The process of adopting can be stressful. However, paying the adoption fees shouldn’t be. One way to raise money to go towards those adoption fees is to create a crowdfunding campaign. Many people have created various fundraisers on the website GoFundMe.com because it is an easy and convenient way of raising money and reaching a wide variety of people.

Here are some tips in creating a successful fundraiser:

1. Create the campaign on GoFundMe.com. Set a goal of how much money you want to raise, add a clear, colorful image of your family (you don’t have to add just one!), and write a brief description of you and your family and why you want to adopt. The more details you give, the more people will connect with your story. An example of a simple title could be: “Help the insert name Family Adopt!” and then in the description mention the names of current family members (and ages if desired), why you want to adopt, and information (if known) about the child or children you are hoping to adopt.
2. Spread the word. Post the link to the campaign on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Add a personal message with your post as this will help to get more people’s attention. Tell people to share the campaign on their Facebook pages in order to help spread the word. You can also email, call, and text close family, friends, or groups you are a part of as not everyone has social media or checks it everyday.
3. Post updates often. Fundraising often can take months or even years, so it is important to post updates about how much you’ve raised or any updates on the adoption process with family and friends. You can also talk about where the money is going and thank people for supporting.
4. Withdraw funds. As you start to raise money, you have to set up withdrawals to be deposited directly into the bank account you have on file on the GoFundMe website. Even though money is taken out, this will not affect the amount of money it says you raised. After you set up your first withdrawal, they will be transferred automatically and donations can keep coming in until you deactivate the campaign.

Now you can support other fundraisers you see, provide support to another family trying to fund-raise, and share about your fundraising experience with us! Email your story (and photos too!) to adoption@gladney.org.

If you have questions about fundraising or other financial aspects of adoption, please reach out to our Senior Vice President of Finance.