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What is crowdfunding? Your complete guide

Crowdfunding is a way of raising money online from multiple sources, inviting friends, family and the wider community to donate to your cause. It harnesses the power of social networks and the internet to give people the means to raise funds, help others overcome hardship and meet aspirational goals. With crowdfunding, you can help a friend or an entire community. You can do anything from helping with medical costs while on the HSE waiting list to raising funds for your local GAA club.

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The rise of crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is transforming the traditional fundraising landscape, breaking down barriers between those in need and those available to help them. Ireland is notably the most generous country in the world when it comes to making crowdfunding donations on GoFundMe, with more than €250 million raised for good causes across five million donations as of 2024. Crowdfunding has made it possible for people to offer direct support to those who need emergency financial assistance, contributing to the larger trend of individual giving.

What are the advantages of crowdfunding?

When funding from the government and charities falls short, many people turn to crowdfunding, meaning that they will rely on the kindness of their community. Online fundraising removes the traditional barriers that typically exist when asking for support, making it simple to overcome financial obstacles quickly or raise money for a worthy cause. For those looking for crowdfunding basics, here are some of the main advantages of crowdfunding:

  • Start your fundraiser in just a few clicks – no gatekeepers, no lengthy application process.
  • Get funds from donations to your bank account or chosen charity quickly.
  • Crowdfunding takes the fear out of asking for financial help. It’s simple to share your fundraiser with your network of friends and family members on social media.
  • Crowdfunding makes it easy to reach people outside of your network.

Four of the most common questions about crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a way of fundraising that can work for anybody, with no cause too big or too small. This can make it hard to decide whether it’s right for you. Some people might worry that their fundraiser isn’t as worthy as others. However, the beauty of crowdfunding is that it exists to help an array of people and needs. Whether you want to help your pet, raise money to pay for a memorial or get help with bills, crowdfunding can allow you to overcome the financial barriers that may stand in the way.

While most people think crowdfunding services are only for individuals who need emergency financial assistance, businesses looking to fund a new project or raise capital can also fundraise online. Entrepreneurs can even use crowdfunding to finance projects or a new creative idea.

  • Donation-based crowdfunding: This type of crowdfunding is one of the most common when looking up “what is a crowdfunding campaign”. In donation-based crowdfunding, people search for and support a cause by donating to it without receiving anything in return. The person running the fundraiser isn’t obligated to pay back donors or give them anything else in return for their contributions. GoFundMe is one of the major crowdfunding sites that uses donation-based crowdfunding.
  • Equity-based crowdfunding: In equity-based fundraising, the fundraiser organiser accepts money from people looking to invest, typically to help launch a business. In return, investors will receive a small piece of equity in the business or company.
  • Rewards-based: Through rewards-based crowdfunding on platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter, the organiser of the fundraiser provides a reward or products to donors, usually a service or physical item, in exchange for a contribution.

Note: GoFundMe only allows donation-based crowdfunding.

Absolutely. Thousands of people start online fundraisers every day to raise money for themselves. Many people in Ireland often feel uncomfortable about asking for money. But it’s important to remember that nearly everyone has experienced financial hardship at one point or another, and GoFundMe offers a way to share your story with people who care about you in a safe and supported way. You might be surprised by the number of people who want to support you when you need it most.

While there’s no magic formula for receiving donations, there are definitely steps you can take to set yourself up for success. The most important thing you can do is create a compelling fundraiser and build a community that empathises with your cause. Investing the time into your fundraiser story will inspire your network of friends and family to take action. For specific tips on how you can create an engaging fundraiser and share it far and wide, read on.

How is crowdfunding on GoFundMe different?

We empower people to rally support for personal and charitable causes. We built our reputation by serving and supporting our community of organisers and donors, and we continue to build on that trust every day. GoFundMe’s giving community is more than 200 million strong and has raised more than €36 billion. On top of that, there are no platform fees for personal and charity fundraisers, meaning more of every donation goes directly to your cause.

How it works

Our industry-leading fundraising tools help individuals, groups, and organisations share their stories far and wide. Even small donations can eventually grow into something extraordinary.

1. Create your fundraiser

GoFundMe helps you quickly create a fundraiser and tell your story. You can raise money as an individual or invite others to join your fundraising team. Learn more about team fundraising.

2. Share your fundraiser

Our sharing tools help you spread the word about your story via social media, emails, and even text messages. We make it easy to keep your network informed so you can raise more money quickly.

3. Easily accept donations

GoFundMe allows you to send donations directly to your or your beneficiary’s bank account, so you can get help right away.

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Choosing the right crowdfunding platform

Here’s what sets GoFundMe apart from the rest:Trust & Safety

Backed by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee, our platform is the safest, most secure place to give and receive donations. GoFundMe protects all donations for a full year, offering a guaranteed refund if a donation is found to be misused or does not reach the right person. We have a dedicated Trust & Safety team that works day and night to prevent misuse and make sure funds reach the right hands.

Advanced tools

The key to fundraising success is sharing your fundraiser with as many people as you can. With built-in technology that allows you to share your fundraiser via WhatsApp, Facebook and email in a single click, GoFundMe crowdfunding makes it easy to spread awareness for your fundraiser so you can increase donations.

Fundraising resources

Our resource centre offers proven fundraising ideas and tips to set you up for success, including how to write a compelling fundraising story to generate more interest. Our blog is packed with content that helps you drive more donations to your fundraiser.

Crowdfunding best practices

There are three core techniques that can help you get your fundraiser seen and encourage people to donate. Fundraisers who follow these guidelines see more success, consistently raising more for their chosen causes.

Tell a compelling story

From your title to your story and photos, your fundraiser story should be based on your needs and it should inspire people to donate. Before getting started, learn how to make your fundraiser successful with our fundraiser story tips. And don’t forget to upload several high-quality photos or a video to exponentially increase donations to your fundraiser.

Share and update

Every time you share your fundraiser, you’ll bring in an average of €43 in donations, so share your fundraiser often on WhatsApp, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and other social platforms to encourage others to do the same. If you get enough momentum going, your fundraiser could go viral. Well-written updates with any news you can share will also keep supporters and potential donors engaged and in the loop. For more tips, see these blog posts:

Thank your donors

Everyone loves being thanked after doing a good deed, and it’s no different with your donors. In lieu of gifts or rewards, sending thank-you messages is a way to make each donor feel appreciated. And as an added bonus, expressing gratitude can encourage additional donations and increase donor retention.

Our blog post how to write a donation thank-you letter will walk you through the process of crafting the best thank-you possible. Be sure to also check out our list of 20 affordable ways to say thank you to donors if you’d like to show your thanks beyond an email.

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Fundraiser success stories

GoFundMe has helped thousands of individuals across Ireland to come together in support of one another and a variety of causes, across more than 28,000 fundraisers in total. These are just a few examples of how GoFundMe has helped Irish people gain the financial support they needed in times of crisis.

Let’s do it for Layla

Layla Kelly is a 12-year-old schoolgirl from Kilfenora who has been fighting Adrenocortical Carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, since 2023. After multiple rounds of treatment, doctors have now recommended a complex but potentially lifesaving surgery, which can only be carried out in the Netherlands by a specialist team of surgeons. The GoFundMe for Layla set up by family and friends has so far raised over €205,000 of its €210,00 target to get Layla the surgery she needs.

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Fund for Féile

Just before her 13th birthday, Féile suffered a devastating farm accident in Cork that resulted in a double leg amputation and months of critical care. The campaign, supported by her local GAA clubs and community, raised over €720,000 to fund her medical treatment, prosthetics, and long-term rehabilitation.

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Together for Fiadh

Six-year-old Fiadh from Kerry was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, prompting her family to seek maintenance treatment in the United States to lower her risk of relapse. Donors contributed more than €430,000, supporting both her recovery and children’s cancer charities along the way.

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Become our next success story

Starting a GoFundMe is fast and simple. If you have a cause in Ireland that needs financial support, a fundraiser can help you spread the word and start raising funds. Whether it’s for medical expenses, help in a crisis or any other cause, a GoFundMe can help rouse the community in support.

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