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Businesses can easily write off the request of one customer, but it is much harder for them to ignore a collective call to action. Now, Threshold combines the supportive aspects of crowdfunding with the positive power of petitions, by promoting user-generated campaigns, to make positive changes to existing businesses.

To begin, customers can ask an organization to make a positive change to their business — it can be anything from asking a restaurant to donate its unused food, to asking the local bike shop to offer free, outdoor workstations. Next, patrons who support the cause make financial pledges to help eventuate the positive changes, acknowledging that these upgrades can be costly projects. Then, if the campaign is successful and the business agrees to make the improvements, the pledges are converted into gift cards to be spent at that business. As with many crowdfunding platforms, if the campaign fails, the pledges are voided.

We Are Threshold is currently in Beta, operating in Washington DC and San Francisco, canvasing businesses including Target and City Hill. Backers have already successfully convinced Stanford University to provide composting services on campus. How else could customers use their collective voice to ensure better business practices?