How to support animal charities through crowdfunding
Supporting animal charities and rescue centers helps to support vulnerable animals, provide life-saving care, and protect endangered species. Crowdfunding empowers individuals to meaningfully contribute to this work, allowing them to support good causes and make a difference. GoFundMe is a secure and trusted crowdfunding platform used by thousands to set up fundraisers to support animal charities. When it comes to building a successful fundraiser, transparency, storytelling, and trust-building are key to helping supporters feel connected to a cause and compelled to donate. GoFundMe’s best-in-class fundraising tools and helpful blog help support this.
How do I support an animal charity through crowdfunding?
GoFundMe allows individuals to support animal charities directly through crowdfunding. You can donate directly to a range of registered 501(c)(3) animal charities on the platform or set up your own fundraiser with proceeds going directly to a chosen charity.
What is crowdfunding, and how does it work for charitable causes?
Crowdfunding is an effective form of raising money online. It works by raising small amounts from a large donor base to support a charitable initiative, personal need, or creative project. When it comes to charitable causes, crowdfunding is excellent because it allows individuals to raise money on behalf of the charity quickly and easily.
Different types of crowdfunding:
- Donation-based crowdfunding — Supporters donate without expecting anything in return. Donations are considered a gift.
- Reward-based crowdfunding — Individuals receive a reward or gift in exchange for their donation. This could be an experience, merchandise, or early access to a product launch.
- Equity-based crowdfunding — Typically used to raise money for a start-up or business venture, where investors receive a percentage stake in the project with an expected financial return.
Note: GoFundMe only offers donation-based crowdfunding.
Platforms that allow fundraising for nonprofit or charitable causes include GoFundMe, GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy), FundRazr, Chuffed, and Mighty Cause. We explore the pros and cons of each platform in more detail below.
Why support animal charities through crowdfunding?
Supporting animal charities through crowdfunding allows donors to feel a direct personal and social impact. Crowdfunding enables a closer connection to the cause, with organizers able to send regular updates and thank yous.
Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, crowdfunding increases reach and visibility for underfunded rescues and shelters, which may otherwise go unnoticed. This, in turn, helps to engage a broader donor community from across the globe.
What are the first steps to get started?
Identify the animal charity or rescue you want to support. This could be a local nonprofit or a larger, more well-known organization. If needed, verify the nonprofit status through charity watchdog sites like Charity Navigator or CharityWatch. If you’re unsure of which animal charity to support, browse our list of the best animal charities to donate to.
Once you’ve got your charity lined up, it’s time to establish some objectives. Start by setting a realistic fundraiser goal and timeline, and then define what the funds will be used for. All of this is essential for building your fundraising page and will help build trust with your supporters.
Recommended sites for raising awareness and funds for stray animal care
There a multiple crowdfunding platforms out there for animal charity fundraising. Each offers something slightly different to its users in terms of focus, strengths, and suitability for animal welfare causes.
What crowdfunding platforms are effective for animal welfare fundraising?
- Overview of effective crowdfunding sites:
- GoFundMe: Designed for personal and charitable causes with large, international reach and multiple integrations.
- GoFundMe Pro, formerly Classy: Nonprofit-focused with donor management tools and CRM integrations.
- FundRazr: Offers features for nonprofit partnerships, and is particularly effective for health-centered fundraisers funding essential research.
- Chuffed.org: Focused on social causes, including animal welfare and high-impact conservation campaigns.
- Mightycause: For nonprofits, small to mid-size organizations.
- GoFundMe: Designed for personal and charitable causes with large, international reach and multiple integrations.
What are the pros and cons of each platform?
| Platform Reach | Ease of Use | Processing Fees | Donation transparency | Mobile experience | |
| GoFundMe | Very high – global reach | Very user-friendly | 0% platform fee; 2.9% + $0.30 payment fee per donation | Strong – clear goals and real-time updates | Excellent – optimized for mobile |
| GoFundMe Pro, formerly Classy | High — for nonprofits | Requires setup and onboarding | Subscription or % fee model; Stripe transaction fees | Very strong – built-in donor reporting and metrics | Excellent – mobile responsive and branded pages |
| FundRazr | Moderate to high – US and Canada | Easy for nonprofits | 0% platform fee; standard payment fees | Good – integrates with nonprofit reporting | Strong – mobile-ready campaigns |
| Chuffed.org | Moderate – cause-focused audience | Simple and mission-aligned | 0% platform fee; standard payment fees | Strong – social impact transparency | Good – designed for mobile use |
| Mightycause | Moderate – US nonprofit community | Intuitive for orgs and individuals | Subscription model; 6.9-7.9% processing fee (paid by donors or subtracted from total donation) | Good – nonprofit verification tools | Very good – clean mobile interface |
What key features should I look for in a platform?
When considering which crowdfunding platform to use for your animal charity fundraiser, there are some key features to consider around ease of use, transparency, and affordability. These include:
- No/low fees – Find out what the total fees (platform and transaction fees) might be to you as an organizer and to your donors. The lower the fees, the more goes to your chosen charity.
- Easy donation process – The donation journey should be as smooth as possible so as not to discourage supporters. Consider a larger platform with a high user base; this means donors are more likely to already have a giving account and can log in easily.
- Integration with social media – Organisers can post to social media directly from the GoFundMe dashboard.
- Ability to share updates — Keeping in touch with your supporters through regular updates is a fantastic way to build community and drive more donations. Ideally, your chosen platform will make this easy with product integrations and sharing buttons on the dashboard.
- Nonprofit verification – Choosing a platform committed to working with verified nonprofits takes one thing off your to-do list. On GoFundMe, you can trust that its registered charities have already been vetted.
Are there any user reviews or community feedback?
- Highlight excerpts or summaries of real user experiences
- Showcase the successes of past animal charity fundraisers on selected platforms
On GoFundMe, a couple diverted their wedding fund to save an injured puppy, raising $46,000.
On GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy), Kansas City Pet Project raised $150K to help combat homelessness among animals.
On FundRazr, more than $9,000 was raised in honor of a dachshund for research into a breed-specific condition.
On Chuffed.org, a campaign raised $197,000 to import three Southern White Rhinos for global conservation breeding efforts
On Mightycause, a volunteer-run animal rescue group raised more than $45,000.
How do I go about starting a donation campaign for a registered animal rescue charity?
GoFundMe works closely with registered animal rescue charities, making it easy for organizers to set up fundraisers and support causes they care about.
How do I choose and verify the charity?
GoFundMe works with thousands of nonprofit or 501(c)(3) status charities, so you can start a fundraiser with confidence. When setting up your GoFundMe fundraiser, select the Certified Charity option. This will prompt you to input the charity name or EIN (Employer Identification Number).
Use a third-party site such as Charity Navigator, GuideStar, or the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to cross-check that the charity is legitimate.
Once set up, the fundraiser will be automatically linked to the charity. This means you don’t have to handle money, and that donations are tax-deductible.
It makes sense to reach out to the charity before launching your campaign to get permission and credibility. You can also discuss specific projects they may need support with, which you can focus your fundraising around. They may be able to help your fundraising efforts by providing merchandise or sharing your fundraiser on official social media channels.
How do I create a compelling campaign?
Start by writing a strong, empathetic story, explaining why the cause matters and any personal connection you may have. Including strong visuals—such as photos and video, especially of animals—can be impactful and help draw in potential supporters.
Set a realistic and meaningful fundraising goal. This will help keep you motivated in your fundraising and inspire supporters to donate more. Include a transparent breakdown of how funds will be used. The more detail, the better.
How do I gain trust and build credibility with donors?
Building trust and credibility is key to a successful fundraiser. Well-meaning donors want to be certain their donations are going to a legitimate cause. Here are some easy ways to build that trust:
- Include links to the charity’s website or social media — Linking to the charity provides legitimacy. If you work closely with the charity, you could also ask them to post about your fundraiser.
- Share updates regularly – Posting on your fundraising page and social media about milestones, event recaps, and project progress keeps supporters engaged and your cause front of their minds.
- Engage with comments and thank donors personally — Sending thank-you notes and social media shout-outs will make supporters feel valued and appreciated. Engaging with supporters’ comments on your GoFundMe fundraising page and social media will also boost visibility and build community around your fundraiser.
How do I promote the campaign to increase visibility?
Once your fundraising page is published, it’s time to start spreading the word. The more people who encounter your page, the more likely you are to hit your fundraising goal.
- Sharing across social media and animal care communities — social media is the place to find like-minded individuals to share your page and donate to your cause. Likely, you already know animal lovers, so ask them to start sharing your fundraiser. You can also reach out to Facebook groups, Instagram pages, and Reddit communities to share your fundraiser.
- Leveraging local media or community boards — There’s nothing like the power of a local community for fundraising, so leverage any opportunity you can. Try local radio stations, newspapers, and bulletin boards, as well as any local microinfluencers who might want to share your fundraiser. When reaching out to them, be sure to highlight and local connection to the cause.
- Asking the charity to share on their channels — This will build reach, visibility, and credibility. A must. Find the social media manager at the charity to ask them to repost, and make sure you tag the charity in any posts.
- Encouraging others to create peer-to-peer fundraisers — Ask friends, family, and others in your network to start their own fundraisers to help raise money for the nonprofit organization. You can cross-promote each other’s efforts to help boost visibility and drive donations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Can I raise money for a charity I’m not officially affiliated with?
Yes, GoFundMe allows individuals to raise money for charities they are not officially affiliated with. If you use GoFundMe Pro, funds are released to the charity directly.
- Are donations tax-deductible?
It depends. If the fundraiser is linked to a registered nonprofit, donations will be tax-deductible in the US. However, if you’re raising money as an individual, donations are not tax-deductible.
- What if the campaign doesn’t meet its goal?
GoFundMe works on a keep-what-you-raise model. This means the charity will receive all funds raised, regardless of whether the fundraiser meets its targets. Remember, you can always change your fundraising goal if needed.
- How are funds transferred to the charity?
If your GoFundMe fundraiser is connected to the charity, donations will be sent directly to the nonprofit organization. Otherwise, the organizer will have to withdraw the funds and deliver them to the charity.
- How do I report back to donors after the campaign ends?
On GoFundMe, you can continue to contact supporters directly even after the campaign ends. Let them know the total raised, what funds are being used for, and any updates about the project. Use photos and videos where possible to drive connection.
Start crowdfunding for an animal charity today
Supporting animal charities through crowdfunding allows you to raise money for vulnerable animals in need. On GoFundMe, you can set up your own fundraiser and raise money directly for a range of animal charities.
Check out GoFundMe’s handy blog for top fundraising tips and advice for asking for donations to help you get started.
Start your fundraiser for an animal cause today and make a real impact