GoFundMe is Back in the Nonprofit World

Just about a year ago, GoFundMe, the online platform where people can transfer money for different causes, shut down its efforts with its free, fundraising suite for nonprofits. This platform gave nonprofits the ability to raise money through a very familiar and reputable online mechanism. At the time, those “in the know” were concerned it might have a very negative effect on nonprofits.

Low and behold, this last week it was announced that GoFundMe was purchasing the platform Classy and would operate Classy as a subpart of GoFundMe to serve the nonprofit community.

If you watch/listen to me on my podcast, or know me personally, you know I am not “Mr. Technology.”  I joke, but there’s some truth, I’m still being dragged a bit into the 21st-century. But, I understand the implications of this. The future of philanthropy will more and more include online social fundraising opportunities. You can’t doubt that…but if you do, you do so at your own peril. 

I’ll be interested to see what happens with Classy and GoFundMe, to see if its new platform and integration make it easier for nonprofits. But at the end of the day, this is a good thing because it’s another way in which nonprofits can interact with the community to seek financial support for the missions that make a difference in our communities.