10 Crowdfunding Platforms for Nonprofit Projects: High School Guide
If you’re a high school student running a nonprofit project, one of the hardest parts can be finding the money to make your ideas happen. Crowdfunding can help with that, and it’s also a chance to learn a lot along the way. By setting up and managing a campaign, you’ll practice skills like telling your story clearly, sharing your project online, and reaching out to people who might support you.
Crowdfunding for nonprofit projects also helps you build practical skills beyond fundraising. You’ll learn how to promote your ideas through digital channels and engage with your community. Participating in crowdfunding for nonprofit projects can also strengthen your college applications and resume. It shows initiative, resourcefulness, and a willingness to take ownership of meaningful work.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 10 crowdfunding platforms that work well for high school-led nonprofit projects!
10 Crowdfunding for Nonprofit Projects: High School Guide
1. Chuffed
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: No platform fee; donors cover payment processing fees and may leave optional tips
Dates: Campaigns are self-directed; duration is flexible
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: Open to individuals, nonprofits, and social enterprises with social cause projects; high school students are welcome
Chuffed is a free crowdfunding platform for social causes like education, human rights, and community projects. You keep 100% of what you raise, with only standard card fees. Donors can leave optional tips to support the platform. You can launch a campaign quickly using Chuffed’s step-by-step setup. Stripe and PayPal make it easy to receive donations directly and securely. You don’t need to hit a fundraising goal to access your funds. Chuffed focuses on storytelling and transparency. It offers tools to help you promote your campaign and get noticed, including the chance to be featured on the homepage.
2. GoFundMe
Location: Online; accessible in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia
Cost: No platform fee; standard transaction fees apply; donors may leave optional tips
Dates: Campaigns are self-directed and can run anytime
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students can run personal fundraisers or nonprofit campaigns if the nonprofit is verified; nonprofit fundraisers must be for registered charities in supported countries
GoFundMe Charity is a free crowdfunding platform where you can raise money for nonprofit projects in areas like education, health, and social justice. You create a campaign page, set a goal, and share your story to connect with donors. As you run your campaign, you’ll learn how to promote your work through social media, track donations, and communicate with supporters. GoFundMe offers guides and tutorials to help you plan, reach out, and report clearly.
3. FundRazr
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: Free with optional tip model; standard Stripe/PayPal fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: Open to individuals, nonprofits, and teams; high school students can launch campaigns for social causes, school events, or community projects
FundRazr is a free, full-featured crowdfunding platform that helps you raise money for school projects, social causes, or community events. You can launch a campaign in minutes using guided setup tools, templates, and built-in tips. The platform supports both individual and team fundraising, including peer-to-peer campaigns, challenges, and event-based efforts like runs or galas. You can customize your campaign with stories, images, videos, and branding. You can also add wishlists, perks, and ticket sales to make your campaign more interactive. Mobile-friendly design and one-click payment options make it easy for people to contribute.
4. StartSomeGood
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: 5% platform fee if funding goal is met; payment processing fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: Open to individuals and nonprofits launching social impact projects; high school students are welcome if the project meets platform goals
StartSomeGood is a crowdfunding platform made for social impact projects. You can raise money for causes like education, equality, conservation, or local jobs. You choose your goal, timeline, and campaign style, with two options: keep what you raise or raise all-or-nothing. You’ll learn how to plan, promote, and manage a real campaign. StartSomeGood offers extra support for young changemakers, including an online masterclass on storytelling and donor outreach. If you want more help, you can pay for premium packages with expert advice and custom strategies.
5. Kickstarter
Location: Online; accessible in select countries including the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and more
Cost: 5% platform fee plus payment processing fees; all-or-nothing model
Dates: Self-directed; typically 30–60 days
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students may launch projects if they meet age and country requirements; nonprofit projects must be creative and goal-driven
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform best known for creative projects, but it can also support nonprofit efforts with clear goals and deliverables, like education programs, community art, or awareness campaigns. To launch a campaign, you’ll need a detailed plan with a timeline, funding goal, and rewards for backers. You’ll create a strong story and use visuals to explain your project. This helps you build skills in content creation, marketing, and community outreach. You’ll promote your campaign through social media, email, and personal networks. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing, so you only receive funds if you meet your goal.
6. Indiegogo
Location: Online; accessible in most countries
Cost: 5% platform fee (waived for verified nonprofits); standard payment processing fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration varies
Application Deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: Students may launch campaigns, but nonprofit fundraisers require verified organizational details
Indiegogo lets you raise money for causes like education, social impact, technology, or the environment. You can choose flexible funding, which means you keep whatever you raise, even if you don’t reach your full goal. You design your campaign with a clear story, images, and goals. Indiegogo gives you tools to build interest before launch, like landing pages and email signups. Once your campaign is live, you promote it through social media, email, and your networks. You get access to tutorials, tips, and analytics to help you improve your campaign. You’ll learn how to communicate with donors, post updates, and stay transparent. If you’re raising money for a nonprofit, you’ll need to select the right category and provide verified details.
7. Fundly
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: 4.9% platform fee plus payment processing fees
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students leading nonprofit or charitable projects
Fundly is a mobile-friendly crowdfunding platform where you can raise money for education, social impact, or environmental projects. You create a custom campaign page with your story, images, and videos, then share it through social media, especially Facebook, which is deeply integrated into the platform. You’ll learn how to promote your campaign, post updates, and keep donors engaged. Fundly offers tutorials, examples, and tips to help you get started and improve your outreach. You can manage everything from your phone or tablet, making it easy to stay active and responsive.
8. CauseVox
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: Free plan available; paid plans offer advanced features; standard processing fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students managing nonprofit initiatives
CauseVox is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform where you can create campaigns, donation forms, and event pages in minutes. You manage the donor experience from outreach to follow-up using built-in email and text tools. You can run donation drives, peer-to-peer fundraisers, auctions, or ticketed events. The platform’s CRM tracks donor activity and gives insights. You’ll learn how to plan, promote, and manage a real fundraising project, with free webinars and tutorials to guide you.
9. JustGiving
Location: Online, accessible globally
Cost: No platform fee for fundraisers; standard processing fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: Any registered nonprofit / charity or individual fundraiser tied to a nonprofit cause
JustGiving is a popular fundraising platform where you can raise money for a registered charity by creating a personalized campaign page. You can link your fundraiser to an event like a marathon or run it independently for a school, community group, or nonprofit project. Once donations start coming in, JustGiving sends the funds directly to the charity, so you don’t have to manage the money yourself. You can customize your page with photos, videos, and personal stories to connect with supporters. To help you succeed, JustGiving offers a fundraising toolkit, top tips, and advice on how to promote your campaign through social media and local press.
10. Panorama
Location: Primarily U.S.-based
Cost: Tiered pricing; free trial available; payment processing fees apply
Dates: Self-directed; duration flexible
Application deadline: None; open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students and organizations managing nonprofit initiatives
Panorama by FrontStream is a full-featured fundraising platform where you can plan and run nonprofit campaigns for school or community causes. You can create branded event pages, donation forms, and mobile bidding sites, and manage everything from registration to payment processing. Panorama supports events like walks, runs, auctions, and peer-to-peer fundraisers. You’ll learn how to organize volunteers, track donations, and communicate with supporters using built-in email and SMS tools. The platform also gives you access to dashboards and analytics so you can measure progress and improve your outreach.
One more option - Young Founders Lab
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!