The 10% Club: What It Takes to Join
The 10% Club is GiveCheck's top tier for companies giving 10% or more of gross revenue. Here's what it means, why it matters, and how it works.
On the GiveCheck leaderboard, you'll notice certain companies with an orange badge that says "10% Club." These are the companies giving 10% or more of their gross monthly revenue to verified nonprofits. It's the platform's highest tier of recognition — and it's harder to achieve than it sounds.
What 10% Actually Means
Let's do the math. If your SaaS makes $10,000/month in MRR, a 10% MRG commitment means $1,000/month going to charity. That's $12,000/year. For a bootstrapped founder, that's real money — possibly the difference between hiring a contractor and doing it yourself, or between a modest salary and a comfortable one.
At $50,000/month MRR, the 10% Club means $5,000/month — $60,000/year in charitable giving. At $100,000/month, it's $10,000/month. The numbers get serious quickly, which is exactly the point. This isn't a token gesture; it's a meaningful commitment that demonstrates genuine values.
Why 10%?
The 10% threshold has deep cultural roots. Tithing — giving 10% of income to religious institutions — has been practiced across civilizations for millennia. Giving What We Can's pledge is 10% of personal income. There's something psychologically significant about the one-in-ten mark: it's substantial enough to feel meaningful, but not so large that it threatens business viability.
For GiveCheck, 10% is aspirational but achievable. It's a number that makes people pause and think "can I really do that?" — and then feel genuinely proud when they do. It's also high enough that it can't happen by accident. You don't end up in the 10% Club without intentional, sustained commitment.
The Benefits of Membership
10% Club members on GiveCheck receive several distinct benefits:
- The orange badge: A visually distinct badge that signals top-tier giving. This appears on your website widget, your leaderboard entry, and your GiveCheck profile.
- Leaderboard prominence: 10% Club members are highlighted in search results and category rankings.
- Social proof: Being in the 10% Club is a powerful signal to customers, partners, and potential hires. It says "this company puts its money where its mouth is."
- Community: 10% Club members are part of an exclusive group of founders who've made exceptional commitments to giving. This creates networking opportunities with like-minded entrepreneurs.
How Verification Works
You can't self-declare your way into the 10% Club. GiveCheck verifies your membership through the same API-based system used for all members:
- Your Stripe account provides your verified MRR.
- Your Every.org donations provide your verified monthly giving.
- GiveCheck calculates the ratio on the 1st of each month.
- If your giving percentage is 10% or higher, you get the orange badge. If it drops below 10%, the badge reverts to the standard "Verified" badge.
There's no lock-in period and no penalty for dropping out. Life happens — revenue dips, unexpected expenses arise. The 10% Club is a real-time status, not a lifetime achievement award. This keeps it honest and current.
Getting There
If you're currently giving 3-5% and want to reach 10%, consider a gradual increase. Bump your giving by 1-2 percentage points each quarter. At that pace, you'll reach 10% within a year without any single month feeling like a dramatic change. The key is to automate the increase so it happens without requiring a decision each time.
The 10% Club isn't for everyone — and that's fine. Any verified giving is valuable, and the GiveCheck leaderboard celebrates all levels of commitment. But for founders who want to make generosity a defining feature of their company, the 10% Club is the goal to aim for.