GoFundMe recently created a product to raise money for nonprofits, but launched it in a way that is unethical, at the very least. Thank you to our friends at MENTOR Vermont for sharing this article, where they learned about it. Here’s an article about it.

Not only can it be confusing for donors, but it has the potential to divert dollars they intended to go to a specific nonprofit, and does not bring them to your website, which is ultimately where we want donors to go. This does not build trust, and in fact can have the opposite effect.

After a lot of pushback they changed some things about it, including asking for the donor to tip be optional rather than required, and they removed nonprofit logos, since they did not have permission. Here’s an article about that.

There are a couple options of how you might want to address this. MENTOR Washington recommends the second option below, but choose what's best for your organization.

Option 1: Claim the page and remove it

1. Find and claim your page: Search for your nonprofit on GoFundMe's nonprofit directory to find your page. Follow the instructions to claim it and get access to its dashboard.
2. Go to settings: Once logged in, navigate to your nonprofit page's settings.
3. Remove the page:

• To hide the page from public view: Go to "Display Settings" and toggle off "Published on GoFundMe".
• To delete the fundraiser: Select "Delete fundraiser" from the settings menu. You will need to confirm this action.

Option 2: Request removal without claiming

1. Submit a formal removal request:

Contact GoFundMe's support team to request the page's removal. You can also use the official privacy data removal form or email
[email protected].

1. Include necessary information:

Provide your nonprofit's legal name, EIN, the URL(s) of the unauthorized page(s), and a clear statement that you are requesting the removal of the unauthorized page(s) due to brand misuse.

1. Escalate if ignored:

If your request is not answered, you can file a formal complaint with your State Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).