Public Relations Response Strategy for Nonprofits Impacted by GoFundMe

Bloomerang recently reported GoFundMe automatically generated 1.4 million donation pages for nonprofit without their consent causing a public relations nightmare for many unsuspecting organizations. In response to the backlash from the nonprofit community, GoFundMe has since announced that going forward, nonprofits will have the right to opt-in and pages that have been unclaimed or unverified will be removed. If a GoFundMe page was created without your organization's permission, below are some steps you can take to address this issue from a public relations perspective.

1. The primary public relations

goal is to prevent donor confusion and maintain trust by clearly directing supporters to official giving channels. Send immediate communications (email, social media, website banners) to your donor list, stakeholders, and community.

2. Briefly and transparently explain that third-party platforms, like GoFundMe, have automatically created pages for many nonprofits using public data, often without permission.

3. Explicitly state and link to your official website donation page as the only verified, direct, and preferred way to give. 

4. Dedicate a prominent page on your website to address the controversy, showing that you are informed, in control, and prioritizing donor clarity. Include:

✅ A link to your official donation page.

✅ A brief explanation of why the GoFundMe page exists (i.e., it was created automatically, not by you).

✅ Instructions for donors if they have already given through the unauthorized page.

5. Take control of your digital narrative. Intensify your content creation and social media promotion for your official donation links and mission-driven content. The more high-quality, relevant content that links to your official site, the better its chances of outranking the GoFundMe page.

6. If appropriate for your organization's size and mission, issue a brief statement or pitch the story to local or sector-specific media to reinforce the message: "Our official site is the only verified way to support us directly." 

7. Ensure all digital touchpoints (Google Business Profile, social media bios, email signatures) feature the most prominent and direct link to your official donation page.

8. Ensure everyone representing your organization speaks with one consistent voice. Provide clear, concise talking points to all staff, board members, and key volunteers on how to answer questions about the GoFundMe pages.

Example Talking Point: "We want all of our supporters to know that the best way to help us is to give directly through our website. While a GoFundMe page may exist for us, it was created without our authorization, and we are working to manage its presence to avoid confusion."

9. Train staff who handle donor inquiries to politely and accurately redirect questions about the GoFundMe page back to the official giving channels.

10. If you choose to claim and optimize your new GoFundMe page, take immediate control of the messaging, branding, and content. Use the page's description to highly promote your official website and the unique benefits of direct giving. Ensure any content on the page is consistent with your current brand standards and mission.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/edXwBi5u