What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
Feb 18th 2020, 6:20 am
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,110
Re: What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
I don't believe they do that any more. THere's a voluntary (additional) contribution option from donors, to cover GoFundMe's costs, but GoFundMe changed the way they skim funds from campaigns a few years ago, now only taking a pretty standard payment-processing fee to cover credit card association and issuing bank fees (2.9% plus 30cents per transaction, I think). For sure, GoFundMe is a for-profit company, but I believe it's fair to say that they responded to criticism about the fees they charged to fundraising campaigns and changed their business model accordingly.
That's for individual/personal fundraisers - I gather the rules are different for non-profit organizations, which may be where your perspective comes from. In fact, I just looked it up now - they take 7.9% from institutional campaigns (including the processing fees - so effectively a 5% haircut on top of the 2.9%). That's still probably more cost-effective for very many small to mid-sized non profits than most other fundraising options available to them. Not an unreasonable fee structure, IMO.
That's for individual/personal fundraisers - I gather the rules are different for non-profit organizations, which may be where your perspective comes from. In fact, I just looked it up now - they take 7.9% from institutional campaigns (including the processing fees - so effectively a 5% haircut on top of the 2.9%). That's still probably more cost-effective for very many small to mid-sized non profits than most other fundraising options available to them. Not an unreasonable fee structure, IMO.
Feb 18th 2020, 4:43 pm
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,110
Re: What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
Speaking of BE members and funding, whatever happened to the lady on BE who's husband was severely paralyzed (quadriplegic?) and who desperately needed medical marijuana in some southern state that didn't allow medical marijuana? I remember sending some money directly to another BE member in order to reach this lady but GFM might have been a perfect vehicle for that. I would have preferred to remain anonymous in that case, and GFM supports anonymous giving. Anyway - just curious if anyone knows who I'm talking about.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Feb 18th 2020 at 4:53 pm. Reason: No edit done
Feb 18th 2020, 4:54 pm
#33
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,020
Re: What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
Speaking of BE members and funding, whatever happened to the lady on BE who's husband was severely paralyzed (quadriplegic?) and who desperately needed medical marijuana in some southern state that didn't allow medical marijuana? I remember sending some money directly to another BE member in order to reach this lady but GFM might have been a perfect vehicle for that. I would have preferred to remain anonymous in that case, and GFM supports anonymous giving. Anyway - just curious if anyone knows who I'm talking about.
Feb 18th 2020, 7:39 pm
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,110
Re: What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
Just looked back through my PMs ... There were two BE folks in need back then - Cindyabs was battling cancer and Songbird was the lady who's husband was paralyzed. Rete was indeed coordinating efforts for Songbird, and I think it was Sugarmooma who was coordinating efforts for Cindyabs.
Looks like Cindyabs hasn't posted since 2018, and Songbird hasn't posted since 2014.
Last edited by Steerpike; Feb 18th 2020 at 8:10 pm.
Feb 18th 2020, 8:39 pm
#35
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: What would you start a "GoFundMe" for?
(Corrected 2nd time!)
Just looked back through my PMs ... There were two BE folks in need back then - Cindyabs was battling cancer and Songbird was the lady who's husband was paralyzed. Rete was indeed coordinating efforts for Songbird, and I think it was Sugarmooma who was coordinating efforts for Cindyabs.
Looks like Cindyabs hasn't posted since 2018, and Songbird hasn't posted since 2014.
Just looked back through my PMs ... There were two BE folks in need back then - Cindyabs was battling cancer and Songbird was the lady who's husband was paralyzed. Rete was indeed coordinating efforts for Songbird, and I think it was Sugarmooma who was coordinating efforts for Cindyabs.
Looks like Cindyabs hasn't posted since 2018, and Songbird hasn't posted since 2014.
