Tips for Getting Local Media to Cover Your Fundraiser

Here are 4 tips for selecting photos for sharing your GoFundMe with local media:

1. Prep your fundraiser

Before sending your GoFundMe to local media, take a moment to sure your fundraiser is completed and publicly available. It is the default on GoFundMe for your fundraiser to be public and searchable, so as long as you don’t change those settings, you’ll be all set. Consider having another person you trust read over the fundraiser and ensure all the details you need are there. Finally, ensure you have a

Read more of our top fundraising tips here.

2. Share the fundraiser with your friends and family first

Reporters often look to the number of donations already made to the fundraiser before considering it for a story. Having at least 3 donations to the fundraiser will help increase confidence with the news outlets.

3. Identify local media outlets

Starting with local media outlets in your area are a great first place to start when it comes to contacting organizations. Once you’ve identified a news outlet or anchor, try reaching out with one of these methods

• Find their email. Search the internet for locate the contact information of your journalist. Most media organizations have an easy-to-use contact form on their website.

• Use social media. Social media platforms—like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook—are excellent places to reach out to reporters and journalists. Tag the reporter you want to reach with an With a simple use of “@,” followed by their social media handle. This often sends them a notification about the tag so you can get the attention of someone who could be interested in your story. You can also consider sending a direct message if their profile is public. 

4. Share details in your outreach

Once you find the right contact details, ensure you provide enough details to the reporter to understand why you are fundraising, how the money will be used, and why it would a good community story.

For example: “Hi my name is Laura and I am reaching out to share that my daughter’s soccer team is raising money for new soccer jerseys. Their team is hoping to make it to the state championships this year, but many players cannot afford the cost of a new jersey. We are hoping the community will help rally together to fund the team’s jerseys. I am happy to provide more details to you if needed. Here is my link to the GoFundMe: [include link to fundraiser]. Thank you for your consideration.”