8 Best Fundraising Sites for Nonprofits & Individuals
Looking for a way to raise donations? Check out our list of 8 helpful fundraising websites.
Throughout your life, there may be times when you want or need financial support. For example, maybe you’re looking to fundraise for a small business so that you can build an app, raise money in support of your children’s classroom projects, or get personal donations to help cover the cost of your dog’s medical bills.
In these cases, turning to an online avenue to start a fundraiser is one of the best ways to drum up interest in your cause and get the funding you need. This is because fundraising websites are the ideal platform for spreading the word over the internet and reaching those in your community willing to donate.
But how do you know which site to use? Check our list below to discover fundraising ideas for nonprofits and our favorite fundraising websites by category.
8 Best Fundraising Sites
Our guide below highlights the best fundraising sites based on the kind of funding you need. So whether you're looking to raise money to support your community's youth swim team or back your latest creative endeavor, these online platforms can help.
For Individuals and Nonprofits
Are you looking to raise money for a funeral? Or are you associated with a nonprofit organization interested in spreading awareness about your charity? While many online fundraising sites on this list are geared toward specific groups, like schools or entrepreneurs, the following online platforms are open to anyone. These fundraising sites give individuals and nonprofits the ideal space for raising money.
GoFundMe is the first fundraising site that comes to everyone's mind because it's one of the most popular choices. This all-around fundraising platform lets individuals raise money for nearly any kind of life event, from celebrations like graduations and baby showers to incidents like medical bills and funerals. Although individuals can set up campaigns for nonprofits, the site also features a special option called GoFundMeCharity, which lets nonprofits fundraise for themselves.
- Pricing: GoFundMe charges a 2.9% processing fee plus $0.30 on every donation. GoFundMeCharity provides two options, a free and a flex model. Under the free model, it charges 2.2% and $0.30 per donation, but under the flex model, the donor can cover the processing fee, so the nonprofit receives the complete gift.
FundRazr is a free fundraising site that prides itself on offering everyone access to crowdfunding. It invites individuals and organizations to raise money for their causes and features two campaign options: Keep It All and All or Nothing. The Keep It All campaigns process and deliver all the money you raised, while the All or Nothing campaign only releases the funds if you fail to promote your fundraiser and don’t reach your goal.
- Pricing: FundRazr offers three pricing plans. The Simply Free and Nearly Free options ask donors to cover processing fees, while the Not Free option requires the fundraising organizer to cover the 5% processing fees.
For Students and Schools
These days, it’s no surprise that schools and teachers need funding for everything from classroom supplies to field trips. However, the good news is that several online fundraising sites are dedicated to raising the money required to provide a better learning environment for students.
Many classrooms need materials and supplies, and that's where DonorsChose comes into play. This platform lets public school teachers create classroom campaigns to receive financial support for resources and projects. For example, some teachers request headphones funding so their students can enjoy quiet time, while others are looking for help covering the cost of STEM activities.
- Pricing: DonorsChoose charges a 1.5% processing fee.
PiggyBackr is a favorite crowdfunding site among students and youth teams, as it lets unlimited members work toward a common goal, such as raising money for their sports tournaments or choir trips. However, what's truly unique about this platform is that it's designed for children. It's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)-compliant and includes parental controls, ensuring that it's a safe space for children to fundraise online.
- Pricing: PiggyBackr takes 4% of all profits raised and charges 2.9 % + $0.30 per donation.
For Start-Ups and Entrepreneurs
Starting your business often requires funding because start-up costs can be expensive. And that’s where investors come into the picture. The beauty of these fundraising sites is that they focus on connecting starts-up and entrepreneurs with investors interested in backing their businesses.
Unlike other fundraising initiatives, this platform does have a slight catch. As a business, you must agree to set up rewards-based crowdfunding, in which investors receive perks in return, or equity-based crowdfunding, where the investors get a share of stock. Also, it’s important to note that you may not receive total funding if your fundraising campaign doesn’t meet its goals.
- Pricing: Fundable charges a monthly platform fee of $175 for you to create a campaign.
According to EquityNet, it’s the “largest marketplace for private marketplace deals.” This platform helps match start-up businesses with accredited investors via equity funding, debt funding, or both. In short, this fundraising site lets you sell a portion of your start-up to investors in exchange for financial backing.
- Pricing: EquityNet does not charge transaction fees, but a monthly fee is associated with subscriptions.
For Creative Professionals
As some start-up businesses need funding to gain momentum, so do those in creative fields. For example, maybe you're a musician looking for someone to help cover studio time. Or you're a painter who needs financial support to oversee your art supplies. The following fundraising sites are designed for those with creative pursuits in the art, music, tech, and design industries.
Kickstarter is one of the more famous fundraising sites on this list. Designed to help creatives get their ideas to fruition, this platform has helped innovators produce films, music, designs, games, technology, and everything in between. However, the downside of this fundraising solution is that the creatives only receive the money pledged if they reach their fundraising goal.
- Pricing: Kickstarter receives 5% of all funds and charges a 3% processing fee and $.20 per donation.
Patreon is one of the more unique fundraising opportunities on this list, as it works differently than your traditional fundraising platform. Rather than requesting funds, you can set up a paywall and charge patrons a subscription fee to access your content, such as videos, writing, audio, or photography. This way, creators can earn a monthly income instead of only receiving a one-time donation.
- Pricing: Patreon offers three pricing tiers for creators, which charges anywhere from 5 to 12% of the creator’s monthly income earned on the site.
Boost Your Fundraising Efforts with EZ Texting
If growing your business is a priority and your business or organization wants more eyes on your fundraising initiatives, it’s time to leverage mobile marketing into your communication strategy. At EZ Texting, our SMS platform lets you connect with individuals who can raise money for your cause. Contact us today to find out more.
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