
Here at GoFundMe, one lesson stands out from this year and years past: We can make a tremendous difference when communities of people unite. While it’s easy to get wrapped up in our own lives and consumed by issues that divide us, GoFundMe strives to open your eyes to the millions of incredible people who are helping others and inspiring change by working together.
When it comes to social fundraising, the distance, background, or relationship to those in need doesn’t matter—our donors and organizers span the globe and have different needs, concerns, and interests. But what they all have in common is the drive to care for others and take action. They are people who SEE something and DO something. Our global community of compassionate individuals has now donated more than 120 million times and raised over $9 BILLION through donations large and small to help people, causes, and organizations in need.
We often see examples of fundraisers for people halfway around the world, such as when Texans started a fundraiser for the victims of the Kyoto fire; when donations poured in from more than 95 countries for fundraisers that helped those affected by the Australian bushfires, including koalas; and when people made over 100,000 donations to relief fundraisers as Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Caribbean.
We are changing the way the world gives! Every day we see more people taking an active role in making a difference, and our community continues to grow. In fact, nearly 60% of donors were new this year.
We all want to be reminded of the good in humanity and inspired by uplifting news—not just during the holidays, but every day. Helping people and causes is what brings us to work every day, and we are grateful that we get to empower others to make a lasting difference.
As we enter a new decade, GoFundMe is committed to spreading compassion and empathy through our platform. We know we can’t do it alone, so we are excited to work with our community who share this vision of positive change. This holiday season, we hope you are motivated by the power of kindness and inspired to lend a hand to those in need. Together, we can bring more good into the world and unlock the power of global giving.
Happy Holidays!
Rob Solomon
GoFundMe CEO
From Berlin to Beaverton millions of people across the globe have used our platform to do good—and our donors are at the heart of it all. While many of them reside in different cities, countries, or continents, their generosity knows no borders. Our donors make up a worldwide network of community activists—people who give whatever they can to help others in need. Together, they have the power to effect real change in the world and build a brighter future for generations to come.
(Number of donations per capita)
From eradicating lunch debt to supporting animal rescue initiatives, movements from past years still have donor support. New movements that emerged this year were climate change and reproductive rights…
There was over a 65% increase in fundraisers mentioning climate change
There was over a 20% increase in fundraisers mentioning reproductive rights
Whether it’s $5 or $500, a donation of any size has the power to change lives. This year, our donors went above and beyond to support the causes they cared about—fundraisers that tackled everything from natural disasters to climate change; reproductive rights to animal welfare; clean water to education. But no matter who they are, or which campaigns they chose to donate to, all of our 2019 donors share one thing in common: the desire to make the world a better place.
40% of all donations are < $50
Friday is the most popular day to donate, and 3 p.m. CST is the most popular time to donate
The most popular day of 2019 to donate was September 4th—when people rallied behind those affected by Hurricane Dorian
Nearly 60% of donors were new donors
A fundraiser is started every 8 seconds
Nearly 20% of fundraisers in 2019 received donations from more than one country
The most prolific donor made 293 donations to 234 fundraisers
Fundraiser organizers play an essential role in the GoFundMe community. They’re the “doers” of the world—ambitious and compassionate people who leverage the power of generosity to make a difference. Through our platform, campaign organizers create spaces for people to easily give back to their communities. We consider them to be catalysts for change, remedying the world’s biggest issues—one fundraiser at a time.
When 11-year-old Ruby Kate started accompanying her mom to work at local nursing homes, she learned that many of the residents didn’t have the financial means to afford simple things like snacks, clothes, and pet food. Ruby Kate knew she wanted to do something to help, so she started a GoFundMe. Through her fundraiser, Ruby Kate has provided thousands of seniors with the things they need to stay happy and healthy in their nursing homes.
In 2018, ICE agents separated Yeni Gonzalez, a Guatemalan immigrant, from her three children at the Arizona-Mexico border. While Yeni was sent to a nearby detention center in Arizona, her children were transferred to a children’s center in New York—nearly 2,500 miles away. When a group of American mothers caught wind of Yeni’s devastating story, they banded together to help her. Within five weeks, the group raised enough money to pay Yeni’s $7,500 bond for release, and they safely transported her to New York, where she was reunited with her family.
Today, the group of mothers that helped Yeni has evolved into a nationwide network of volunteers that make up Immigrant Families Together, an organization that’s dedicated to supporting and reuniting immigrant families separated at the US-Mexico border. Fiscally sponsored by GoFundMe.org, the nonprofit has helped countless families pay bonds, cover legal fees, provide medical services, and more.
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Why the Right Images for Your Fundraiser Are the Key to Success
At GoFundMe, we believe that everyone has the power to make a difference in the world—and our Heroes are the embodiments of that notion. Heroes are everyday people who use GoFundMe to do extraordinary things for their communities. They turn their compassion into action, inspiring others to help them find creative, lasting solutions to the world’s toughest problems. Oftentimes, Heroes have to sacrifice a lot to carry out their missions. That’s why we started the GoFundMe Heroes program, an initiative that’s dedicated to giving unsung Heroes the recognition that they deserve.
This initiative was created as a way to highlight people who are using our platform to do good in their communities. The world is full of everyday Heroes, and at GoFundMe, we’re honored that they’ve chosen us to be a part of their stories.
GoFundMe Heroes all have one thing in common: their stories are immensely inspiring. This past November, we launched the GoFundMe Heroes Hub so that our community could get inspired by these amazing stories whenever they want. For the first time ever, you can read and share stories, watch videos, and even listen to episodes of our podcast, True Stories of Good People podcast—all from one place.
One of the most incredible things we’ve seen come out of the GoFundMe Heroes program is the community that has formed between these change-makers. The Heroes not only become friends, but they also help strengthen each others’ missions. For example, 12-year-old Mari Copeny, otherwise known as Little Miss Flint, launched a campaign to help bring clean water to her city, Flint, Michigan. Inspired by Little Miss Flint’s initiative, Lance Cooper of Richmond, Virginia decided to do the same. The two now work together to amplify their shared mission.
On November 14th, GoFundMe held the first annual GoFundMe Heroes Celebration in San Francisco, California. The event honored five incredible community-nominated Heroes in front of a live audience. There, they had the chance to share their stories and spread their inspiring messages. It was a beautiful evening full of moving moments. Relive the night for yourself by watching the livestream!
2019 was a year marked by moments of both tragedy and triumph. But even through the most trying times, millions of people from around the world came together to support one another and create lasting change. We’re proud to be a part of one of the most selfless and resilient communities in the world, and we’re grateful that people choose our platform to help others in need every single day of the year.
Rather than passively consuming the news, GoFundMe has become the place where people can help others and contribute to the causes they care about.
In the beginning of 2019, over 10,000 people supported those affected by the government shutdown.
Inspired by the global response to the tragic Notre Dame fire in April, Lousianans took action closer to home, raising over $2.1 million to rebuild a local church.
In the wake of natural disasters like the California wildfires, Australian bushfires, and Hurricane Dorian, people came together to raise over $16.5 million for those in need.
This past September, climate activists from around the world took to the streets to participate in #FridaysForFuture. Leveraging the power of their social networks, the activists inspired over 40,000 people to join their mission and donate to their cause.
From a mystery bookstore in Minneapolis to a tea shop in New York City, thousands of people from over 20 different countries continue to save beloved businesses from closing their doors.
This year, we introduced GoFundMe.org, an independent, registered 501(c)(3) organization and the advocacy and charitable arm of GoFundMe. GoFundMe.org provides the opportunity for the community to take action on the broad causes and needs that are ever-present.
On International Day of the Girl, Mattel partnered with GoFundMe.org to support three organizations that are working to close “the dream gap for girls,” a term used to describe the phenomenon in which young girls begin to develop self-doubt.
This holiday season, HERSHEY’S KISSES Canada is teaming up with GoFundMe to help bring people together. Through their Sweet Reunions program, the company is surprising GoFundMe users who are raising money to see their loved ones, fulfilling their fundraisers so that they can spend the holidays together.
For the first time ever, social fundraising and mainstream entertainment came together to engage and empower an audience in a new way: by taking action. The hit Netflix show Orange is the New Black has created a lasting legacy with the Poussey Washington Fund. The initiative partnered with GoFundMe.org to benefit eight organizations that tackle social issues surrounding criminal justice reform, policymaking, and immigrants’ rights.
On November 7, we launched GoFundMe Charity, a new fundraising suite for nonprofits. Through our powerful charity software, all nonprofits—regardless of size or budget—have access to subscription-free, enterprise-level fundraising tools that help them streamline their fundraising efforts, reach new audiences, and amplify their missions. With GoFundMe Charity, nonprofits can spend less time worrying about fundraising and more time changing lives.
Millions of donations were made to charities in 2019 alone
Hundreds of thousands of fundraisers in 2019 benefited charities
In under three weeks, thousands of charities joined the waitlist to sign up for the new GoFundMe Charity
The American Cancer Society’s mission is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer. By using GoFundMe Charity, donors are able to raise funds to help give patients what they need - like free rides to chemo, free places to stay near hospitals, and a free 24/7 helpline for answers and support.
In the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, firefighter Stephen Siller gave his life while saving others. Today, The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors his legacy by providing aid to injured service members and first responders. Through GoFundMe Charity, the organization is able to amplify its impact by offering people more ways to support its cause.
There are 70 million people in the world with autism, 85% of whom live in countries where autism is widely misunderstood. The Global Autism Project is working hard to change that by providing educational training services to autism centers around the world. With the help of GoFundMe Charity, the nonprofit is growing its community and empowering a new generation of people with autism.
A trend of people who generate significant momentum with their individual GoFundMe fundraisers and end up creating nonprofits dedicated to furthering their cause.
After gaining momentum from GoFundMe fundraisers, many of our organizers set their sights on bigger endeavors–some that even lead to starting and running their own nonprofits full time. Philanthropic entrepreneur Katie Blomquist is one such organizer. Following the success of her fundraiser in 2017, Katie founded Going Places, a nonprofit that’s committed to bringing joy to children in need.
“As a new nonprofit, being able to access all the tools GoFundMe Charity gives me—from a company everyone knows and trusts—is an incredible relief,” says Katie. “It’s just me and three interns, so if I can be out spreading awareness for Going Places and spending less time worrying about operations, it means I can help more kids."
One of the greatest things about the GoFundMe community is its expansiveness. Each year, activists in almost every country use our platform to raise money for causes that are near and dear to their hearts—and their homes. We’re grateful for our international donors and fundraiser organizers who effect positive change within their communities and beyond every day.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Monday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser, and 9 p.m. AEDT is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Tuesday is the most popular day to donate, and 8 p.m. AEDT is the most popular time to donate.
1 in 10 Australians have donated to a GoFundMe.
95 countries donated to Help Thirsty Koalas Devastated by Recent Fires.
Over 40,000 Australians have joined a team to fundraise on GoFundMe.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser, and 8 p.m. CST is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Thursday is the most popular day to donate, and 9 p.m. CST is the most popular time to donate.
834 fundraisers were created this year in Canada that mention hockey.
The most prolific donor in Canada gave 91 times to 78 fundraisers.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 6 p.m. CET is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Wednesday is the most popular day to donate and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time to donate.
69 countries donated to the fundraiser for Emiliano Sala. The average donation amount was €82.10.
The Find Theo fundraiser received donations from 22 countries.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Wednesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Tuesday is the most popular day to donate and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time to donate.
The WIR HELFEN campaign received donations from 27 countries. The average donation size was €28.20.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 9 p.m. (GMT) is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Friday is the most popular day to donate and 8 p.m. GMT is the most popular time to donate.
1 in 7 Brits have donated on GoFundMe
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 9 p.m. GMT is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Friday is the most popular day to donate and 9 p.m. GMT is the most popular time to donate.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 5 p.m. CET is the most popular time of day to start a campaign.
Saturday is the most popular day to donate and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time to donate.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Wednesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Monday is the most popular day to donate and 9 p.m. CET is the most popular time to donate.
(Number of donations per capita, population >50,000)
(outside of emergencies)
Tuesday is the most popular day to start a fundraiser and 5 p.m. CET is the most popular time of day to start a fundraiser.
Thursday is the most popular day to donate and 10 p.m. CET is the most popular time to donate.
The GoFundMe community is a beautiful testament to the power of kindness. We believe that all it takes to be a hero is having the courage to turn compassion into action—and every action matters. Whether you started a fundraiser, made a donation, or shared a story that touched your heart, remember that you are a hero to someone. Thank you for all of the kindness you put out into the world this year. Together, we can make our actions matter even more in 2020.
Help us celebrate the giving season by adding our custom kindness GIFs to your Instagram story— just search “GoFundMe”!