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February 25, 2014

GiveForward – Raise Funds for Healthcare Expenses

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Crowd-funding websites are a dime a dozen, but GiveForward stands apart from competitors with a uniquely narrow focus. The online fundraising platform caters exclusively to people trying to raise money to cover medical expenses, with lower fees and better payment security options than many of its competitors.

GiveForward encourages you to do whatever you can to help raise money to support loved ones dealing with medical bills, veterinary bills, funeral expenses, and even medical bankruptcy costs. Create a fundraising page, complete with a detailed story about the person you’re raising money for (the beneficiary) and the reasons why he or she is in need of support. When your fundraising page becomes active, you can share it with friends via social media and email. You can also expand the scope of your project by adding additional team members. Team members can post updates and share your fundraiser with their own personal contacts. Donors are encouraged to give online using credit or debit cards. As the team captain, you can choose how and when those funds are distributed to the beneficiary.

In addition to collecting monetary gifts, GiveForward also provides space for friends to give virtual “hugs,” which are words of encouragement that stay on a fundraising page forever. GiveForward provides you with a detailed list of ideas for how to make your campaign successful, and each fundraiser is assigned a personal coach who is available to answer questions via email, phone, or live chat.

Practical Uses:

  • Raise money for a friend’s chemotherapy treatment
  • Help offset the cost of your grandmother’s funeral expenses
  • Collect money so a friend can afford to adopt a service animal
  • Put together a memorial fund in memory of a favorite relative

Insider Tips:

  • Each fundraiser is assigned a personal coach
  • GiveForward never sells information about beneficiaries, team members, or supporters
  • Fundraisers can manage their campaigns from GiveForward’s mobile app
  • Approximately 2.9% + $0.30 of each transaction goes to GiveForward’s online payment service provider

What we liked:

  • Fundraising pages can easily be shared on social media
  • Multiple team members can be added to a fundraiser
  • Supporters have the option of donating financial gifts or virtual hugs
  • GiveForward is completely open about how much of a cut it takes from online donations

What we didn’t like:

  • Nothing

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: August 2008
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
  • Founded by: Desiree Vargas Wrigley and Ethan Austin
  • Web site: http://www.giveforward.com

Costs:

  • GiveForward collects 7.9% + $0.30 from each transaction

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