Published April 4, 2020
What if you can donate to charity while surfing the net and without spending anything? Fortunately, this is not just a ?what if? anymore.
A web extension called ?Tab For a Cause? allows you to do just that: donate to charity by browsing the web. You only need to add the extension to your browser. Every time you open a tab, the company will donate a fraction of a cent to charity.
This might not look much but with so many internet users, it can reach thousands of dollars. In fact, the company has raised more than $800,000 as of March 2020. The money raised is donated to charities such as:
- Action Against Hunger
- Save the Children
- Give Directly
- Water.org
- Educate!
- Foundation to Decrease World Suck
Tab For a Cause also relies on services like Charity Navigator and GiveWell to ensure that they are supporting the right charities. They also have a monthly charity spotlight where they support a new charity recommended by their users.
These all sound good and easy. Too good to be true, in fact, that many internet users are wondering: is it legit?
Yes, Tab For a Cause is legit. Since it was launched in 2012, it has donated at least 30% of its earnings in various charities around the world. The charity also regularly issues quarterly financial reports.
How Does Tab For a Cause Work?
Tab For a Cause takes on the business model of passive charity apps like Charity Miles and Snooze App. It converts daily routine practices into acts of kindness.
First, you have to add the extension to your browser. Depending on your internet speed, this will only take a few seconds to several minutes at most. As of now, the extension only works on Firefox and Chrome.
Once the extension is added, it will take you to a new tab with a beautiful interface (instead of the usual blank screen display). Every time you open a new tab, you get one ?heart? which is also shown on the new tab?s interface.
You can donate this heart to a charity of your choice as long as it?s supported by Tab For a Cause. One heart is equivalent to one-tenth of a cent. So 1,500 hearts will let you donate roughly $1.5 to charity. Not bad considering you?re only just doing what you regularly do.
So how does Tab For a Cause make money?
Aside from a beautiful interface, the new tab will also display small banner ads at the bottom corner. Tab For a Cause collects money from these ads. The money collected is used for operations and donations to charity.
Criticisms
Like most charity institutions, Tab For a Cause has had its fair share of critics.
One Reddit user pointed out that the charity?s financial reports in three consecutive quarters in 2018 show it only donates 30% of its earnings to charity. While its expenses on salaries and employment costs keep on increasing.
In its financial report for 2019, this trend continued with charity donations remaining at 30% of total income. While salaries have dropped by a few points compared to the same period last year.
Other Ways to Donate Online
There?s nothing wrong with Tab For a Cause. It?s free and you get to help people by doing the things you usually do. But if you want to make a bigger impact, there are other ways to donate to charity without leaving your couch.
Charity institutions like Our Father?s House Soup Kitchen have an online facility that lets you donate to their cause wherever you are. All it takes is a few clicks and you?re helping homeless people get a hot meal free in an environment free from judgment and discrimination. Each donation makes a world of difference for people trapped in unfortunate circumstances.
