Effective Date: 24 September 2025, 8am Pacific Time
GoFundMe Giving Guarantee Policy
1. Introduction & Purpose
GoFundMe is committed to safeguarding the trust of everyone who uses our GoFundMe and GoFundMe Pro platforms (together, “Platform”). Subject to the below terms, this GoFundMe Giving Guarantee Policy (“Policy”) protects:
- Donors, by ensuring that their donations are used for the stated purpose or reach the intended charity or other organisation, and
- Beneficiaries, by ensuring that they receive the funds raised for them. “Beneficiary” means the intended recipient expressly named by the fundraiser organiser (“Organiser”) to receive funds.
This Policy applies to all donations or Beneficiary designations (as applicable) made on or after the Effective Date. You may submit a claim under the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee here via the “Submit a claim” buttons above.
2. Guarantee for Donors
Donations to Individuals. If you donate to a fundraiser for an individual on GoFundMe.com, you are protected against misuse of your funds based on the stated purpose in the fundraiser or failure to deliver funds to the Beneficiary. If you file a claim under this Policy because you believe any misuse has occurred, GoFundMe will investigate and review its compliance with this Policy. Upon such investigation, if GoFundMe determines in its sole and absolute discretion that any such misuse has occurred, you may receive a refund of the amount you donated.
Donations to Charities. If you donate to a charity, we guarantee your donation will reach the intended charity. In the unlikely event that a charity is unable or unwilling to accept the funds (e.g. loss of status, banking restrictions or sanctions), we will let you know and our payment processors will either redirect the donation to an alternate charity or refund the donation to you, consistent with applicable policies and legal requirements.
3. Guarantee for Beneficiaries
Whether you’re an individual, charity or other organisation, if you are the sole stated, intended recipient of a fundraiser, GoFundMe will ensure you receive the funds directed to you. However, if you are a beneficiary charity and you are unable or unwilling to accept the funds (e.g. loss of status, banking restrictions or sanctions), GoFundMe or its payment processors reserve the right to redirect the donation to an alternate charity with a similar mission or provide a refund to the donor, consistent with applicable policies and legal requirements.
Based on the nature of a claim made under this Policy, GoFundMe may determine in its sole and absolute discretion whether it is most appropriate to apply the donor guarantee or the beneficiary guarantee above.
4. Exclusions
The following situations are excluded under this Policy:
- As a donor, a request submitted under this Policy more than one (1) year after the donation is made,
- As a Beneficiary, a request submitted under this Policy more than one (1) year after you were identified as the Beneficiary for a fundraiser,
- A donation made outside of the Platform,
- Funds that were appropriately delivered to someone other than you as the Beneficiary in accordance with legal requirements (e.g. court order or garnishment) or with your written approval,
- A donation to your own fundraiser,
- A request for a refund for which a chargeback has been initiated,
- You reside in a country where GoFundMe is unable to send funds (you may review a list of our supported countries here),
- Any frivolous, duplicative or excessive (e.g. more than three (3) times in a month) claims, as determined by GoFundMe in its sole and absolute discretion, and
- GoFundMe determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that you have violated our GoFundMe Terms of Service or GoFundMe Pro Terms of Service.
5. Submitting a Claim
To make a claim under this Policy, you
- Must not have contributed in any way to the claimed misuse of funds or failure to receive funds,
- As a donor, still control the original payment instrument you used to make the donation and are authorised to accept a transfer of funds back to that instrument,
- As a Beneficiary, did not receive all of the funds raised by the fundraiser, less any refunds, chargebacks, offline donations and any transaction fees,
- As a Beneficiary, notified the Organiser and used reasonable efforts to try to resolve the issue with the Organiser (e.g. requesting evidence of proper use or distribution of funds), and
- As a Beneficiary, filed a police report of the misuse or abuse.
If you meet the above requirements, you may make a claim via the “Submit a claim” buttons above. If you are a donor, please note that if a refund is issued, the Organiser is notified of the refund and your name as the donor.
6. Investigating a Claim
You understand and agree that GoFundMe will investigate all claims and determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, for each claim whether it is valid under this Policy and what remedy is appropriate (including refunding a donor instead of providing a Beneficiary with payment). All determinations are final.
By submitting a claim, you agree to fully cooperate with any related investigation by GoFundMe or a law enforcement authority. Failure to cooperate with any such investigation may exclude your claim.
In addition, you must notify GoFundMe if at any time you receive any communication or funds from the Organiser or Beneficiary (if you are the donor). As a Beneficiary, if you receive compensation for your claim from anyone other than GoFundMe (e.g. you receive money from the Organiser through a court proceeding or otherwise), you will promptly return to GoFundMe the amount provided to you up to the amount you received under this Policy.
7. No Insurance, Assignment or Warranty
This Policy is not intended to constitute an offer to insure, does not constitute insurance or an insurance contract, and does not take the place of insurance obtained or obtainable by you, and you have not paid any premium in respect of the Policy. The benefits provided under this Policy are not assignable or transferable by you. This Policy is not a warranty against fraud or any other misuse of the Platform.
8. Modifications & Termination
GoFundMe reserves the right to modify or terminate this Policy at any time, in its sole and absolute discretion, without prior notice. If we modify this Policy, we will post the modification on the GoFundMe website or provide you with notice of the modification. Any modifications will not affect claims submitted before the effective date of such modifications.
9. No Waiver
You agree that GoFundMe’s decision to refund under this Policy does not constitute a waiver of its right to decline refunds, payments, or other benefits in the future for any reason in its sole and absolute discretion.
10. Relationship to Terms of Service
This Policy does not limit the GoFundMe Terms of Service or GoFundMe Pro Terms of Service. If there is any conflict between these Terms of Service and this Policy, the applicable Terms of Service will control.
11. Questions
If you have any questions about this Policy, please contact us at legal@gofundme.com.
Donations or Beneficiary designations made prior to the Effective Date remain subject to the previous versions of the Giving and Beneficiary Guarantees.