Our deepest sympathy goes to the family for such a great lost but God has once again gotten a beautiful Angel never had the opportunity to meet him but heard of him he was truly a great man of God

A large chunk of the opportunities and adventures in my life over the last year would not have happened without NationBuilder. Thank you Jim for your determination to make something that matters – for creating a community and platform that literally changes lives.

Our most sincere condolences to Jim and his family and to NB. Thankyou.


Dana Iorio

Treasurer

Health care for All-WA

I, like many, never actually met Jim but felt connected and inspired by him through his writing and his work. His vision, his indomitable will, his courage gave witness to what we are called to be. His life is truly a great loss. My deepest sympathy to each of you who were part of his life, his mission, and share his passion.

Our condolences to the Nationbuilder family and to Jim’s family. Nationbuilder helps our nonprofit do important work to protect our Northwest community from pesticides. We are grateful for Jim’s accomplishments that help make our work possible. – the staff of Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP)

His vision for creating this incredible platform is so impressive. God bless his soul.

He left his legacy.

I am truly homered and sadden I follow Jim’s updates and he was the first clients I had who completely supported us and belvived in us.. Even when you were sick and not suppose to eat fried foods etc u still booked us witch just made me cry I’ll be real..i ’m in shock I know we didn’t hang out but this is moving me so much we have the deepest respect for you Jim hope you looking over us and your energy will be with us always wish I could have known you better but I’m glad I even got to know you. Send all prayer love and light to Jim and the ones he loved

I met Jim Gilliam in 2005 at Liberty University (of all places), through our mutual friend (and his fellow Liberty alum) Will Samson. That one day of conversation with Jim had a deep impact on me. I’ve followed his work ever since.


He’s had the proverbial nine lives, and he’s done so much for the world with every single chance that he got!


His talk “The Internet Is My Religion” is one worth watching again today, as I’m sure it will move you today as deeply as it did me when I first heard him give it back in 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4WKle-GQwk


The world — and the progressive movement, in particular — has lost a true giant. But Jim will live on in bits and bytes for eternity. Thanks be to G-d.


#RIPJimGilliam

Jim’s legacy of innovation for better people engagement, ultimately for better collective results, is a good thing. It will no doubt continue to make a difference far into the future.


Condolences to all who love and cherish him.

-Fred Sherman

Sad news, Nationbuilder is such a great system with so many great people. Sincere condolences from everyone at UK Unity to Jim’s family.

Peace, light and love will be with him on his journey…

Praying for the family as well as the office family. We lost our beloved Sister to Breast Cancer a few years ago. My sister’s Moto was “I MAY HAVE CANCER BUT CANCER DOESN’T HAVE ME”. She had so much courage and strength just like Jim had but God knew what was best for them.


Hold on to the Joyful memories, love, smiles and laughs that you shared with Jim, it will not get you over his loss but it will help you get through.


Praying for you

Jim: Thank you for all that you have contributed and accomplished. May you rest well.

As we planed to lunch our new website last year, we learned about NationBuilder software. And, soon after, without much hesitation we made it the platform from which we will have a presence online. For AETH, a small but growing non-for-profit organization, needing to integrate all aspects of serving its members as it works towards sustainability, NationBuilder became and continues to be a blessing. For that, we celebrate the life of Jim and give thanks to God for the way he blessed (with his “religion”) all of us who want to make a difference in the world. He certainly did!

While I did not personally know Jim, I know his spirit, innovation, drive, passion, and love all impacted us whether we realize it or not.


Your battle with cancer is hard to swallow but also your strength and grace proves to be an inspiration to us all.


Thank you Jim for all that you have done for the world. You truly made an impact and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to spend this brief time on the planet with you.


Much love to you, your friends, and your family from all of us at the South Carolina Green Party.

! thank you Jim


I didn’t know you personally, but believe I know the good work you were accomplishing and that you’ve left behind.

Until I read his memoir I never knew about his larger vision for humanity but I use it every day in the platform he created. We’ve all lost an inspiring thinker and maker.

I am sorry to hear about Jim’s passing. He will be missed by the many who he influenced to aspire to big and better ideas.

Dear friends and family,

We also lost our Mom this year too cancer.

Our hearts and prayers are with you !

Back in 2003 or so, I put out word I was looking to hire a researcher who could find their way around the internet for a new documentary about the Iraq War, Uncovered. And into my office walked one of the tallest, skinniest, whitest – and smartest – people I had ever met.


That was my introduction Jim Gilliam. I learned he had left a lucrative career in the tech world to do something meaningful. Jim’s powerful mind, technical expertise and belief in ideas impacted and inspired everyone he came in contact with during the time we worked together.


During the making of Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism, Jim spent countless hours researching Fox News and working with a group of volunteers called the “Newshounds.” Their motto: “We watch Fox so you don’t have to.” We distributed the film through a combination of house party screenings in collaboration with MoveOn.org, and online DVD sales, completely bypassing the normal documentary distribution system.


When the attacks and pushback to the film began, with Bill O’Reilly and others calling me names and attempting to smear us, Jim was thrilled. “Robert,” he said, “this will get the film so much more attention!” And of course, he was right.


I remember Jim being frustrated at my lack of computer interest. He decided to personally come to my house to set up what he thought was a more appropriate, sophisticated computer and monitor for me, with actual speakers. Watching him crawl under my desk to untangle wires was quite a sight. He was undoubtedly the most overqualified installer ever.


Several years into our collaboration, illness struck Jim. He had already survived cancer, but a side effect of the treatment was that his lungs were damaged, and his breathing became increasingly labored. Eventually he could barely walk, but he would drag himself, and his oxygen tank, slowly across the office courtyard. We helped him fight to get insurance coverage for a double lung transplant. On paper, he was not a good risk. But damn, they didn’t know this guy’s heart and soul, or his courage. With a combination of carrot, stick and internet outreach, the powers that be were convinced, and he was added to a waitlist for new lungs.


The wait for the transplant seemed endless, but there was never a word of complaint from Jim. His fortitude was off the charts. Eventually he got the call – and got his new lungs. And he got back to work.


So many memories stand out:


Like: Jim walking into my office. We had just released Iraq for Sale, Jim said, “Robert, there’s this thing on the internet, we should take a clip from the film and post it. They let you post for free.” (Back then it usually cost money to post video online.) I said, “Why would anyone watch that?” Jim said, “Let’s try it – it’s called YouTube.” I looked at the site – it was filled with cat videos and people slipping in the shower. It made no sense. But we posted, and in two days, Jim walked back into my office. He said we had 10,000 views! It was amazing, exciting – truly a brave new world for distribution.


Like: In staff meetings, back when we only had three or four people – I remember someone pleading to not have Jim in the meeting because he was SO intimidating. And, well… tolerance was not his greatest quality.


Like: Going to Washington, DC to testify on war profiteering after “Iraq for Sale” launched. The Republicans refused to allow me to show a clip of the film. Jim was, again, ecstatic. “The internet will go crazy over them censoring you.” Right again.


Eventually Jim decided to go out on his own and start NationBuilder, which was perhaps the bravest thing he ever did, given that he was an introvert and basically hated talking to people.


In 2008, I introduced Jim as he was presented with Campaign for America’s Future’s second annual Maria Leavey Tribute Award, recognizing the social justice impact of his technology work in reaching audiences directly.


In 2011, he gave his now famous talk at Personal Democracy Forum, The Internet is My Religion.


Throughout this time, Jim struggled with recurring health issues, but he continued celebrating each birthday and remained committed to living his life as fully as possible.


I never heard him complain. He always had a clear-eyed commitment to tech, to the internet, to progress.


Jim, I hate talking about you in the past tense.


I will miss you – my warrior, Brainiac friend.


Robert Greenwald

President, Brave New Films

I didn’t know Jim personally but I have read a lot about him and have admired his brilliance and his courage. I am so sorry to hear about his passing. I want to send my condolences and my thanks for everything that Jim made possible. His inspiration, his humanity, and his warrior attitude at a time of personal challenge. He will be missed. Thank you.

It always so much sadness when a brilliant and thoughtful person passes, Jim brought community together and he will always be celebrated through the people he touch directly and indirectly.


My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I’ve used Nationbuilder on a number of campaigns for community engagement and outreach. I don’t know what I would have done without it.


I am also a cancer survivor, I take no moment for granted.


Grieving with all of you and so sorry for your loss.

Amazing man! Amazing thoughts! A big loss for the world for sure. No one can replace him. Let him rest in peace.

My condolences and prayers for Jim’s loved ones.

Terrible Terrible .. sad I have a son 36 yrs old I can relate to “god forbid” losing him ..terrible ..life is so unfair. So sad, there should be a cosmological law against death before the age of 100.

Jim, thank you for creating a wonderful platform. I love NationBuilder.

WOW! This hits hard for some weird reason. Not because I knew Jim, we never met. However, he impacted my life for the better; with every new campaign season and with every new charitable organization who wanted a website, including Wheelchairs for Warriors, which I am the Executive Director of. His brilliance and leadership has made my work-life, and the work-life of my staff, clients, and partners more streamlined than ever before. We have “Built their Nations”, one website at a time! Marina Bay Marketing is eternally grateful for his vision and his leadership and for giving us the opportunity to connect our worlds… however vast and different. Well played Jim, well played.

We are new customers at The Congress for the New Urbanism, thanks to our new Membership Engagement Manager who swears by NationBuilder and talked us into becoming part of it. Already, it is helping us transform our network of support for a vision of more walkable, bikable, equitable, and lively places. I am sad to know of Jim’s loss, but his life is part of every keystroke his team has used to build this wonderful connective technology.