Change.org has cut a third of its global workforce, as the social activism platform struggles to reach financial sustainability.
The online petition site, which was launched by chief executive Ben Rattray in 2007, claims more than 150 million users but has struggled to translate its popularity into profits.
“In order to fully realise this potential, we need to do more than continue to scale our user base; we also need to scale our revenue and get to sustainability as a company in order to serve our users over the long term,” the company said in a blogpost.
“The best business model for any mission-driven company is one in which greater social impact is intimately tied with greater revenue generation, so that increased impact automatically generates more revenue that can then power more impact, in a virtuous cycle. This isn’t easy to achieve, and we haven’t done enough to develop this type of business model in the past. To ensure we have the resources to fulfil our mission of empowering people everywhere, that needs to change.”
A spokesman for the company confirmed its staff would be reduced from 280 to 190, adding that it is a “difficult decision, but an essential one to continue to serve our users and achieve our mission”.
In July, the company looked to expand its revenue streams, allowing campaign creators to add a donation button to their petitions. The company takes a 5% fee on all donations.
The company is also looking to increase its emphasis on “promoted petitions,” a feature that allows users to pay to promote campaigns to one another, and has launched a monthly subscription product.
“We are now structuring the organisation around these products and sharpening our focus on the key things that will drive our continued growth and help us reach sustainability,” the company said.
