Case Study: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons achieves 50 ratifications for UN Treaty banning nuclear weapons with NationBuilder

ICAN reaches 50 ratifications of historic UN treaty banning nuclear weapons

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) needed to scale digital organizing to drive the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons toward the 50 ratifications required for it to enter into force. Tasked with integrating digital campaigning across a global coalition of more than 600 partners, ICAN sought a more adaptable, mobile‑friendly website and an integrated database to make it easy for supporters to take action — a capability they implemented using the NationBuilder platform (with a Tectonica‑designed site).

Using NationBuilder, ICAN launched a streamlined site with one‑click join actions, micro‑sites for focused campaigns, built‑in event pages and maps, forms and workflows that linked supporters to staff, and calendaring to coordinate virtual activities. Those tools helped ICAN coordinate hundreds of partners through the pandemic and directly contributed to reaching the 50th ratification (moving the treaty toward entry into force in January 2021); within days of launching an event map, at least 15 events were scheduled and ICAN mobilized dozens of volunteers and campaigners worldwide — demonstrating clear, measurable gains in engagement driven by NationBuilder.

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Lucero Oyarzún

Digital Campaign Coordinator