Golden’s founder and CEO, Sam Fankuchen, is featured for his perspective on converting Gen Z volunteers into lifelong donors. Fankuchen emphasizes that younger supporters want authentic ways to participate before they’re asked to give — making low-friction volunteering, peer-to-peer engagement, and community-building powerful on-ramps to giving.

You can read the full article here.

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LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Golden, a leader in volunteer management software and fundraising technology, has been ranked #1 in the Social Good category on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2026.

The recognition highlights Golden’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and both free and enterprise-scale technology to modernize civic infrastructure. Serving as a mission-critical system-of-record, Golden enables governments, nonprofits, healthcare providers, and corporations to mobilize volunteers, manage programs and donations, and measure public service and disaster relief outcomes in real-time across portfolios of external partners, program chapters, and networks of integrated software systems. Today, the platform supports over 50,000 organizations and connects millions of individual supporters to personalized opportunities in seconds.

“Being recognized as #1 in Social Good by Fast Company is an incredible honor and a reflection of the communities, partners, and people who are doing the real work on the ground every day,” said Sam Fankuchen, Founder and CEO of Golden. “Each of us can be an agent of wellbeing, resilience, and prosperity in our local communities. Placing the individual at the center of a real-time, closed-loop, collaborative technology ecosystem ensures we can personalize, streamline, and compliantly deliver impact with the convenience of mobile technology and the scale of AI.”

Over the past year, Golden has expanded its platform with automation-driven tools that reduce administrative burden while improving participant engagement and retention, driving millions of completed actions and capturing robust impact metrics in compliance with HIPAA, COPPA, and other privacy and AI regulations. By bringing together volunteers, donors, and organizers in a participant-centered ecosystem, Golden enables community-based organizations to manage volunteer programs, donations, and community impact in an easy-to-use system.

Golden’s field-based technology has enabled rapid, real-world deployment of volunteers in moments of crisis, including during the Los Angeles wildfires, when California’s Climate Action Corps deployed skills-based volunteers within days through verified credentialing, secure background checks, and mobile scheduling. In 2025, the company also committed $500 million in software licensing grants to 1 million organizations impacted by budget shifts. The initiative helped to sustain mission-critical services during a period of global philanthropic and public sector funding transition.

To learn more about Golden and its impact, please visit www.goldenvolunteer.com.

About Golden
Golden is the world’s most award-winning volunteer management software and AI that enables organizations to engage, manage, and grow their volunteers into sustaining donors. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Golden’s tools and services empower individuals, nonprofits, governments, schools, healthcare institutions, corporate programs, and communities around the world to maximize the improvement of community outcomes through public service.

Contact
Interdependence
Emma Green
(262) 443-9557
411113@email4pr.com

SOURCE Golden

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Fortune’s Change the World list recognizes businesses that prove profit and purpose can thrive together. Honorees are selected through a rigorous review process that considers social impact, business results, and innovation. Golden was recognized for its role in transforming civic engagement with modern infrastructure that makes volunteering easier, more personal, and more impactful for both individuals and institutions.

Founded in 2015, Golden now supports more than 48,000 organizations worldwide, providing tools that help nonprofits, schools, governments, healthcare institutions, and companies mobilize people at scale. Nonprofits using Golden report a 22.5 percent increase in volunteer sign-ups and a 31 percent improvement in retention after one year, along with efficiency gains that free staff to focus more on community impact.

In May 2025, Golden expanded its reach by launching a $500 million in-kind software donation initiative, offering free access to essential infrastructure for up to 1 million nonprofits affected by AmeriCorps and USAID funding freezes. The effort provided immediate support to organizations facing the sudden loss of more than 200,000 federal volunteers and helped ensure continuity of critical community services.

“Our vision is to enable everyone to lead a more fulfilling lifestyle through service, and every organizer to collaboratively improve the human condition,” said Sam Fankuchen, Founder & CEO of Golden. “Golden is proving that accessible technology, collaboration, and responsible use of AI can accelerate wellbeing in local communities, around the world. Recognition on Fortune’s Change the World list is a testament to what’s possible when service is treated as essential infrastructure.”

To learn more about Golden and its impact, please visit www.goldenvolunteer.com.

About Golden

Golden is the world’s most award-winning volunteer management software that enables organizations to engage, manage, and grow their volunteers into sustaining donors. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Golden’s tools and services empower individuals, nonprofits, governments, schools, healthcare institutions, corporate programs, and communities around the world to maximize the impact of their generosity.

Contact Information
Mickayla Williams
Interdependence
401641@email4pr.com
949-777-2464

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Founded in 2017, IVolunteerNow has made volunteering “fun, easy, and equitable,” inspiring participation through campaigns like #BirthdayDeed, leadership programs such as the Writers’ Council Fellowship, and partnerships with the United Nations and other global platforms. The launch of its mobile app and enterprise in 2024 transformed how volunteers connect with opportunities in real time, expanding its reach and impact in the United States and beyond.

IVolunteerNow has helped foster a culture of volunteerism worldwide, showcasing the power of an engaged supporter community. The organization has shared its work on stages such as the University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Malaysia, TEDx Savannah, and Rotary-UN Day in New York, as well as through involvement with the U.N. Department of Global Communications Civil Society Youth Representatives Steering Committee, the Volunteer Groups Alliance, and many other national and international platforms. 

“IVolunteerNow was built on the belief that anyone, anywhere, can create change,” said Nipuna Ambanpola, founder of the platform. “We are very excited to collaborate with Golden, an organization hyper-aligned to our mission, and to have their footprint around the world. We are confident that Golden will carry forward our mission, expanding opportunities for volunteers and organizations to collaborate in ways that drive real impact.”

Golden will integrate IVolunteerNow’s expertise and technology into its ecosystem of millions of volunteers and 48,000+ organizations. With a shared commitment to leveraging technology for social impact, Golden will maintain high-level access to volunteer and donation opportunities, free software, and globally compliant AI tools, while continuing to build the world’s leading ecosystem for cross-sector social impact collaboration.

“IVolunteerNow has organized a strong community of forward-thinking, collaborative, and enthusiastic volunteers and nonprofits, as well as served as a significant voice in the field of nonprofit technology. Golden is thrilled to partner with IVolunteerNow to celebrate these leaders, further enable their missions, and scale their legacy of collaborative excellence,” says Golden CEO, Sam Fankuchen.

Through Golden’s expanded resources, IVolunteerNow’s legacy will continue to thrive, ensuring communities everywhere benefit from the power of organized, scalable volunteerism. 

About IVolunteerNow

IVolunteerNow is a volunteer advocacy tech enterprise with a mission of making volunteering fun, easy, and equitable. Through workshops, programs, and technology solutions, IVolunteerNow empowers individual people to harness the power of volunteerism and collective community action for good. 

About Golden

Golden is the world’s most award-winning volunteer management platform that enables organizations to engage, manage, and grow their volunteers into donors. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Golden’s tools and services empower nonprofits, governments, schools, healthcare institutions, corporate programs, and communities around the world to maximize the impact of their volunteer efforts. 

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Designed to enhance a volunteer’s experience with cutting-edge AI capabilities, the enhanced app helps streamline volunteer matching, personalized engagement strategies, and optimized program effectiveness for nonprofits, community organizations, and corporate volunteer programs. 

By being in the individual supporter’s pocket, the Golden app helps earn their trust and permissions, coaching them into active and sustainable volunteers. Golden’s globally-awarded and category-defining mobile app turns volunteers into donors. 

“By transforming volunteers into lifelong donors, organizations can start to see a reversal in declining donation trends and all-time low records of individual donation rates,” says Golden CEO and Founder, Sam Fankuchen. 

At the heart of the update is Goldie, an AI-powered volunteer coach that helps users set goals and intentions, track progress, reflect on their personal impact, and recognize their ‘Golden Moments’ by integrating philanthropy into their lifestyle. Through real-time guidance and behavioral insights, Goldie helps organizations boost volunteer retention and convert supporters into long-term donors.

“When the original Golden mobile app launched, it defined a new category of software that made participating in volunteering and donation opportunities instant, trustworthy, and personalized. The all-new iOS and Android apps build on the existing experience by introducing optional AI Coaching to help each of us be more intentional in finding ourselves and successful in achieving our potential through supporting others,” says Fankuchen. 

Other enhancements in the new Golden app include: 

• Intelligent Matching: AI-driven recommendations connect volunteers with a live inventory of opportunities tailored to their interests, skills, and availability, increasing the likelihood of engagement.
  
• Privacy & Security: Store and protect sensitive profile, registration, and contribution information with full encryption and compliance support, enabling volunteers to securely perform instant background checks, motor vehicle checks, sign waivers, and other required processes directly through the app.
  
• Automated Processing: Volunteers can log and track hours automatically using location services while complying with applicable privacy regulations, staying informed with automated push notifications that quickly notify you of changes and updates, and instantly process donations using any payment method
  
• Custom Branding: Enterprise-scale organizers can while label apps, communications, single sign-on, and custom software integrations, directing the power of all these technologies in the context of their operations

The new Golden app is now available for download on iOS and Android. For more information about the latest app updates and how Golden is transforming volunteer management, please visit: https://goldenvolunteer.com/volunteers.html

About Golden

Golden is the world’s most award-winning volunteer management platform that enables organizations to engage, manage, and grow their volunteers into donors. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Golden’s tools and services empower nonprofits, governments, schools, healthcare institutions, corporate programs, and communities around the world to maximize the impact of their volunteer efforts. 

Contact Information

Mickayla Williams
Interdependence
GoldenPR@interdependence.com

The post Golden Unveils AI-Powered App Update Designed to Reverse Declining Volunteer and Donor Engagement appeared first on Golden.

Golden pledges free access to 1 million organizations as federal cuts disrupt critical community programs

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Golden, the leading platform for volunteer management and community engagement, today announced a $500 million in-kind commitment to support nonprofits, government agencies, and other program operators affected by the sudden pause in AmeriCorps and USAID funding. The company will provide free access credits to its Community Plan software, valued at $50 per month, for up to 1 million organizations whose operations have been directly or indirectly impacted by federal changes to AmeriCorps, USAID, and higher education funding.

The move follows $370 million AmeriCorps grantmaking cuts, the stand-down of all AmeriCorps volunteers, and an 85% reduction in the program’s federal workforce. These changes have left many organizations without the operational backbone they relied on to meet urgent community needs such as disaster recovery, educational support, veteran services, senior care, and poverty alleviation. More than 200,000 AmeriCorps members have been sent home, most of whom were living on a maximum annual stipend of $24,962. Between January 20 and March 31, more than 10,000 nonprofit jobs have already been cut due to recent economic shifts, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Nonprofit Layoff Tracker. Charity Navigator has also published a list of highly rated organizations affected by the funding freeze.

With fewer resources and greater uncertainty, communities nationwide face significant gaps in essential services. Golden’s donation of software license grants sets an example for others in technology, corporate, education, healthcare, philanthropy, and state and local governments, demonstrating what resources can be deployed immediately to reduce operating costs. The goal is to free up capacity for affected programs so their leaders can reallocate the remaining funds toward the urgent needs of beneficiaries, staff, and supporters.

Golden’s platform helps mission-driven organizations easily recruit, screen, schedule, and report on volunteers and, optionally, use AI to convert volunteers into donors under compliance with all applicable regulations — functions that are vital yet costly for organizations already navigating uncertainty. This moment is coming at a time when donor retention has already been a central challenge, and the slow adoption of data automation technology has put some organizers behind the curve in experiencing the transformative benefits offered by today’s artificial intelligence tools.

“While we can’t replace AmeriCorps, we can help affected organizations stay focused on their missions by removing the operational costs of managing their volunteer and fundraising programs,” said Sam Fankuchen, founder and CEO of Golden. “A mission is more than what you do on a daily basis. Beyond software, we are honored to help our community members meet their needs wherever they are in their journeys.”

In addition to providing free Community Plan access, Golden is:

• Extending services at no cost beyond the contract period for current clients affected by the funding freeze
• Launching a public resource center to help connect displaced AmeriCorps volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve
• Inviting local governments, companies, schools, and faith groups to collaborate on solutions and reach out if they would like support in expanding access to volunteer infrastructure beyond the functionality of Golden’s standard software-as-a-service plans
• Making the offer accessible through partners including Charity Navigator, GivingTuesday and TechSoup

“Communities everywhere have just lost significant capacity to deliver critical services,” Fankuchen, who had just returned home after evacuating from the California Wildfires, added. “Changing Federal policies are inevitable realities, and we hope others focused on meeting fundamental needs will, in their own ways, collaborate to make their communities resilient and deliver a higher quality of life.”

Any organization that partnered with or received support from AmeriCorps, USAID, or affected universities, including nonprofits, local governments, educational institutions, and philanthropic entities, is eligible to claim a free Golden Community Plan license.

For more information on Golden’s $500 million commitment and how to access free volunteer management tools for your organization, visit Golden for AmeriCorps Organizations.

About Golden
Golden’s volunteer management technology and fundraising AI support nonprofit, government, CSR, healthcare, disaster relief, and faith organizations. From grassroots movements to globally regulated institutions, mission-oriented operators personalize, automate, and scale their programs through Golden’s category-defining public service mobile apps, brandable software platform, and extensive portfolio of external systems integrations.

Media Contact
Mickayla Williams
Interdependence Public Relations
7607163654
394476@email4pr.com

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Amid this changing landscape, Golden’s CEO and founder, Sam Fankuchen, is featured for highlighting a new approach to corporate activism. Fankuchen points to lululemon’s response during the California wildfires as an example of meaningful, community-focused engagement. The company opened its stores to displaced individuals and donated clothing, later emphasizing its ongoing support for local recovery efforts. This approach reflects a broader trend where companies prioritize tangible actions over public statements, integrating activism into core business practices.

You can read the full article here.

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