This year, we will again hold our annual charity fundraiser and give away six rare Proton Lifetime accounts in a raffle. Together with contributions from Proton, you’ve raised over $1,000,000 in our Lifetime Account Charity Fundraisers over the past four years to support organizations that advance privacy, freedom, and development worldwide.
Help us choose who to support
This year, we’re asking you for ideas about which organizations we should support with our fundraiser. Based on your input, we’ll select six organizations to benefit from this year’s fundraiser.
Proton has always been a community-driven organization, which it’s why we feel its important we hear who you nominate.
We don’t have strict criteria for the organizations we support, but they generally align with our work promoting privacy and freedom around the world. Some examples of past Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser recipients include:
- Tails(new window): A private operating system based on Tor
- EDRi(new window): A Brussels-based advocacy group for tech competition and privacy
- The Markup(new window): A tech-focused investigative journalism outlet
- WireGuard(new window): An advanced, lightweight, and open-source VPN protocol
- NOYB(new window): An NGO using strategic litigation to protect European citizens’ privacy
- Charter’97: One of Belarus’s last independent news outlets
- Thirst Project(new window): An NGO that builds freshwater wells in developing communities
In addition to donating 100% percent of the proceeds, Proton will also make a contribution of up to $100,000 to the total amount raised.
You can tell us who you think we should support by filling out the form below. We’ll accept suggestions until Nov. 28. There’s no limit on how many organizations you can suggest, so let us know what you think. We will announce which organizations were selected when the raffle begins on Dec. 15.
Important dates for this year’s fundraiser
You should mark your calendar with the following dates:
- Raffle begins: Dec. 15
- Raffle ends: Dec. 25
- Raffle winners announced: Dec. 30
What is a Proton Lifetime account?
If you win a Lifetime account, you’ll receive access to all our premium services and features at their highest limits for life. The first Lifetime accounts were part of our 2014 crowdfunding campaign(new window). Since then, these end-of-year fundraisers are the only time we make them available, and even after all these years, there are only a few hundred Proton Lifetime accounts in existence.
Lifetime accounts are also transferable, which means you can buy or sell one on a secondary market. In the past, Lifetime accounts have changed hands for amounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.
If you win a Lifetime account, you’ll receive the following benefits:
- Access to all premium features for all existing and future Proton services, including:
- Priority status when it comes to getting early access to new products
- The ability to transfer the account to any other Proton username
- The option to resell the account on the secondary market
Fighting for a better world with the Proton community
Proton would not exist without the support and generosity of the Proton community. Your support allows us to fight for an internet that respects everyone’s freedom and privacy. We’ve tried to follow your example, supporting the Tor Project and joining the Privacy Pledge to make a better internet. But as inflation and costs continue to climb around the world, your support can make a critical difference to NGOs.
We’re excited to see which organizations to suggest. Remember to respond by Nov. 28 and check on Twitter(new window), Reddit(new window), or Facebook(new window) on Dec. 15 to see who was selected — and buy your raffle tickets! If you have any questions about our Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser, write to us at community@proton.me.