YEAR IN REVIEW 10 YEARS OF NATIONBUILDER NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 Year in Review 10 years of NationBuilder 2 3 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Introduction Reflections on ten years 6 from our co-founders Our team The specialness of NationBuilder 82 Our ecosystem Our values are our culture 84 10 standout We love our partners 72 leaders 100 Debates 20 Film & Campaign 26 10 years of Andrew Yang 32 NationBuilder Canadian Labour Congress 38 Our timeline 10 PTB-PVDA 44 NationBuilder by the numbers 14 AnimalVictory.org 48 Our product, Closing NationBuilder customers 16 past and future make history Zali Steggall 52 Gratitude 86 Putting people at the center 74 PLUS/USR 56 Acknowledgments 88 Meridian 62 The future of building 78 relationships at scale Steven Reed 68 4 5 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 REFLECTIONS FROM OUR CO-FOUNDERS Reflections on 10 years from our co-founders By Lea Endres By Jesse Haff When I met Jim Gilliam in February 2010, I had Reflecting on the past ten years at NationBuilder is no idea how dramatically my life was about to a challenge because it’s been such an enormous change. It was three and a half months after he’d and dynamic experience for me. If there’s one thing written the first line of code for what would be- I’ve learned, it is that we are capable of dramatically come NationBuilder, and he asked if I’d help him more than we imagine. The unyielding ambition in- tell his story. With three different DNAs in his body, fused into the heart of NationBuilder—our vision of Jim was a walking representation of a connected a world where everyone has the freedom and op- humanity. His was an incredibly important story to portunity to create what they are meant to create— tell, so I said yes to what I thought would be a six requires you to think bigger, step out of your com- month book project. And then a decade went by. fort zone, and be prepared to continuously grow and learn. In those early days of writing, Jim and I learned that despite our wildly different backgrounds, we shared When I joined Jim Gilliam in February 2010 on the an obsession: making it possible for anyone, any- journey that would become NationBuilder, we had where to lead. It wasn’t long before we were dream- already collaborated together for years. At a non- ing up crazy ideas, and soon the whirlwind began: profit called Brave New Films (BNF), we explored we finished the very first draft of “The Internet is My harnessing the immense potential of the internet Religion” in December 2010 and Jim felt moved to to organize people around important causes. To- give his testimony to his community; he did that on gether we built an online infrastructure that grew stage at the Personal Democracy Forum in June our membership to over one million people in a 2011, just two months after NationBuilder’s public few short years. Jim was soon thinking bigger and beta; our series A happened in March 2012, Jesse bolder, asking: how do we make these tools acces- moved across the country, and we opened our first sible to anyone, especially to those without a tech office. Seemingly seconds later, we had thousands team? When Jim explained his concept of a unified of customers and over a hundred team members. platform consisting of a people database, a host- ed website with dozens of action pages, a theming system, communication and fundraising tools, it was beyond what we even dreamed of at BNF. It was wildly ambitious and visionary, and would quickly become something much bigger than us. 6 7 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 REFLECTIONS FROM OUR CO-FOUNDERS What started as one person’s vision is now shared by In the beginning, we literally wore every hat. For millions. Leaders all over the world use NationBuilder, several months I was creating our first website and in almost every sector. Since the launch of the plat- email themes, writing documentation, building our form, NationBuilder has been used in 140 countries, brand and company website, and fielding sales and and powered approximately 100,000 organizations, support calls. I would even create custom website campaigns, and movements. Our customers have themes for customers! Jim was single-handed- I’m not sure exactly what I expected out of this ex- started political parties that now lead countries, have ly developing the product—and working with Lea perience ten years ago, but what we have achieved run for office by the thousands, led some of the larg- to tell his and the company’s story. It was com- as a community has been remarkable. I know the est protest movements in history, reimagined how pletely overwhelming, and we were figuring nearly determination, hard work and perseverance I’ve their small businesses or massive corporations could everything out as we went along. Soon, the work of witnessed at NationBuilder mirrors the work of so work, built nonprofit organizations from scratch, and finding more incredible people to join us and help many of our customers around the world. With both reinvented those that are decades old. And, in some expand beyond our limitations became top priority. empathy and gratitude, it is a privilege to stand here cases, our customers have made history. ten years later and continue to serve a diverse glob- Creating a network of partners who could provide al collection of leaders and communities—all push- In this very special version of our annual Year in Re- website and strategic services became my first ing their own perceived limitations, pursuing the view, we celebrate those historic moments and oth- task. I had zero experience in doing such a thing, most important thing they can imagine. er important milestones from the past ten years. We as was probably obvious from my many cold emails reflect on our unique company culture, and share to various agencies. By luck, I stumbled upon some Jesse Haff what we’re dreaming up for the next decade. And, of unbelievable people doing great work who were course, we highlight the extraordinary work of our game to give us a shot. Before long we had an ex- customers with 2019’s ten standout leaders. panding group of partners we called “Architects.” Many of these same partners, such as Tectonica, Woven throughout this beautiful document are a have become core pillars to our community, without decade’s worth of thank you’s. NationBuilder is, whom we wouldn’t be where we are today. and has always been, a very special place. It was made so by the love, devotion, ferocity, and heart of As NationBuilder began rapidly growing, I made my countless people who gave everything they had. In first design hire, and suddenly there was a design the following pages we do our best to honor them. “team.” Becoming a manager and collaborating with my expanding creative team easily became Lea Endres one of the most fulfilling challenges of my life. To- gether we took ownership over NationBuilder’s endless design needs, which in the past couple of years included a big brand reboot and creating the foundation of future product design work: the first NationBuilder design system. As we deepened our collaboration with product and engineering, we redesigned the interface of the control panel to make it easier for leaders to do their work. We have continued to aggressively build upon these foundations which will result in some spectacular improvements to NationBuilder in 2020. 8 9 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 10 YEARS OF NATIONBUILDER Company Timeline 2009-2019 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 CT APRIL C APRIL C Jim Gilliam writes the first The Scottish National Party The public beta starts with We complete our Series A, The UK Labour Party NationBuilder API Explorer line of code for what will (SNP) becomes one of the twenty paying customers in Ben Horowitz and Sean becomes our first “network” launches, enabling partner become NationBuilder. first NationBuilder customers first month. Parker join the board; Los customer. integrations within our and wins a historic victory. Angeles office opens. growing ecosystem. JUNE C Jim gives “The Internet is My JULY NationBuilder customers Religion” speech at the 1,000 paying NationBuilder raise over $110M dollars in Personal Democracy Forum. customers. donations. SEPT NationBuilder Election Center launches, offering a free voter file to everyone. 10 11 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 10 YEARS OF NATIONBUILDER Company Timeline 2009-2019 Women’s Leadership Conference 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 FEBRUARY APRIL MAY APRIL NationBuilder moves its HQ Runforoffice.org launches. NationBuilder hosts our C NationBuilder launches its to the Biltmore in DTLA. first Women’s Leadership NationBuilder community redesigned control panel, the gathers at the birthplace of JULY Conference. largest-scale product update JULY the internet to celebrate the in company history. NationBuilder Network CT life of founder Jim Gilliam, Jim’s memoir, The Internet officially launches. who passed away on is My Religion, is published. Leader In Residence program CT November 23. launches with inaugural 10 years since Jim Gilliam SEPT leaders: Mpumi Nobiva, Omar wrote the first line of code. Brownson, and Lutricia Callair. Next generation of NationBuilder Co-founder and president functionality launches, including Lea Endres becomes CEO. Paths & Goals. Mpumi Nobiva Lutricia Callair Omar Brownson 12 13 NATIONBUILDER YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 10 YEARS OF NATIONBUILDER In 2019, customers used NationBuilder NationBuilder to: by the numbers RAISE MOBILIZE $ 372 M 356 K In the past decade: IN DONATIONS VOLUNTEERS APPROXIMATELY