With millions of users visiting the site and donating money each day, GoFundMe is one of the most popular websites for DIY fundraising. With its ease of use and simple interface, GoFundMe might seem like the ideal solution for anyone needing a little help. However, the site’s casual format also comes with some drawbacks. Whether or not a person should use GoFundMe for fundraising will depend on their situation and priorities.
Perks of Using GoFundMe for Fundraising
The significant advantage of GoFundMe for fundraising is its simplicity. The site’s user guide walks people through exactly what they need to do so that a GoFundMe fundraiser can be launched in minutes. Other than a small credit card processing and fund transfer fee, the site is entirely free to use as well. Furthermore, GoFundMe’s platform is set up to integrate very easily with social media. This lets people connect their fundraiser to Facebook or even send an email to everyone in a person’s address book. The ability to create a custom, unique link to share with others allows people to spread the news about their GoFundMe fundraiser rapidly. With the site’s incredibly broad user base, people see it as a reliable and safe way of donating.
Potential Downsides to Be Aware Of
GoFundMe’s size can work against it. Unless users can share their fundraiser with many people, they may get buried in the GoFundMe donation pages without a single donation. Another issue is that GoFundMe is set up to solicit a set amount of money from a person. This works well for raising a lump sum for paying a person’s medical bills or building a new tennis court at a local park. However, it works less well for fundraisers that need repeated donations, such as a fundraiser, to provide free lunch for students each year. Without the ability to build a list of donors and ask for repeated donations, users have to create a new GoFundMe and generate interest all over again.
Ultimately, whether GoFundMe is a good fundraising website will depend on a person’s unique needs. It tends to work well for projects where a person needs to raise a single, lump-sum of money, but it works less well for ongoing fundraising plans.