Start an emergency fundraiser on GoFundMe

Yes, millions of people have started a fundraiser on GoFundMe for themself or their family amidst a financial crisis. Rebuilding and recovering after a natural disaster, unexpected bills, and many more emergency use cases find support through crowdfunding.

If you want to support someone you know through a difficult situation, we recommend first asking them if they are ok with you starting a fundraiser on their behalf. Once you set up the fundraiser, you can invite them to set up bank transfers so they will receive the money directly. Learn more about inviting the person you are fundraising for to receive funds.

Include as many details as you feel comfortable about what happened, what you need to raise money for, and how the funds will be used. If applicable, estimating the costs of what you need will also help donors decide how much to donate. For example, if you are fundraising for a new roof after a storm, listing your estimated price builds confidence with donors by helping them know how money will help you.

Yes, you can increase your fundraising goal whenever you need to. Try to be as accurate as possible to start with, to build trust with your supporters.

The process of setting up and verifying transfers can take 3-7 business days or longer to complete. Then, once your first transfer is sent, it will take on average 2-5 business days for the funds to safely be deposited into the bank account on file.

There is no platform fee on GoFundMe. One small transaction fee (2.9% + $0.30) is automatically deducted per donation—that’s it. Everything else goes directly to your cause. For more information and to estimate what you will receive, check out the GoFundMe pricing calculator.

Yes! You can fundraise for a nonprofit organization on GoFundMe. It is a great way to support a nonprofit and have more impact than a single donation alone. Learn more about charity fundraising.

Yes, you can add team members to help you run the emergency fundraiser after it is set up. Visit this help center article for a step-by-step guide to adding team members to your GoFundMe.

There are currently 20 countries where our payment processors can send funds. Review our list of supported countries and currencies to help ensure that your country is supported.