FAQ
Questions,answered.
Find answers to common questions about getting started with OpenGiving
Getting Started
Is OpenGiving a charity?
No. OpenGiving is marketplace infrastructure for fundraising. Here's what that means and why it matters.
What is a GivingProfile?
Your public impact identity. A record of every contribution you make on OpenGiving, for as long as your account is open.
How to Launch an OpenGiving Campaign
Pick a category and a location, write what you are raising for, set a goal, add photos and publish. It is free to launch, there is no setup fee, and nobody reviews the campaign before it goes live.
How It Works
Do you handle shipping?
No. You buy from another person, not from OpenGiving. Shipping is arranged directly between buyers and sellers.
How does the marketplace work?
Sellers list items and choose how much goes to a campaign. Buyers shop, and we hold the payment until the delivery is confirmed.
Can I contribute without giving money?
Yes. List items for sale and send a share of each sale to campaigns. Turn things you don't need into impact.
Payments & Fees
How do campaigns receive funds?
Card money goes to the organizer's Stripe account and PayPal money to their OpenGiving wallet: a contribution when it's paid, a campaign's share of a sale once the delivery is confirmed. Each organizer is reviewed once before their money is paid out.
How do OpenGiving's fees compare to GoFundMe and eBay?
On a contribution OpenGiving takes nothing and the contributor covers the processing fee. On a sale OpenGiving charges 5% of the price of a physical item or service, billed to the buyer on top of it, or a flat $1 buyer fee on a digital one. GoFundMe takes 2.9% + $0.30 per donation; eBay's standard final value fee is 13.6% plus $0.40 an order.
When do I get paid for a sale?
Your share of a sale is credited to your OpenGiving wallet once the delivery is confirmed: a physical item by the buyer's four-digit code, a digital item by their first download, a service by the buyer accepting the work. From the wallet you withdraw to PayPal.
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Only if the campaign is run by a registered nonprofit. Most campaigns on OpenGiving are personal fundraisers, which are not tax-deductible.
What fees does OpenGiving charge?
OpenGiving charges 5% of the price of a physical item or a service, billed to the buyer on top of it. Digital items pay a flat fee instead, and contributions pay no OpenGiving fee. The payment processing fee is added to what the buyer or contributor pays.
Our Approach
How is OpenGiving different from other fundraising platforms?
We combine marketplace infrastructure with impact profiles. Multiple ways to participate, all recorded on one public profile.
How Marketplace-Based Fundraising Works
OpenGiving enables three routes to contribution: selling items, shopping with purpose, and direct giving. Each one is recorded on your impact profile as the money moves.
The Problem with Cash-Only Fundraising
Traditional fundraising creates barriers. Not everyone has spare cash, but they might have items to sell, time to contribute, or purchasing power to redirect.
Why Impact Identity Matters
GivingProfiles create a public record of every contribution. It's like a resume for giving — traveling with you and growing over time.
Still have questions?
Our team is always happy to help you succeed with your campaign.