Experts Urge Nonprofits to Remove Unauthorized GoFundMe Pages

Nonprofits across the country raised alarms last week after learning that GoFundMe, the world’s largest fundraising platform, had quietly created over 1.4 million “Nonprofit Pages” using public IRS data and information from partners like the PayPal Giving Fund.

The intent, according to GoFundMe, was to make it easier for people to “discover and donate to nonprofit organizations” even if those groups hadn’t actively created their own GoFundMe campaigns. Instead, it triggered a wave of criticism from nonprofits and fundraising experts. Organizations quickly discovered that many of these pages had been created without their consent—complete with their logos, mission statements, and donation buttons—and that each donation made through these pages came with a 2.2% transaction fee plus 30 cents per donation, paid to GoFundMe to “cover payment processing and safely deliver funds.” In addition, GoFundMe encourages donors to leave an optional tip averaging 15%, money that goes directly to the company to “power the platform.” 

For nonprofits already frustrated by the lack of consent, these fees only deepened concerns that GoFundMe was profiting from their brands and donor relationships under the guise of accessibility. The move raised urgent questions about intellectual property, donor trust, and the ethics of monetizing charitable giving without permission. Polina Makievsky, President and CEO of the Penfield Children’s Center, voiced concerns about transparency and the potential risks to nonprofit organizations.

“Anything that potentially jeopardizes an organization’s reputation or relationship with donors, even if it’s just something that looks suspicious, puts a huge and unnecessary burden on nonprofits,” Polina says. “Transparency is critical, not only so donors understand where their money is going, but also to maintain trust in the organizations doing the work. It’s discouraging to see high processing fees when so many smaller causes or individuals really need the full value of that donated dollar.”

Nonprofits Encouraged to Protect Their Brand and Donor Trust

Anne Gingerich, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), says that even if GoFundMe’s goal was to help nonprofits—and take a cut along the way—organizations should still take down their pages.

“While GoFundMe may have intended to make it easier for people to support causes they care about, the creation of nonprofit pages without consent raises serious issues, from intellectual property and outdated information to trust and transparency,” Anne says. “Nonprofits should have the right to decide where and how they’re represented, and our recommendation is for organizations to review and, if necessary, remove these unauthorized pages to protect their integrity and donor trust.”

GoFundMe Apologizes and Makes Changes

The reaction was swift and loud. Within days, GoFundMe issued a public apology on LinkedIn, acknowledging that it had missed the mark. The company announced a pivot: Nonprofit Pages would now be opt-in only, unclaimed pages would be removed and de-indexed from search engines, and all nonprofit visibility would become fully consent-based moving forward.

“We understand clearly that our recent efforts with Nonprofit Pages have caused confusion, concern, and distraction from the vital missions of the very nonprofits we aim to support,” GoFundMe wrote. “Trust is foundational to our work with nonprofits, and we are fully committed to rebuilding it through better communication, collaboration, and partnership.”

The apology, while welcome, underscored a deeper truth: even well-intentioned tech interventions can backfire when control and consent are ignored. In an online statement, Diane Yentel, President & CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, called the move “a breach of trust,” but praised GoFundMe for listening to feedback and acting quickly to correct the mistake. 

“This incident is a reminder that nonprofits must always retain the power to decide for themselves how and when to engage with partners,” Diane wrote. “The expertise of nonprofits should be sought and valued in advance of any effort related to their work.”

The Bigger Lesson: Protect Your Donor Relationships

Still, not everyone is ready to forgive and forget. Donald Summers, Founder and Executive Director of Altruist Impact Accelerator, sees the debacle as part of a larger pattern—one where tech intermediaries position themselves between nonprofits and their donors.

“The idea was terrible to begin with,” Donald says. “Any third-party fundraising organization that inserts itself between nonprofits and their donors is undermining the very relationship that drives giving. When you let a platform ‘own’ your donor experience, you’re giving up control, and that’s ignorance, not strategy.”

Donald argues that real fundraising success doesn’t come from SEO tricks or corporate partnerships, but from direct, personal relationships with donors. It’s a point many in the sector agree on. As nonprofits face a challenging fundraising landscape—with mass giving campaigns plateauing and donor trust declining—the GoFundMe controversy is more than just a tech misstep. It’s a wake-up call.

Technology can amplify giving, but it can’t replace trust, transparency, and consent. For nonprofits, the lesson is clear: protect your brand, own your narrative, and never outsource your donor relationships. When it comes to fundraising, the most powerful connection will always be the one built human to human, not algorithm to algorithm.

What Nonprofits Should Do Now

1. Find out if your organization has a GoFundMe page. Search your nonprofit’s name on GoFundMe.com
2. Take down unauthorized or unclaimed pages. If your organization did not intentionally create or verify a GoFundMe Nonprofit Page, allow it to be removed. Redirect donors to your official giving channels, where 100% of their contributions support your mission rather than a third-party platform taking a percentage.
3. Reclaim control of your fundraising. Donor relationships are the foundation of nonprofit sustainability. Removing unauthorized GoFundMe pages ensures that giving remains direct, transparent, and aligned with your communications strategy — not filtered through an external platform.
4. Review your online presence. Check other fundraising platforms and directories for outdated or inaccurate information that may misrepresent your organization. Keeping your data current and consistent reinforces donor confidence and brand integrity.
5. Communicate proactively. Inform your team, board, and supporters about where to give safely and directly. Make it clear that your organization values transparency and stewardship—and that every donation made through your own website goes further toward your cause.