Where does my donation go?
Your donation funds three things: producing and shipping metal cards, running ads to reach new supporters, and direct contributions to partner sanctuaries. We're 100% volunteer-run with zero profit—every dollar goes toward saving animals.
Are you a registered nonprofit?
We're structured as an LLC, not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Why? Forming a 501(c)(3) requires publicly disclosing the names and addresses of officers on annual tax filings—information that's easily searchable online. Given the harassment that animal advocates sometimes face, we chose to prioritize our founders' safety. We operate exactly like a nonprofit: no salaries, no profit taken, 100% of funds go to the mission. The only difference is that your donation isn't tax-deductible. We believe transparency about where the money goes matters more than a tax status.
Who are the founders?
Cards for Cows is run by Starr, Jonathan, and their dog. It started as a birthday present when Jonathan saw how deeply animal suffering was affecting Starr—she'd been quietly vegan for years for her health (with incredible outcomes, against all odds, she'd like to add!) but began learning so much about the cruelty and suffering endured by animals as part of the food industry and couldn't stay silent anymore. Beyond first names, they prefer to stay relatively anonymous. Unfortunately, animal activism has a history of attracting harassment and even violence from those who oppose it.
How do the physical cards work?
Each $90 donation funds a set of 10 metal cards. 5 cards go to the sanctuary to hand out to visitors, and 5 go to the donors who funded the set. Each card has a unique QR code on the back and the Cards for Cows logo on the front.
What's a chain reaction?
When someone scans your card and donates, they become part of your chain—and their future donations trace back to you. If just 1 in 10 card recipients donates, the movement sustains itself. Your single donation can ripple outward for years.
What's the difference between one-time donations and subscriptions?
One-time donations fund card sets immediately. Subscriptions ($15, $30, or $75/month) provide ongoing support with monthly virtual cards you can share digitally, plus periodic physical card sets. Subscribers also get a dashboard to track their chain reactions.
Can I cancel my subscription?
Yes, cancel anytime from your account—no questions asked. Any cards already funded remain in circulation, so your impact continues even after you cancel.
Who are the partner sanctuaries?
We work with farm animal sanctuaries across the country who share our mission. These sanctuaries provide lifelong homes for rescued animals and educate visitors about compassionate living. A portion of every donation goes directly to supporting their work.
Why do you run ads?
We partner with vegan content creators to achieve a self-sustained system, making up for whatever gap is left with card-only growth. If every set of cards resulted in a total donation of $60 or more, the system would be self-sustaining. But the cards target non-vegans—and while that's exactly the goal, many will begin to learn and think about veganism but won't convert to a donation. By running ads targeting vegan audiences, we find our donors to keep spreading this cause we all care about.
