Network for Good

Founding and History

Network for Good was founded in 2001 by executives from AOL, Cisco, and Yahoo! to make online charitable giving as easy and convenient as online shopping. It provided an online platform for nonprofits to raise money by acting as an intermediary donor-advised fund. It has partnered with very large firms, including Facebook and Google, to process fundraising initiatives. The network reports that it has assisted more than 350,000 non-profits raise more than $3.76 billion. ¹

The network also launched a for-profit subsidiary arm that built and sells a fundraising software package. ¹

In January 2022, Network for Good merged with three other software companies involved in nonprofit services: CyberGrants, EveryAction, and Social Solutions. This new merged entity was renamed Bonterra. Bonterra claims that it now has 19,000 customers which includes more than 15,000 nonprofit organizations and more than half of Fortune 500 companies. ^{2 3}

On January 4, 2022, Network for Good’s for-profit subsidiary joined EveryAction, Social Solutions, and CyberGrants in being acquired by a then-unnamed social good technology company backed by Apax Partners LLP. This company was later announced as Bonterra on March 23, 2022. As part of the acquisition agreement, Network for Good’s nonprofit software business was acquired and integrated into Bonterra’s product suite. This software now forms the foundation of Bonterra Fundraising and Engagement, serving nonprofits of various sizes. The donor-advised fund (DAF) side of Network for Good was not included in the acquisition and continues to operate independently. ⁴ At the time of its launch, Bonterra LLC was valued at $2 billion. ⁵ It claims more than 170,000 organizations use its services as of 2025, and that it has supported the solicitation of more than $18 billion in annual giving. ⁶

Finances

In 2023, Network for Good reported revenue of $342,196,705, expenses of $343,644,117, and remaining net assets of $45,563,070. Network for Good’s compensation to employees nearly doubled between 2022, at $780,964 to 1,325,196 in 2023. Network for Good gave Bonterra, the owner of the for-profit subsidiary of Network for Good, $4,765,096 million for “professional fundraising.” ⁷

Policies and Projects

Network for Good serves as the processor for any donations to U.S.-based charities made through Facebook that do not utilize Meta Pay. Contributions are sent to Network for Good’s donor-advised fund, which then distributes the donation to the nonprofit as an unrestricted contribution. ^{8 9}

Network for Good encourages nonprofits to use “grounding agreements” to promote conversations about “diversity” in the workplace. These agreements are supposed to serve as a basis for the discussion of “privilege” and other aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). ¹⁰

Network for Good advises nonprofit organizations on how to reach LGBTQ donors. This advice includes dropping the use of “Mr.” and “Mrs.” in data entry forms and ensuring that donors have maximum freedom to be addressed as they prefer. It also advises organizations to recruit “diverse orientations and gender representations” for board and leadership positions. ¹¹

Leadership

Scott Brighton is the CEO of Network for Good/Bonterra. Brighton has over 20 years of experience leading software firms, previously serving as CEO of Aurea Software and Artemis International, and President of Trilogy Software. ¹²

Erin Mulligan is a former CEO of Network for Good/Bonterra. Mulligan has contributed small sums of money to the left-of-center political action committee ActBlue. ¹³