The GoFundMe Not-for-Profit Debacle: A Wake-Up Call for Digital Giving

In a moment that shook the faith that not-for-profits have in online giving, GoFundMe recently admitted to automatically creating donation pages for more than a million U.S. not-for-profits—without asking first. 

The reaction was swift. Organizations discovered their logos, branding, and even IRS data repurposed without consent. Donor information wasn’t shared. Fees and “tips” were added by default. Many not-for-profits were left asking the same unnerving question: “How could something like this even happen?” 

What Happened

GoFundMe, long viewed as a trusted name in crowdfunding, built pages for 501(c)(3) organizations using publicly available information. Those pages were live, searchable, and ready to accept donations—from which GoFundMe me took their standard cut. Some groups found that these auto-generated pages even outranked their official donation pages in Google searches, diverting potential supporters away from the organization’s verified site and into a system the not-for-profit didn’t control. 

After strong pushback from sector leaders such as the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), GoFundMe issued an apology and promised major changes: not-for-profit profiles will now be opt-in only, unclaimed pages will be removed, and organizations will gain greater control over branding, search engine optimization (SEO), and transparency. 

Why It Matters

For any not-for-profit, trust is currency. Donors expect transparency, and they want to know their money is going exactly where they intend, which is probably not towards GoFundMe’s transaction fee of 2.2% plus $0.20 per donation. When supporters land on an unauthorized page—complete with unfamiliar fees or branding—it can quickly erode that trust and damage years of relationship building. 

The issue isn’t just about GoFundMe, either. It underscores a larger truth: when you rely on tools you don’t fully control, you give away part of your income, but just as importantly, you give away your story and your connection to the people who believe in it. 

What Not-For-Profits Can Do Now

Here are a few practical steps to protect your organization: 

• Search your name + “GoFundMe.” See if an unclaimed page exists. 

• Decide whether to claim or remove it. If you find one, you can take control—or ask for it to be deleted. 

• Review your branding and donation processes. Make sure any active fundraising pages reflect your mission and messaging. 

• Monitor SEO rankings. Confirm that your official site appears first when supporters search for ways to donate. 

• Keep your team in the loop. Ensure staff and board members understand what happened and your plan to respond. 

• Audit your donation workflows. Regularly review how contributions are received, recorded, and reconciled so unauthorized activity stands out. 

The Bottom Line

This isn’t just a tech-platform misstep—it’s a wake-up call. In today’s digital giving landscape, owning your donation experience and first-party donor data isn’t optional. It’s essential. 

Even if you’ve never used GoFundMe, the lesson applies: control your channels, guard your data, and stay vigilant. When your donors give through your systems, on your terms, you not only protect your reputation—you preserve the trust that fuels your mission.