Political Fundraisers
What the Political Campaign category is for
This category holds fundraisers run for a US electoral candidate, federal or state office. It works like every other fundraiser on GiveSendGo, with one difference that shows up at checkout: FEC rules require more from each giver, so the form also asks for occupation, employer, employer address, and residential address. GiveSendGo collects those fields and does not enforce the per-giver contribution limits those rules set, so that compliance stays with the fundraiser creator. That's worth knowing before the first gift arrives.
Plenty of political fundraisers aren't candidacies, and those belong elsewhere on GiveSendGo. Someone who lost a job over what they believe is raising for a personal need, and someone facing a case that turned into a public argument is raising for legal costs. Both are welcome here. Pick the category that matches the need, and know it's editable later if you pick the wrong one.
Where we stand, and why
Our position is published on the GiveSendGo homepage, under the heading We Love Freedom:
Even if we do not agree with you, we will defend your right to fundraise for the causes and people you love.
A platform that removes fundraisers once they turn unpopular has made popularity the rule, and popularity is the first thing a person in trouble loses. So the standard here is the Terms of Service, applied the same way to everyone, whether or not we agree with the person asking.
That is why nearly anything can be raised for on GiveSendGo: medical bills, funerals and memorials, emergencies, family and personal needs, faith and ministry work, missions, education, community causes, and legal defense, including the difficult and controversial situations other platforms turn away. Being part of one of those situations doesn't disqualify anyone from asking for help.
Legal defense fundraisers
Someone facing charges or a lawsuit needs help most at the moment they are least popular, and the bills arrive on their own schedule. An attorney asks for a retainer before the work starts, filings cost money, and a case can run for years after the week anyone was paying attention to it. That is the situation our position was written for, so legal defense fundraisers are welcome here as long as they follow the Terms of Service.
One rule applies to legal cases specifically, and it decides who receives the money. If the case involves violent or weapons-related charges, such as assault, reckless endangerment, weapons or firearm charges, domestic violence, or homicide, funds can't go to the creator or the defendant directly. A licensed US attorney or law firm actively on the case has to be named as the recipient. Our Legal category page covers the practical side of raising for legal costs in full.
What isn't allowed
The limits are short, they're published, and they apply to everyone:
- Fundraisers that promote or glorify violence.
- Fundraisers that raise money for illegal activity.
- Fundraisers for abortion procedures, or for gender-transition surgeries for minors.
- Fundraisers that impersonate someone or mislead givers.
Every fundraiser also has to be transparent about how the funds will be used. GiveSendGo follows the laws of every country it operates in, along with the rules of its payment partners, so a fundraiser can meet our own guidelines and still not be one we can host or process.
How review actually works
Anyone can report a fundraiser by sending us the link with a specific description of the concern, and every report is reviewed against the Terms of Service by a real person. We don't share the outcome or give a timeline, and we don't act on outrage or popularity. How many people are upset about a fundraiser is not one of the inputs.
Before any funds transfer, the recipient completes identity verification and proves who they are. Our trust and safety team also checks that the recipient's relationship to the person being helped is appropriate, and that what the fundraiser says about itself is consistent and transparent. That verification runs through our payment partner as a standard financial-industry requirement, so it isn't waived for anyone. One consequence is specific to this category: a gift can be refunded without the giver asking for it when a Political Campaign fundraiser hasn't met a regulatory or verification requirement.
The fundraisers listed above are live right now. Support a fundraiser on this page
What it costs, and when the money moves
GiveSendGo doesn't take a cut. There's no platform fee. What's deducted is the payment processor's fee: 2.7% + 30¢ per gift for US fundraisers, 3.5% + 30¢ outside the US. On a $100 gift to a US fundraiser, $97 reaches you.
| Gift | US (2.7% + 30¢) | Non-US (3.5% + 30¢) |
|---|---|---|
| $25 | $24.03 | $23.83 |
| $50 | $48.35 | $47.95 |
| $100 | $97.00 | $96.20 |
| $250 | $242.95 | $240.95 |
Your first gift becomes available 5 days after it's received, every gift after that on a rolling 3-day basis, and a requested transfer typically reaches the bank within 2 to 3 business days. The recipient must be 18 or older, live in the fundraiser's country, and have a bank account there. The recipient's country can't be changed after the fundraiser is created.
Common questions
Can I fundraise for a political candidate on GiveSendGo?
Yes, through the Political Campaign category, for US electoral candidates only, at federal or state office. That category requires extra giver fields under FEC rules: occupation, employer, employer address, and residential address. GiveSendGo does not enforce the per-giver contribution limits those rules set, and that compliance is the fundraiser creator's responsibility.
How do I raise money for a Political Campaign?
Create the fundraiser, pick the recipient's country first because it's locked at creation, set a goal, and write what the money pays for. Name the recipient, who has to be 18 or older, live in the fundraiser's country, and have a bank account there. Our help desk names what separates a fundraiser that works from one that stalls: a realistic goal, a specific breakdown of the costs, a clear story with a direct ask, regular updates, and consistent sharing rather than a single announcement.
Why does GiveSendGo allow fundraisers other platforms remove?
Because we said we would, and it's on our homepage: "Even if we do not agree with you, we will defend your right to fundraise for the causes and people you love." Legal defense and other difficult or controversial situations are welcome here as long as the fundraiser follows the Terms of Service. Being part of a hard situation doesn't disqualify someone from asking for help.
Does GiveSendGo take a fundraiser down when it becomes unpopular?
No. Reports are reviewed against the Terms of Service by a real person, and how many people are upset about a fundraiser isn't one of the inputs. To report one, send us the fundraiser link with a specific description of your concern. We don't share the outcome of a report or give a timeline for one.
Can someone raise money for legal defense here?
Yes, and anyone can start one on behalf of someone else. If the case involves violent or weapons-related charges, such as assault, reckless endangerment, weapons or firearm charges, domestic violence, or homicide, the funds can't go to the creator or the defendant directly. A licensed US attorney or law firm actively on the case must be named as the recipient.
Can someone raise money after losing a job over their beliefs?
Yes. Nearly anything can be raised for on GiveSendGo, family and personal needs included, and being part of a controversial situation doesn't disqualify someone. That fundraiser isn't a Political Campaign fundraiser, though, since this category is only for US electoral candidates. Pick the category that matches the need. The category doesn't affect how well a fundraiser can do, and it's editable later.
Are political donations tax deductible?
Nothing given on GiveSendGo is tax-deductible unless it goes through GiveSendGo Charities, the 501(c)(3). That includes the Giver Army, which is Charities' recurring giving program. The one exception is a recipient that is itself a verified 501(c)(3). GiveSendGo itself is not a 501(c)(3), does not verify any recipient's tax status, and does not issue tax receipts for a personal fundraiser. When the recipient is a nonprofit, the receipt comes from them, not from us.
Is money raised on a political fundraiser taxable income?
In most cases funds raised are treated as personal gifts rather than taxable income, as long as nothing is given in exchange for the donation, and GiveSendGo doesn't issue 1099s to recipients or report donations to the IRS. Where a fundraiser involves a political cause, a business, or rewards for givers, the IRS may treat it differently. That one is a question for a tax professional.
Can I give to a political fundraiser anonymously?
Not fully. You can check "Hide My Name from Public View" and appear as "Anonymous Giver" on the page, or display a custom name instead, but the creator and recipient still see your real name and email in their Donations tab so they can send receipts and thank-yous. On a Political Campaign fundraiser the FEC fields are required as well: occupation, employer, employer address, and residential address. Creator and recipient names always display on a GiveSendGo fundraiser.
What does GiveSendGo charge?
Nothing. There's no platform fee, and no cut of what you raise goes to GiveSendGo. What's deducted is the payment processor's fee: 2.7% + 30¢ per gift in the US, 3.5% + 30¢ outside it. On a $100 gift to a US fundraiser, $97.00 reaches you. Separately, if you set a percentage to GiveSendGo when you created the fundraiser, that amount is added on top of each gift and shown to your givers at checkout, and it's editable anytime in your fundraiser Settings.
