Connie Gallippi Reveals Bitcoin's Untold Impact on Global Charity

What we talked about.

In this episode, Sunny Ray sits down with Connie Gallippi, founder of BitGive, the first Bitcoin focused nonprofit organization. Connie shares her journey from a career in California environmental policy and urban forestry to discovering Bitcoin through her brother Tony Gallippi, co-founder of BitPay. She recounts the pivotal moment at the Bitcoin Foundation's first conference in San Jose in May 2013, where the idea for BitGive was born, complete with its name and logo concept. Connie describes how Perkins Coie helped her secure 501(c)(3) tax exempt status by 2014, and how BitGive's first campaign with Bitcoin Black Friday raised over five thousand dollars for Typhoon Haiyan relief through Save the Children, sparking a partnership that lasted eight years. The conversation explores the early Bitcoin community energy, the technology's potential to reach unbanked populations, and how philanthropy and blockchain innovation intersected at a formative moment in the industry's history.

Connie Gallippi shares how a chance moment at Bitcoin's first conference sparked BitGive, the first Bitcoin nonprofit.

The questions, and the answers.

Before Bitcoin, what was your career focused on?

I spent my whole career on environmental work in California, starting with impact analysis for new projects, then moving into urban forestry at a nonprofit in Sacramento. I later worked nearly seven years at a consulting and lobbying firm focused on California state policy for nonprofits, working on funding sources, ballot propositions, and bills related to urban greening, parks, and sustainability.

How did you first hear about Bitcoin?

I heard about it from my brother Tony, who co-founded BitPay. He had been involved in the space since around 2009 or 2010. At the time it felt tangential to my life since I had my own career going in California, but I was fascinated by the idea that you could send money to anyone in the world with just a basic phone.

What was the moment you realized nonprofits needed a Bitcoin focused organization?

It happened at the Bitcoin Foundation's first conference in San Jose in May 2013. There was a panel on nonprofits and Bitcoin, but they were only discussing accepting it as a donation, not the bigger picture. I got excited thinking about what this could mean for philanthropy globally, and the idea for BitGive, including the name and logo, came to me right there.

What made you think Bitcoin was perfect for charitable giving?

At that event I saw all the pieces were in place for Bitcoin to be huge, like the next dot com boom but bigger, because it would revolutionize things globally. I felt strongly that as the industry grew and succeeded, there needed to be a place ensuring good would come out of it, even if it meant capturing just a fraction of the wealth being created to give back.

How did you actually get BitGive started as a legal organization?

I had never started a nonprofit before, so I made a simple trifold brochure to explain the idea to Tony, Steven, and their CFO Brian, who were all supportive. Tony introduced me to Patrick Murck at Perkins Coie, who connected me to their team with Bitcoin experience. They took us on pro bono and helped us get 501(c)(3) tax exempt status by 2014.

What was BitGive's first campaign?

Our first project was with Bitcoin Black Friday in its second year. I reached out and asked them to add a charity option alongside their shopping deals. We ran a one day campaign donating everything raised to Save the Children's Typhoon Haiyan relief fund and ended up raising over five thousand dollars in that single day.

What happened with the Save the Children partnership after that?

That first campaign started a relationship with Save the Children that lasted about eight years. They were one of the first nonprofits to accept Bitcoin directly. Over time they got comfortable enough with it that they even participated with a tent at the Bitcoin Bowl, a college football game sponsored by BitPay.