Crowdfunding Success Stories to Follow by Example

Need some inspiration and helpful tips before you get started? Take a look at a few of our GoFundMe crowdfunding success stories to follow by example.

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Successful fundraisers on GoFundMe

1. Chauncy’s Chance

Story: When grocery shopping, Matt White met a young man named Chauncy, who offered to carry Matt’s groceries in exchange for some donuts. Once they started talking, Matt learned that Chauncy and his mother were living in extreme poverty. Matt started the fundraiser to help Chauncy buy a lawnmower to make some money, but it exploded into a life-changing event for everyone involved.

Original fundraising goal: $500

Amount raised: $342,106

Recipe for success:

Matt wrote a moving, honest, and compelling Facebook post that got a lot of attention before he even started the fundraiser.
Matt’s description included both concrete details about what was needed for Chauncy and his mother and emotional storytelling that drew donors in.
He included a casual, authentic video of Chauncy so donors knew who they were helping.
Matt posted regular, enthusiastic, and grateful updates every time he reached a milestone or there was progress to share.
He posted photos, videos, and even recordings of phone calls whenever possible to keep his audience connected.
Local and then national media covered Matt and Chauncy’s remarkable story.
Matt used Facebook extensively to share his message, thank supporters, and spread enthusiasm.

2. Send 100 Girls 2 See Hidden Figures

Story: Taylor Richardson is a teen who dreams of becoming an astronaut. She wanted other girls, especially girls of color, to be inspired to pursue STEM careers, so she started this fundraiser to send 100 girls to watch the movie Hidden Figures.

Fundraising goal: $2,600

Amount raised: $19,633

Recipe for success:

Taylor was very clear in her goal (sending 100 girls to see Hidden Figures) and how much it would cost to accomplish that.
Using photos and honest storytelling, she explained why this movie was important for girls like her and why she wanted to inspire others.
Taylor posted frequent updates (over 70 in all) to share her progress and results.
Her story captured the attention of celebrities and influencers, who then donated to and shared her fundraiser.
Taylor used social media to her advantage, regularly posting links to her fundraiser and tagging people who might be interested in it.
Local and national media attention helped spread Taylor’s message and earned her donations from all over the country.

3. Help fund meals for the homeless in San Jose!

Story: Ayaan, a sophomore, and Josh, a junior, both attend Bellarmine College Prep. They’ve known each other since pre-school and have always been passionate about helping the underprivileged. The two tapped into their passion by starting a small grassroots organization called BLBI, or the Bellarmine Lunch Bag Initiative, where they make sandwiches for the homeless in downtown San Jose. Ayaan and Josh started a fundraiser to raise money for supplies to make more meals to feed hungry stomachs.

Fundraising goal: $20,000

Amount raised: $23,844

Recipe for success:

Ayaan and Josh were transparent in their fundraiser description by answering the questions “What do we do?” and “Where does the money go?” to give potential donors easily digestible information.
They made a call out saying “Even a small donation of $5.00 makes 1 meal!” to show donors that even the smallest contribution makes a big difference.
Ayaan and Josh added compelling visuals to their fundraiser story by sharing some photos of themselves making sandwiches.
They posted updates that included gratitude and the impact of the donations they received along with new pictures and videos to keep donors in the loop with their progress.
Ayaan and Josh’s fundraiser gained local media coverage and they were interviewed by ABC7 to share their story and increase awareness of their cause.

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