frequently asked questions

GoFundMe.org is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit (EIN: 81-2279757) with a mission to provide fast and effective relief to people, communities, and nonprofits. GoFundMe.org strives to eliminate the paradox of choice for donors by providing a centralized place to give, knowing that those dollars are dispersed to credible organizations and people. Since 2017, GoFundMe.org has raised over $145 million for distribution. Given GoFundMe.org’s high efficiency,  $0.96 of every dollar you donate on this page goes directly to those who need them, not administrative expenses. 

GoFundMe.org was formerly known as the Direct Impact Fund (DIF). The name change occurred in March 2019.

GoFundMe.org operates at a 96% efficiency rate. This means that $0.96 of every dollar donated goes directly to support the cause. The remaining 4% reflects a combination of (a) a standard transaction fee that allows for credit card processing and the safe transfer of funds over platforms; (b) bank fees; and (c) postage and other expenses incurred in the normal course of business. We are committed to keeping costs low so that more of your dollar goes toward your cause. Our close relationship with GoFundMe, Inc., and our ability to use their resources enables GoFundMe.org to maintain this high-efficiency rate.

Yes, if GoFundMe.org is the organizer or beneficiary of the GoFundMe fundraiser, then your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. law.

GoFundMe.org is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3), with a federal tax ID number (EIN) of 81-2279757. Please check with your tax preparer to confirm whether your donation is tax-deductible.

The fundraiser you donate to will describe its mission and the types of projects it will support. Update posts on the fundraiser will also announce grantees. We are committed to distributing donations to verified individuals and vetted nonprofits that meet the charitable class and purpose stated in the fundraiser description. The beauty of this is that your single donation is dispursed to support many individuals directly and charitable initiatives, not just one. 

The Board of GoFundMe.org approves the grantees that are nonprofits and personal GoFundMe fundraisers that align with the fund’s mission. GoFundMe.org staff verify and vet potential grantees for alignment of purpose, charitable class, and compliance issues. 

Some GoFundMe.org Funds prioritize granting to individuals directly and then to nonprofits. Other funds focus on helping a variety of nonprofits; it depends on the fund’s mission which is stated in the fund itself. Selection is outlined below: 

For individual GoFundMe Fundraiser Grantees: GoFundMe.org issues grants to verified individual fundraisers where the stated fund use is in alignment with the purpose of the given Fund and ensure that the individual falls within the charitable class. The criteria varies depending on the mission of each Fund. 

For nonprofit grantees: GoFundMe.org identifies various charities, often considering the recommendations of partners, that support the mission stated within the Fund. GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety teams work with GoFundMe.org to vet the nonprofits it grants to. This is to ensure that GoFundMe.org only grants to nonprofits in good standing. 

GoFundMe.org does not sit on funds and will continue making grants to verified fundraisers and/or vetted nonprofits until donations attached to that fund are depleted. Grants will resume when/if more donations are made to the fund. 

For example, donations to America’s Food Fund were granted to carefully vetted large charities, as stated on the fundraiser page. Donations to the AAPI Community Fund go to both large and local grassroots charities, and we provide updates identifying them as funds are distributed. Donations to a disaster fund, like the Wildfire Relief Fund, are granted to personal GoFundMe fundraisers benefitting individuals impacted and to charities aiding in relief and recovery.  

No application is needed. To be considered for a grant from a GoFundMe.org fund that is granting to personal GoFundMe fundraisers, a fundraiser must benefit a charitable class and align with the mission of the GoFundMe.org fund. If you have or know a fundraiser that may qualify for a grant, we have likely already sourced it, but you can nominate the GoFundMe fundraiser by clicking in the Fund description where it says, “If you are unsure if your fundraiser is up for review, please submit it using this form.” Each fund has its own unique submission form on the fund page, and there is an option to include any other details you think might qualify it for a grant. 

If you’re impacted by a disaster where GoFundMe.org has a relief fund set up, and you have a GoFundMe set up, it’s likely that our team has already found your GoFundMe and is considering it for a grant. 

Some programs run by GoFundMe.org include an application process, which would be found in the FAQ section of the fundraiser itself. One example of this is the Small Business Relief Fund established early in the COVID-19 pandemic. A hashtag was required to be added to the personal GoFundMe fundraiser, and a short form was to be submitted in order to be reviewed for a grant. Most programs do not have any application process. 

Please read through the fundraiser you think you might qualify for and see if there is anything that needs to be added to your GoFundMe fundraiser, like a hashtag or phrase, to ensure you are in our review queue.

GoFundMe, Inc. is a commercial, for-profit entity that operates the GoFundMe fundraising platform. The GoFundMe platform is partnered with  GoFundMe.org to support verified GoFundMe fundraisers in the charitable class and the work of verified charities. The GoFundMe platform supports the operations of GoFundMe.org by sharing resources, funds, tools, and employees to raise and distribute funds in a low-cost and effective manner, but GoFundMe.org is an independently run a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that maintains its own board. 

While GoFundMe, Inc. does charitable things, it is not a nonprofit. In addition, many of the fundraisers on the GoFundMe platform are not eligible for tax relief. The GoFundMe Platform was founded in 2010, and GoFundMe.org was started by GoFundMe, Inc. in the fall of 2017. GoFundMe.org uses the GoFundMe fundraising platform and other platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Omaze, Classy, Benevity, etc. 

GoFundMe.org cannot receive payments or checks for just any GoFundMe fundraiser. Instead, and because they are separate entities, GoFundMe.org can only receive payments or checks for itself or in connection with fundraisers where

It depends on how you donate. If you donate online via the GoFundMe Platform, your receipt will be automatically emailed to you. 

If you make an offline donation or donate through a different platform, we aim to issue donation receipts within the quarter the donation was received.  That said, at times, we may be delayed.  

If you did not receive a tax receipt, please reach out to us at info@gofundme.org.

GoFundMe.org accepts donations through traditional means such as wire, ACH, checks, grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs), and other entities like private foundations, stock, property, and cryptocurrency.  Visit GoFundMe.org’s off-platform donation page to donate this way.

Of course, GoFundMe.org accepts donations through the GoFundMe platform using credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

If a grant application, reporting, or other requirement is necessary for any donation/grant, GoFundMe.org is happy to accommodate such requirements. Please reach out to us at info@gofundme.org for any additional information you may need.

Learn more about off-platform donations

Yes, GoFundMe.org has both the experience and the systems in place to ensure donor anonymity for donations that it receives off the platform. For example, if the donation comes through a donor-advised fund, GoFundMe.org does not need to know the name of the donor.  

In certain contexts, information about the donor is required for legal compliance. For example, a $1,000,000 donation from outside of the United States may trigger a review under the Office of Foreign Assets Control. In that scenario, the donor’s information will be used only to comply with any legal requirements.  

The anonymity of donations received online through crowdfunding platforms will only be available if said platform provides that function. 

Please see the Current Funds section of our website to view fundraisers seeking donations. If you wish to view past fundraisers, please visit our Impact Timeline.

It depends on how you donate. If you donate on the GoFundMe platform, there is a 2.9% transaction fee that is deducted by an external payment processor. If you donate via ACH/wire, check, crypto, DAF, or stock, then certain bank or other transaction or administrative fees may apply.

All grantees are verified prior to receiving a grant. 

GoFundMe.org works with GoFundMe, Inc.’s Trust & Safety Team to vet nonprofit organizations that are being considered for a grant. We deploy proprietary technical tools for this vetting, and have multiple processes in place that are on par with those used at financial institutions. The team responsible for vetting organizations is comprised of experts who conduct a full IRS-compliant vet of NPOs to ensure that GoFundMe.org is only granting to the highest quality organizations to ensure donors’ money is responsibly granted. Checks include but are not limited to being an actively registered nonprofit with IRS, that its leadership has not been flagged for any financial crimes or adverse mentions, and that its mission aligns with the purpose of our fund, and compliance with sanctions.  We also consider program efficiency.  

GoFundMe.org’s review team verifies all fundraisers that receive grants to ensure that the identified individual meets the charitable class, the flow of funds is clear, and meets other qualifying criteria. The team verifies the identity of GoFundMe fundraiser organizers and beneficiaries to detect fraudulent behavior.

The amount varies and is based on the amount the fund has available to grant, and the size of the charitable class helped. Most grants to individual GoFundMe fundraisers are under $600. Nonprofit grantees receive larger grants based on the need of their programs and the number of people they are able to help. Many GoFundMe.org Funds solely benefit a number of nonprofit organizations depending on the purpose stated in the GoFundMe.org fund description. 

Some GoFundMe.org Fund prioritizes helping individuals first to directly get money into the hands of those in need, and that will be stated in the fundraiser’s description. However, we understand that starting a GoFundMe requires internet access and a bank account, and not everyone feels comfortable publicly seeking help. To increase access and impact, we also make grants to nonprofits supporting the same charitable class.

Our generous donors are often eager to support those in need, but with thousands of GoFundMe fundraisers and nonprofits to choose from, many struggle to decide where to give. GoFundMe.org eliminates the need to decide on which personal fundraiser or nonprofit to support by enabling you to make a single tax-deductible donation to a GoFundMe.org Fund you care about, and that donation is then dispersed to directly benefit many people in need and various nonprofits whose work aligns with the fund’s mission.