When you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, you shouldn’t have to worry about how you’ll pay for a funeral. Crowdfunding for funeral expenses helps ease financial stress during this difficult time and allows you to focus on saying goodbye. Below, we offer funeral fundraising tips that will help you raise money to honor your loved one’s memory.
Your fundraiser story is an opportunity to write a tribute to your loved one and explain what he or she meant to you. By including images and videos of him or her at different points in life, others can reminisce about the times they shared together or learn new things about their life. Here are some other tips:
If you’re having a hard time finding the right words, read our blog post Your Fundraiser Story: A Comprehensive Guide.
The high cost of funeral services is a huge point of stress for many families who have just lost a loved one. If you have a large fundraising goal, it’s important to let your supporters know what items you’re fundraising for. This will help others understand why you’ve chosen a specific fundraising goal, and can encourage more giving.
See these blog posts for more memorial fundraising tips:
Coping with death can affect every area of someone’s life, which means there is a lot of room for others to pitch in and help. Maybe you need someone to pick your kids up from school or walk your dog. Or perhaps you need someone to write an obituary and deliver a eulogy at the service.
List these needs under a title that says “Other ways you can help” on your fundraiser page. This will allow people to show their love and support in creative ways if they aren’t able to make a monetary funeral donation.
Related reading: How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving
Sharing your fundraiser with everyone you know is the number one way to receive donations. You can use social media to promote your fundraiser, and then ask others to share your posts with their contacts.
If you’ve exhausted social media efforts, why not try fundraising without social media? You can reach out via email, phone, and text. It isn’t always easy to ask for donations while grieving, but our fundraising email templates can make seeking support less intimidating. You can also ask friends or close family members to help with outreach efforts.
Once people donate, they’ll want to know how their donations have helped, or if you still need help reaching your goal. Posting fundraiser updates is the perfect way to keep supporters in the loop while showing them your appreciation. Here are some other ideas of what to include in updates:
Chase was just 30 years old when he tragically lost his life in a car accident. Chase’s sister wanted to support his wife and her young children, so she started a GoFundMe that raised over $85,000. The funds were used to support Chase’s family and hold a celebration of life ceremony for him.
Laura touched many lives as a program manager at the University of Houston. After she passed away, students and colleagues wanted to honor her memory and help Laura’s husband. They started a GoFundMe that raised close to $5,000 to pay for medical and funeral expenses.
After Jae lost his life while traveling in Bali, Indonesia, his good friend Mark took action and created a GoFundMe for his family. Mark helped raised over $68,000 so Jae’s family could bring him home to Australia for a proper celebration of life.
If you’re having trouble finding organizations that help with funeral expenses or need funds right away, GoFundMe wants to help. Through our fundraising model, you can keep more of the money you raise and receive donations to your bank account within just a few days. Whether you’re raising money for funeral expenses for your family or helping a friend in need, memorial fundraising allows you to dedicate your time and energy to what matters. Sign up and start a fundraiser for funeral expenses today.
More than $50M is raised a week on GoFundMe to support people like you