Change.org’s free tools to help you win

Starting a petition might feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it — but it doesn’t have to be. Change.org provides a full set of free tools designed to help you create a powerful petition and take it all the way to the finish line.

Whether you’re advocating for criminal justice, climate action, LGTBQ+ rights, animal rights or any other cause that matters to you — these tools are there to support you every step of the way. 

You bring the passion and the mission — Change.org gives you the tools to turn it into impact.

Here’s a breakdown of all the resources you can access to maximize your petition’s chances of success, from a little AI helping hand to ready-to-share social media collateral. 

But first, why should you use Change.org as your platform for change?

It’s all free

One of the best parts about Change.org? Every tool in this guide is completely free.

Whether you’re a first-time petitioner or a seasoned activist, you can tap into the full suite of features without spending a dime. You already have the power to create meaningful change. These tools simply help you unlock it.

And it works!

Petitions aren’t just symbolic. They drive real, lasting change at local, national, and even global levels. Nearly every hour, a petition on Change.org achieves victory, including over 105,000 victories in 196 countries. 

Even when they don’t achieve their ultimate goals, petitions help increase awareness of important issues. Find out more in guide on the power of petitions in driving change. 

For example, in March 2025, a group of locals from rural Fruita, Colorado started a petition to stop the development of a waste plastic processing plant in their community. The advocates emphasized the harmful impact the toxic chemicals produced would have on the local residents, environment, and property values.

Following over 1,300 signatures in support of the petition, the company reconsidered their location and moved to an industrial area. “This is a major win to hold companies accountable and to protect our way of life”, wrote the petition starter in the victory update.

Petitions also set change in motion on a larger scale. In February 2025, a petition garnered over 155,000 signatures putting pressure on Spotify to remove Andrew Tate’s content from the platform. 

It worked, and in a couple of weeks, Spotify removed Tate’s harmful content about exploiting and trafficking women. Building on the petition’s strength and media attention, the petition starter asked SoundCloud to follow suit and delete Tate’s content from their platform as well. They did so less than 48 hours later.

Now, on to the free resources to seamlessly create and grow your petition:

An easy, user-friendly platform

Starting your petition is simple and intuitive. When you click on the start a petition button, you’ll be guided through easy prompts that’ll help you:

• Write a compelling petition title

• Explain the issue in a clear and personal way

• Choose the right decision-maker

• Set a strong, actionable goal

You don’t need to be a professional writer or an activist to get started. Our platform helps you build strong foundations for your petition.

Want to change something later on? No problem. You can always go back and edit your petition if you need to update your story, goals, or targets as your campaign grows

A helpful AI writing assistant

Sometimes, writing those first few words is the most difficult step. If you need a little help to get the ball rolling — our AI writing assistant has your back.

When you create a petition, you’ll have access to a built-in AI helper that can generate a draft for you. All you need to do is share some basic information about your cause, such as what you want to achieve and why it’s personal to you. The AI will help you turn these essential details into a compelling petition. 

You’re always free to edit and customize the text or use it as inspiration to build off of in your own voice. This tool is especially helpful if you’re feeling intimidated or overwhelmed by writing your whole story from scratch.

Decision maker identification and outreach

Who has the power to fix the issue you care about? Choosing the right decision-maker is crucial, and Change.org will help you. When you start your petition, we help you identify potential decision-makers based on your topic and location. 

Once you know your target, you can easily share the petition with them through email, direct messages, and publicly tagging them on social media to grab their attention. 

When your petition reaches certain milestones (such as 100 signatures), Change.org will contact decision makers, too.

Resources for sharing your petition 

Starting a petition is just the beginning. Sharing it far and wide is how you build a movement. 

Change.org offers a full set of resources to help you:

• Create a short, custom petition link with main keywords related to your campaign to share across social media platforms

• Invite friends and family to sign via e-mail

• Create a physical custom petition flyer to print and share in person

Ready-to-use social media content 

Not sure where to start when sharing your petition on social media? The platform automates and simplifies the process for you.

As soon as your petition is live, you’ll find a set of pre-designed, ready-to-share social media assets right in your petition dashboard. These include image templates that automatically incorporate your petition title and featured image, so your message is both personal and instantly recognizable.

With just a few clicks, you’ll have polished, eye-catching content to help rally support and drive signatures from your online community.

Outreach to journalists to feature your petition in the media

Media coverage can really boost your petition’s chances of success. That’s why we offer resources and guidance on how to pitch your story to journalists, complete with examples.

You can also tap into a wealth of tips in our guide to getting media coverage, such as organizing community actions and building relationships with media professionals. Even small local papers or campus media can snowball into more attention if your story resonates with readers.

For example, a 12-year-old from Colorado made it her life’s mission to bring back snow days. She made the local news, and radio! 

Eventually, her voice was heard, and with over 3,000 signatures, she brought about change and an opportunity for children to create long-lasting memories on snowy days.

Other times, Change.org petitions change lives on a larger scale. 

This was the case for Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, an 18-year-old Guatemalan wrongly convicted due to a flawed legal process. Virgilio was released from prison in 2024, following a nine-month battle. The case made many headlines, from ABC News to Refinery29.

If you’d like help getting connected with journalists who would potentially be interested in covering your story, our team can reach out to you with support. Just add your phone number when prompted when you create your petition.

Discover and connect with supporters

One of the most powerful elements of Change.org is its supporter network. When people sign your petition, you get their email address along with their signature. You can use petition updates to keep them informed about news and developments related to the campaign. You can also invite them to take further action, such as:

• Ask them to share your petition with their personal and social networks

• Ask them to contact decision makers with phone calls and emails to advocate for your cause

In addition to engaging directly with supporters who have signed your petition, you can also download a full list of your current supporters and their zip code. This can provide valuable information that you could use to communicate to and influence decision makers.

For example, Protect the Porkies is the group that started a petition to stop a mining project in the Porcupine Mountains State Park that would create significant destruction and waste. The petition has gained massive momentum and media attention. 

The petition starter shared with us that the ability to export a list of the petition signers and their location in a spreadsheet was “key in getting politicians to take us seriously.” That’s because they could show representatives all of the support for the petition, and particularly the percentage of supporters and voters coming from their districts.

Petition insights to maximize your reach and impact

Knowledge is power — especially when you're driving a movement for change. That’s why Change.org gives you access to powerful insights through signature source tracking.

This feature lets you see exactly where your petition signatures are coming from — whether it's Instagram, Facebook, email, organic search results, or other online sources. With this information, you can make smarter decisions about how and where to share your petition to get the biggest response.

For example, if you notice that a high percentage of signatures are coming from Facebook, you might decide to post more frequently there, ask friends to reshare your post, or even invest in a small paid promotion. On the other hand, if Instagram or email isn’t driving as many signatures, you can adjust your messaging or experiment with new visuals to better engage those audiences.

These insights take the guesswork out of campaigning — helping you focus your energy where it counts most and continuously refine your strategy to grow your impact.

You already have what it takes: Start today

To make a difference, all you need is a story, a cause, and the right tools to help you along the way. Change.org’s free tools are designed to set you up for success at every step of your petition’s journey. 

Thousands of regular, everyday people have already won real victories using these same tools, and you can too. Start your petition today.