In October, many non-profits were surprised to learn that GoFundMe had set up over 1.4 million donation pages on their behalf without permission or prior notice. A troubling feature of these unauthorized pages was the inclusion of a hefty tip for GoFundMe. After concerns were raised by non-profits nationwide, GoFundMe has since updated these pages to be opt-in only with a verification process. These pages will eventually be removed if not claimed and verified or removed upon request by the non-profit, but the timing for this has not been stated.
Freshwater Future recommends that non-profits review their organization’s GoFundMe pages as soon as possible, and decide whether to claim the page or request removal.
Concerns about claiming or keeping the page include:
- It could compete with your own webpage in searches.
- The information on the page may be wrong. If you choose to keep the page, carefully review the information to make sure it is accurate.
- GoFundMe, like most fundraising platforms and tools, takes a percentage and per-transaction fee. These fees may be more than other platforms. We recommend comparing with others.
- The information you receive about your donors is limited to name, email, and donation information.
If your nonprofit does not have a website with a donation link, then claiming the page could be an advantage. We encourage you to compare it with other platforms, and select the option that best serves your organization.
For information on claiming or removing the sites at GoFundMe.
Still not sure what to do? Please feel free to reach out to Freshwater Future for assistance. Email us at info@freshwaterfuture.org or call 231-348-8200.
