Using Wasted Ad Space to Amplify Nonprofits

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Danya Levin. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

Danya Levin, a 16-year-old high school junior, founded Ads4Impact after stumbling upon a bright idea. What if there was an organization that could repurpose unused digital advertising space for social good? Many nonprofits operate with limited marketing budgets, making it difficult to recruit volunteers or attract donors. Danya solves this by identifying “remnant” or unused ad inventory on television, websites and apps, and securing it as a donation for these organizations. By connecting media companies with causes in need, she helps provide visibility to nonprofits that would otherwise be priced out of the digital advertising market. 

Danya leads outreach, handles day-to-day operations and manages all corporate partnerships. She spends approximately 20 hours per month contacting media firms to negotiate donated space and helping nonprofits adapt their creative content to meet specific platform requirements. Beyond securing the placements, she also teaches organizations how to use audience targeting and messaging to maximize the effectiveness of their campaigns.  

To date, Ads 4 Impact has facilitated more than $125,000 in donated digital advertising. These campaigns have allowed nonprofits to reach over 1 million people, resulting in increased awareness, more volunteers and a stronger donor base. Danya enables these organizations to redirect their funds toward their core missions and direct services by removing the overhead costs associated with professional marketing. Read on to hear more about how she got started on her journey. 

Tell us about your volunteer role and organization. 

I’m a 16-year-old high school student and the founder of Ads4Impact. In my volunteer role, I help connect nonprofit organizations with unused digital advertising space that would otherwise go to waste. I spend a large portion of my time reaching out to media companies, streaming platforms, websites and apps to find ad space that isn’t going to be used. I explain how donating that space can support nonprofits while also giving companies a meaningful way to make an impact. 

Once I can secure the ad space, I work directly with nonprofits to understand their goals. Some want to raise money, others want more volunteers and some want to spread awareness about their mission. I match them with the right opportunities and help them make the most of the advertising opportunity. I also help nonprofits actually run their campaigns. Many of them don’t have experience with digital advertising, so I help to guide them through things like creating ads, choosing the right audience and deciding how often ads should run. I explain everything in simple terms so they can learn and use these skills again in the future. 

Over time, my role has grown beyond just connecting nonprofits with ad space. I now help them think more strategically about how they communicate and reach people. My goal is not just to help with one campaign, but to help organizations grow and become more effective long-term. 

Why is this issue so important to you? 

So many nonprofits are doing important work for our communities, but not enough people know about them. Many of these organizations don’t have the money to spend on advertising, so they have trouble reaching donors, volunteers or people who need their services. At the same time, there’s a lot of unused advertising space. When I realized both of these things, it felt like there was an opportunity. Instead of letting that space go to waste, it could be used to help organizations that are trying to make a difference. 

What I really care about is the impact this can have on many different communities. Ads4Impact doesn’t just help one group, it helps multiple nonprofits, and each one serves a different population. That means the impact spreads across many causes, like education, health and social services. I also like that this idea improves a system instead of just solving one problem at a time. By reusing something that already exists, we can help nonprofits grow without taking money away from their programs. Plus, by teaching nonprofits how to use digital advertising, we’re helping them build skills they can use in the future. 

What inspired you to get started with this initiative? 

The idea for Ads4Impact came to me during the summer of 2023. I was on vacation with my family, and we were watching HGTV on a streaming service. During the commercial breaks, there were no ads. Instead, there was a message displayed on the screen that said, “Commercial break in progress. Your live stream will resume shortly.” That caught my attention because it meant there was ad space available, but no commercial was being shown. I started wondering why that space was empty and whether it could be used for something better. 

That question led me to learn more about digital advertising. I found out that unused ad space exists on many platforms, not just streaming TV but also websites and apps. At the same time, I knew that many nonprofits struggle to afford advertising. That’s when the idea came to me: what if that unused space could be given to nonprofits? I started reaching out, testing the idea and eventually launching Ads4Impact. Over the last few years, we have facilitated the donation of over $125,000 in advertising that has reached more than one million people. It’s been really exciting to see something that started as a simple idea turn into something that has supported eight national organizations so far, including Pencils of Promise, Half the Story, Vote16USA and Sandy Hook Promise, with more planned for this year. 

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization? 

My long-term goal is to grow Ads4Impact so that it becomes a reliable system that nonprofits across the country can use. I want to build more partnerships with media companies so we can access more unused ad space and help more organizations. In addition, I want nonprofits to be able to come back and keep using the platform as they grow. To me, this is a way to provide impact at scale by supporting a variety of nonprofits. Another goal is to continue teaching these organizations how to use digital advertising so they can become more independent and effective over time. 

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?  

I’ve learned that big ideas can come from small observations. Ads4Impact started by noticing something simple and then asking a question. I’ve also learned a lot about communication and persistence. Building partnerships takes time, and it’s important to be clear, patient and willing to keep trying. And I’ve learned how important it is to listen and understand what different organizations need. 

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

Seeing nonprofits reach people they wouldn’t have been able to reach otherwise. Knowing that something that would have gone to waste can instead go to help organizations grow is incredibly meaningful. 

It’s also been especially rewarding to see organizations I have personally worked with benefit from Ads4Impact. For example, our very first client was Girls With Impact, whose Business and Leadership Academy played a big role in encouraging me to pursue social entrepreneurship. They not only inspired the name Ads4Impact, but also trusted us early on while we were still learning how to work with media companies and nonprofits together. Being recognized in their 2025 annual report was a full-circle moment and something I am really proud of. 

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about? 

Change happens when people take action. Even small contributions can make a difference, especially when a lot of people get involved. Getting involved also helps people feel more connected to their community and gives them a chance to use their skills to help others. 

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

Start simply by finding something that interests you. It doesn’t need to be anything big or complicated; you just need to take the first step and begin by helping one person or organization. In addition, I would also say something my dad often says to me, “Be curious.” Ads4Impact started because I noticed something small and asked a question. Opportunities to make a difference are everywhere if you’re paying attention. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Danya? Find local volunteer opportunities.