs Character education programs including high school chapters, school assemblies, and lesson plans designed to teach honesty, accountability, and self-control to students in school settings.
- Corrections Program Character education and resiliency programming delivered in prison facilities to teach honesty, accountability, and self-control to incarcerated individuals.
- Camp because I said I would A 92-acre retreat center and worldwide headquarters in Walhonding, Ohio, serving families facing tragedies through bereavement support, grief programs, and community retreats.
- Bereavement Support Program Grief support services for families experiencing loss, including sponsorship programs for grieving families and online resiliency resources delivered at camp and online.
- Keynotes & Workshops Speaking engagements by founder Alex Sheen, including leadership retreats at camp, TEDx talks, and livestream leadership development series for corporate events, schools, and conferences.
- Corporate Retreats Leadership development and team-building retreats held at the organization's 92-acre camp facility for businesses and organizations seeking professional resilience and team-building experiences.
- Store & Merchandise E-commerce platform selling apparel, Promise Cards in bulk, books, and other branded merchandise to support the organization's mission and provide accountability tools.
- The Book Published book available for purchase through the organization's store, documenting promise stories and the organization's mission of accountability and resiliency.
Companies that use Because I said I would
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Because I said I would technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Because I said I would partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Because I said I would competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Character.org: Character.org is a national nonprofit focused on character education in schools, including the National Schools of Character program. It closely mirrors the school chapter, assembly, and lesson plan offerings.
- Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation: Choose Love Foundation provides a social-emotional learning and character education curriculum for schools. Directly comparable on school-based SEL/character programming and lesson plans.
- Random Acts of Kindness Foundation: Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a mission-driven nonprofit promoting kindness as a movement, with school curricula and storytelling. Compares on the social-movement framing, school programs, and content library.
- Camp Kesem: Camp Kesem operates free summer camps and year-round support for children affected by a parent's cancer. It is directly comparable to Because I said I would's bereavement camp programming and grief support mission.
- The Moyer Foundation / Camp Erin: The Moyer Foundation runs Camp Erin, the largest network of bereavement camps for grieving children. Highly comparable to the camp-based family bereavement program at Because I said I would.
Broad incumbents
- The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is a leading youth mental health and crisis intervention nonprofit with fundraising and digital content engines. Broader in scope, but comparable on youth mental health mission and donation-driven revenue.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: BBBS is a long-standing youth mentoring nonprofit focused on character, accountability, and outcomes for at-risk youth. Comparable on character/mission framing but operates a much larger national model.
- Points of Light: Points of Light is a major volunteer and civic engagement nonprofit. Comparable on community-led growth, volunteer networks, and mission-driven storytelling.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: BGCA is a large, established youth development nonprofit with national club facilities and character-building programming. A broader incumbent operating in the same youth development and resilience space.
- The Jed Foundation: JED is a leading nonprofit protecting youth mental health and preventing suicide, with school and college partnerships. Broader in scope but comparable on youth mental health/resilience programming.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Because I said I would social profiles
Digital presenceBecause I said I would compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Because I said I would financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Because I said I would leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Because I said I would funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Because I said I would M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Because I said I would
What does Because I said I would do?
Because I said I would is a nonprofit organization that distributes Promise Cards (physical and digital accountability tools) and delivers character education programs in schools and prisons, bereavement support for grieving families, and corporate leadership retreats at a 92-acre camp in central Ohio. Programs are funded primarily through donations, with supporting merchandise sales and event/retreat fees.
Is Because I said I would a public or private company?
Because I said I would is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Because I said I would founded?
Because I said I would was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Because I said I would based?
Because I said I would is headquartered in Rocky River, United States, in the North America region.
How does Because I said I would make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and corporate and Group Programs.
Who are Because I said I would's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Character.org, Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation, Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, Camp Kesem and The Moyer Foundation / Camp Erin. Broad incumbents are The Trevor Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Points of Light, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Jed Foundation.
Does Because I said I would have an API?
No public API is recorded for Because I said I would.
What industry is Because I said I would in?
Because I said I would's product category is Character Education and Social Services Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8300.