Donating money? Find a crowdfunding cause that suits you
You want to make a difference for someone else. But where do you donate to? Here is how to choose between a charity and a personal crowdfunding, and know where your contribution ends up.
You want to make a difference for someone else. Maybe because you want to give something back, because a particular issue moves you, or simply because you can spare something and want to do some good with it.
But where do you donate to?
Germany and Austria have countless charities and social organisations. At the same time, you can now also donate money directly to people, families, clubs and local initiatives through crowdfunding.
That choice makes giving more personal, but sometimes also harder. Which cause suits you? How do you know where your contribution ends up? And do you choose a large organisation, or a personal fundraiser instead?
There is no right or wrong way to give. What matters most is that you choose a cause you feel connected to.
1Donating money to a charity
For many people, a charity is the first thing that comes to mind when they want to donate money. That makes sense. Charities often work for years on a clear social issue. Think of health, fighting poverty, animal welfare, nature, children, international aid or research into diseases.
With your donation you contribute to something bigger. That can suit you, for example, if a particular social mission matters to you and you want to support an organisation over the long term. Your contribution then becomes part of a broader approach that often helps many people at once.
Some people choose one or more organisations that they support every year or every month. Others donate when there is a specific campaign or disaster.
But a charity is not the only option.
2Donating money to a personal crowdfunding
Crowdfunding makes it possible to give much more directly.
You can, for example, contribute to someone who needs expensive medical treatment, a family that has to start over after a house fire, an athlete trying to reach a special goal, or an owner who cannot pay for their pet's operation alone.
The big difference is often how concrete it is. You can see who is organising the fundraiser, why money is needed and what the amount raised will be used for. Sometimes you know the person behind the fundraiser personally. Other times the story moves you, even though you have never met the organiser.
That personal character is exactly what many donors find appealing.
You are not just donating to an issue. You are helping someone in a very concrete situation.
3Donating money or helping someone directly?
It does not have to be one or the other.
You can support an organisation that works on an issue you care about for years, and also contribute now and then to a personal crowdfunding that moves you.
Perhaps you donate to cancer research every year and also see a fundraiser by a family raising money for travel costs around a treatment. Or you regularly support an animal welfare organisation and at the same time come across a crowdfunding for a dog that urgently needs surgery.
Both forms of giving can exist side by side. One supports a larger social goal. The other makes direct and personal help possible.
4Where do you want your donation to make a difference?
A good way to decide where to give is to ask yourself which issue moves you most. Some people feel most connected to health. Others to animals. Others want to help when people unexpectedly run into serious trouble.
New fundraisers are started on Spendenaktion every day. That means you can search in a very targeted way for an initiative that suits you.
Help someone with medical costs
Falling ill often has far more consequences than the illness itself.
There can be costs for treatments, aids, transport, stays abroad or adaptations at home. Someone may also be able to work less, or not at all, for a while. Not every cost is fully covered.
Through crowdfunding, family, friends, acquaintances and others involved can contribute together. That way, one person does not have to raise the whole amount, and many small contributions can together make a big difference.
Perhaps a particular situation speaks to you personally. Perhaps you recognise something from your own circle. Or perhaps you simply want to help someone who needs support right now.
See current fundraisers for medical help
Spenden für Arian❤️👑
Arian braucht eure Hilfe 🙏❤️ Das ist Arian. 👑 Er ist 1 Jahr alt und kämpft gegen einen bösartigen Hirnstamm-Tumor.
😢 Meine Kinder sind zu jung, um sich von Mama zu verabschieden! – Kopf-OP
🇩🇪 Krebs, schwere Kopf-OP, Kampf um mein Augenlicht. 🇵🇱 Rak, ciężka operacja głowy, walka o wzrok i dzieci.
Help an animal that needs care
For many people, a dog, cat or other pet is a full member of the family.
When an animal suddenly falls ill or has an accident, the vet bill can quickly add up. Examinations, medication, emergency care and an operation can cost thousands of euros. Not every owner has enough savings or pet insurance that covers all the costs.
Crowdfunding gives other animal lovers the chance to help. A contribution of €10 or €20 may seem small compared with a high vet bill. But if dozens or hundreds of people do the same, a necessary treatment can suddenly become possible.
See current fundraisers for animals
Er sollte geschlachtet werden – und heute kämpfen wir für seine Zukunf
🐴❤️ Er sollte geschlachtet werden – und heute kämpfen wir für seine Zukunft
Verona braucht Hilfe!
Nach einer unerwarteten Verletzung steht Verona in der Tierklinik und benötigt finanzielle Unterstützung.
Help people after an unexpected setback
Sometimes a life changes within a few hours. A house fire. A flood. A serious accident. A sudden death. Or another event that suddenly leaves a family facing major practical and financial problems.
At a moment like that, there are often immediate costs. Think of temporary accommodation, clothing, furniture, transport, repairs or other essential expenses.
It is exactly in situations like these that crowdfunding can quickly bring many people together. Family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and sometimes whole communities can each contribute.
For the people affected, that means more than financial help. It also shows them they are not on their own.
See current emergency fundraisers
Spenden für Arian❤️👑
Arian braucht eure Hilfe 🙏❤️ Das ist Arian. 👑 Er ist 1 Jahr alt und kämpft gegen einen bösartigen Hirnstamm-Tumor.
😢 Meine Kinder sind zu jung, um sich von Mama zu verabschieden! – Kopf-OP
🇩🇪 Krebs, schwere Kopf-OP, Kampf um mein Augenlicht. 🇵🇱 Rak, ciężka operacja głowy, walka o wzrok i dzieci.
5A fundraiser does not have to be big to matter
When we think of donating money, we often think of large amounts and large organisations. But impact does not always have to be big or international.
Perhaps a local club is trying to raise money for new equipment. A family needs help to buy a wheelchair-accessible van. A school is raising money for a special project. Or someone wants to make a loved one's last wish come true.
For the person who needs help, a relatively small goal like that can be hugely important. Crowdfunding makes exactly these kinds of initiatives visible. As a donor, you then decide for yourself which story you want to support.
6How do you choose a crowdfunding to donate to?
A personal story can move you straight away. Still, it is sensible to take a conscious look at a fundraiser before you donate.
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Check who is organising the fundraiser
Is it clear who is behind the fundraiser and who the money is being raised for? Sometimes someone organises a fundraiser for themselves. In other cases, the crowdfunding is started by family, friends, colleagues or a club. A clear explanation helps you understand who is involved.
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Check what the money is needed for
A good fundraiser explains as concretely as possible what the money is for. For example a medical treatment, a pet's operation, funeral costs, temporary accommodation or a specific project. The more clearly that goal is explained, the better you as a donor can decide whether you want to contribute.
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Read the story
Why was the fundraiser started? A personal and honest story gives context. It helps you understand what is going on and what your contribution can mean.
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Look at the updates
Organisers can post updates during a crowdfunding. They can use them to share, for example, how a treatment is going, which milestone has been reached or what part of the money raised has already been spent on. Updates give you as a donor extra insight into how the fundraiser is progressing.
7How much money should you donate?
There is no right answer to that. Above all, donate an amount that suits your own situation. For one person that is €5. For someone else it is €25 or €100.
Crowdfunding is all about the power of many people helping together. So it does not have to come from one large donation.
Suppose a hundred people each contribute €10. That already adds up to €1,000. That is why even a relatively small contribution can be valuable.
And if you cannot spare any money right now? You can often still help a fundraiser by sharing it with others.
8Donating once, or more often?
That is up to you as well.
Perhaps you choose to support a regular charity every month. On top of that, you can help a personal fundraiser now and then when a story moves you. So you do not have to choose just one way of giving.
That freedom is exactly what makes donating online interesting. You can support large social organisations and help someone close by who has a concrete need right now.
Which story do you want to support?
Browse different fundraisers, read the stories and decide for yourself which cause you want to support.
See all fundraisersDonating money to what feels right for you
In the end, giving is personal. One donor wants to contribute to structural change. Another wants to know exactly which person is being helped by their contribution. Both choices are valuable.
What matters most is that you give consciously, to something you believe in.
Crowdfunding has added an extra option to that. Alongside well-known charities, you can now also directly help people, families, animals, clubs and local initiatives.
Sometimes the story is close to home. Sometimes it is on the other side of the world. But behind every fundraiser is someone trying to make something possible.
Discover a fundraiser that moves you
Maybe you already know exactly what you want to donate money to. Maybe you would rather browse around first.
On Spendenaktion you will find fundraisers for, among other things, medical help, animals, emergencies, funerals, sport, education, charities, clubs and personal initiatives.
See current fundraisers on Spendenaktion
Spenden für Arian❤️👑
Arian braucht eure Hilfe 🙏❤️ Das ist Arian. 👑 Er ist 1 Jahr alt und kämpft gegen einen bösartigen Hirnstamm-Tumor.
Er sollte geschlachtet werden – und heute kämpfen wir für seine Zukunf
🐴❤️ Er sollte geschlachtet werden – und heute kämpfen wir für seine Zukunft
Verona braucht Hilfe!
Nach einer unerwarteten Verletzung steht Verona in der Tierklinik und benötigt finanzielle Unterstützung.
😢 Meine Kinder sind zu jung, um sich von Mama zu verabschieden! – Kopf-OP
🇩🇪 Krebs, schwere Kopf-OP, Kampf um mein Augenlicht. 🇵🇱 Rak, ciężka operacja głowy, walka o wzrok i dzieci.
Spendenaktion Editorial
We write about giving, crowdfunding and how donation platforms work, so that you can make an informed choice about how and to whom you give.
