How Nonprofits Can Steal Crowdfunding’s Best Tricks (Without Ditching Their Donation Page)

 The Crowdfunding Paradox
You’ve seen it: A GoFundMe for a stranger’s medical bills explodes past its $50K goal, while your nonprofit’s polished campaign limps to 60%. What’s the disconnect?

Spoiler: It’s not the platform. It’s the strategy.

In my recent Purpose & Profit Club Podcast episode, GoFundMe advisor Michelle Boggs and I cracked open the playbook behind crowdfunding’s viral success—and how nonprofits can adapt it without starting from scratch.

💡 3 Crowdfunding Hacks to Steal TODAY

1. Ditch the “Nonprofit Voice” (Yes, Really)

Crowdfunding wins with raw, human-to-human storytelling. No jargon. No stock photos. No board-approved messaging grids.

Try this:

  • Replace “Your support empowers underserved communities” with “Meet Maria—a single mom who’ll get her first safe home because of you.”

  • Use iPhone videos from beneficiaries (unedited). Typos? Authenticity wins.

“People give to people. Sterile messaging kills connection.” — Michelle Boggs

2. Mobilize Your Street Team® (Not Just Donors)

Crowdfunding campaigns go viral because individuals champion them. Nonprofits? We beg for shares after the campaign launches.

The fix:

  • Recruit 5-10 superfans (board members, volunteers, past donors) as Social Street Team® members before launch.

  • Arm them with:

    • Pre-written social posts

    • Urgent updates (“We’re 80% to goal—help us cross the line!”)

    • A private Slack/FB group to rally momentum.

Example: A client using this method 2X’d their campaign—with 40% of gifts coming from new donors tapped by their Street Team.

3. Updates > Silence

GoFundMe’s secret sauce? Constant progress posts. Nonprofits? Radio silence until the thank-you email.

Borrow this:

  • During campaigns: Send 2-3 updates (“Thanks to you, 50 kids got meals this week!”).

  • Pro tip: Share shortfalls too. (“We’re $10K away—can you help us close the gap?”).

  • Post-campaign: Ditch the annual report. Send a 90-second video of impact.

🚨 The Big Mistake

Thinking you need a new platform. The magic isn’t in GoFundMe—it’s in community-driven urgency.

Your homework:

  1. Audit your next campaign: Where can you inject human storytelling?

  2. Identify 3 people who’d join your Street Team.

  3. Plan 3 updates before you launch.

💬 Your Turn
Which of these tactics will you test first? Hit reply—I read every email.

Ready to 2X your next campaign? Join the Purpose & Profit Club®—where bold nonprofits fundraise without burnout.

Christina Edwards