CrowdRise
CrowdRise is a peer-to-peer fundraising platform, founded in 2009 and now operating as a sub-brand within GoFundMe following acquisition. It enables nonprofits, educational institutions, and individuals to run charitable fundraising campaigns using gamified engagement tools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersDetroit, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What CrowdRise does
CrowdRise is a peer-to-peer crowdfunding platform originally built in 2009 to facilitate charitable fundraising for nonprofits, educational institutions, corporate foundations, event organizers, and individual fundraisers. The platform was co-founded by actor Edward Norton, producer Shauna Robertson, and brothers Robert and Jeffrey Wolfe while attempting to raise money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust; they subsequently commercialized the bespoke tooling as a general-purpose fundraising platform. CrowdRise's distinguishing technical feature was the early application of gamification mechanics — points, badges, social leaderboards, and challenges — designed to drive donor and organizer engagement in P2P campaigns.
CrowdRaise was acquired by GoFundMe (with the integration publicly announced in 2022) and now operates as a sub-brand within GoFundMe's broader platform rather than as an independent product. The combined offering centers on the GoFundMe web and mobile platform, supplemented by features including the Smart Fundraising Coach (an AI-assisted coaching tool), GoFundMe Giving Funds (a donor-advised fund product), team fundraising capabilities, verified fundraiser certification by Trust & Safety specialists, and the GoFundMe Guarantee (a donor refund protection mechanism). Distribution is primarily self-serve and product-led via web and native iOS/Android applications, with a separate GoFundMe Pro channel addressing the mid-market nonprofit segment.
The business model is transaction-fee based, monetizing a percentage of funds raised on the platform. CrowdRise itself is reported at 1-10 employees, reflecting its post-acquisition status as a sub-brand integrated into GoFundMe rather than a standalone operating entity; revenue and operating metrics are not disclosed at the CrowdRise level.
CrowdRise firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CrowdRise
- Website
- https://crowdrise.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CrowdRise is a peer-to-peer fundraising platform, founded in 2009 and now operating as a sub-brand within GoFundMe following acquisition. It enables nonprofits, educational institutions, and individuals to run charitable fundraising campaigns using gamified engagement tools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CrowdRise industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creator Fundraising & Crowdfunding Platforms (Recurring/Project-Based) (MPACAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Creator Tipping, Donations & Micro-Payments (MPACAFAB)
Keywords
Where CrowdRise is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Detroit
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
CrowdRise business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction-based fundraising: Platform enables peer-to-peer fundraising, likely taking a transaction fee or platform fee from funds raised through the platform. As part of GoFundMe, which raises more than $50M per week, the revenue model centers on transaction-based fees from successful fundraisers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | CrowdRise platform pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CrowdRise product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CrowdRise is an online peer-to-peer fundraising platform that enables individuals, nonprofits, and organizations to create and manage fundraising campaigns using gamification mechanics such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges. The platform was acquired by GoFundMe and now operates as part of the GoFundMe ecosystem, supporting campaigns across medical, memorial, emergency, education, nonprofit, and animal cause categories. It also offers verified fundraiser certification, a donor protection guarantee, and an AI-powered Smart Fundraising Coach.
Product overview
CrowdRise, founded in 2009 by Edward Norton and others, was acquired by GoFundMe in 2022 and now operates as part of the GoFundMe platform. The combined offering provides a peer-to-peer crowdfunding platform supporting individual and team fundraising campaigns across multiple categories (medical, memorial, emergency, education, nonprofit, animal causes). Key features include the Smart Fundraising Coach (AI-powered coaching), Giving Funds (donor-advised giving), team fundraising capabilities, verified fundraiser certification, and the GoFundMe Guarantee for donor protection. The platform processes over $50 million weekly and serves nonprofits, educational institutions, and individual fundraisers globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GoFundMe Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- More than $50M raised weekly on the GoFundMe platform
Companies that use CrowdRise
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CrowdRise technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
CrowdRise partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GoFundMecoreCrowdRise was acquired by GoFundMe in 2017. CrowdRise co-founder Robert Wolfe, CEO stated: 'Our entire team at CrowdRise is incredibly excited to be a part of the GoFundMe revolution because we authentically share their vision. We really believe that this combination is going to comprehensively rewrite the way people take care of each other and act on their desires to make the world a better place.' CrowdRise now operates as part of GoFundMe, the largest and most trusted crowdfunding platform.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CrowdRise competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Classy: Peer-to-peer and nonprofit fundraising platform serving charities with campaign, event, and CRM functionality; competes head-on with CrowdRise in the nonprofit fundraising segment with deeper nonprofit tooling.
- Givebutter: Modern fundraising platform for nonprofits offering donation pages, P2P campaigns, events, and auctions with a 0% platform fee model; directly competes with CrowdRise on nonprofit and individual giving.
- Funraise: Nonprofit-focused fundraising platform with peer-to-peer campaigns, donation forms, and event tools; directly comparable to CrowdRise's nonprofit offerings.
- Mightycause: Nonprofit and personal fundraising platform offering crowdfunding, events, and donor management; competes directly with CrowdRise in the P2P nonprofit fundraising category.
Broad incumbents
- Bonterra (Network for Good): Suite of nonprofit software including fundraising, CRM, and grant management via Network for Good and causes.com; competes with CrowdRise in the charitable giving workflow.
- Indiegogo: Rewards and donation crowdfunding platform with global reach; competes with CrowdRise in donation and cause-based campaigns while also serving product/creative launches.
- Kickstarter: Largest rewards-based crowdfunding platform; overlapping crowdfunding mechanics and creator/fundraiser user base, but focused on creative projects rather than charitable causes.
- GoFundMe: Parent company and direct platform equivalent after acquiring CrowdRise; operates the largest personal and charitable crowdfunding platform with $50M+ raised weekly, sharing identical product mechanics and donor base.
Emerging players
- Patreon: Recurring creator-monetization platform with tipping and membership mechanics; overlaps with CrowdRise on micro-payment donation flows and creator/fundraiser monetization.
Regional players
- JustGiving: Charity and personal fundraising platform with strong UK and European presence; highly comparable product set to CrowdRise for charitable causes but operates primarily outside North America.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CrowdRise social profiles
Digital presenceCrowdRise financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CrowdRise leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CrowdRise funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CrowdRise M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CrowdRise
What does CrowdRise do?
CrowdRise is an online peer-to-peer fundraising platform that enables individuals, nonprofits, and organizations to create and manage fundraising campaigns using gamification mechanics such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges. The platform was acquired by GoFundMe and now operates as part of the GoFundMe ecosystem, supporting campaigns across medical, memorial, emergency, education, nonprofit, and animal cause categories. It also offers verified fundraiser certification, a donor protection guarantee, and an AI-powered Smart Fundraising Coach.
Is CrowdRise a public or private company?
CrowdRise is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was CrowdRise founded?
CrowdRise was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CrowdRise based?
CrowdRise is headquartered in Detroit, United States, in the North America region.
How does CrowdRise make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction-based fundraising.
Who are CrowdRise's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Classy, Givebutter, Funraise and Mightycause. Broad incumbents are Bonterra (Network for Good), Indiegogo, Kickstarter and GoFundMe. Patreon is listed as an emerging player. JustGiving is listed as a regional player.
Does CrowdRise have an API?
No public API is recorded for CrowdRise.
What industry is CrowdRise in?
CrowdRise's product category is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAFAJ, Creator Fundraising & Crowdfunding Platforms (Recurring/Project-Based), with a secondary code of MPACAFAB, Creator Tipping, Donations & Micro-Payments.