The complete guide to livestream fundraising

Livestreaming, the act of broadcasting an event live online, was first developed in the early 1990s. Early livestreamed events included music concerts and baseball games, but the medium has since exploded to include many diverse activities. At the time of writing, popular livestreams in the UK include boxing events, football matches, video gaming, space projects, reality TV, award shows, and church events.

 

Coinciding with livestreaming’s rise in popularity, many charities have noticed its potential as a fundraising method. In 2023, over $400 million (£318.7 million approx.) was raised for various charitable causes on the popular streaming platform Twitch, a large increase from the $83 million (£66 million approx.) mark reported just three years before in 2020.

 

So how can more charities get in on the livestreaming action? How can individuals get involved to support a charity they love? And how can they work together to maximise the potential of livestream fundraising? In this article, we explore these burning questions and more.

 

Skip to: What are the benefits of livestream fundraising?

Skip to: How does livestream fundraising work?

Skip to: Should I livestream for charity?

Skip to: Is livestream fundraising right for your charity?

Skip to: How can charities get into livestream fundraising?

Skip to: How to put on a successful fundraising livestream

Skip to: Gaming for Good facts

Skip to: The best livestream fundraising ideas

 

 

What are the benefits of livestream fundraising?

 

In many ways, the culture of livestreaming goes hand in hand with fundraising. Here, we explore how.

 

 

Enough time to talk about what’s important

 

One of the key benefits of charity livestreaming is that it gives hosts enough time to communicate the importance of a particular cause. The maximum broadcast time of 48 hours on the streaming platform Twitch means that there is more than enough time to bring a charity’s story to life and connect with audiences over its mission.

 

The informal and candid setting of streams also creates a suitable space for streamers to open up discussions on difficult subjects. At the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, livestreaming has been useful for reaching out to 15-34-year-olds. “We want to raise awareness and tackle the stigma around discussing suicide”, says a representative from the charity.

 

 

Opportunities for new demographics

 

More than 70% of Twitch viewers are between the ages of 18 and 34, meaning that engaging with the  platform can set a charity up for long-term support and recognition. Streaming platforms can also reach diverse audiences that are difficult to connect with elsewhere.

 

Different livestream activities, hosts, and platforms will attract different audiences, as Marie Curie found with livestream fundraisers hosted by a variety of celebrities, from David Tenant to Basil Brush.

 

Livestreaming on a platform like Meta (Facebook) or Instagram can also be a way to reach diverse, global audiences where they already are online.

 

 

An enthusiastic fundraising culture

 

The culture of livestreaming platforms has allowed many content creators to foster loyal communities who share their passions. This can mean that when content creators choose to fundraise for a particular charity, audiences are excited to show their support, too. In fact, Twitch has found that 78% of its users wanted to see more charity in gaming.

 

Donating money to content creators is the norm on Twitch, with many viewers seeing it as a way to pay for the entertainment or give compensation for learning. In this way, holding fundraisers for charity isn’t a large departure from the existing culture on the platform.

 

 

Ease, time, and money

 

Livestream fundraising is also an accessible medium, meaning that even individuals and charities without huge audiences can find success raising money for a good cause. Whether livestreaming is someone’s full-time job, a hobby, or a completely new area of curiosity, livestream fundraising is possible.

 

Livestream fundraising can also be cheaper and less time-consuming than other types of fundraising, particularly when bearing in mind the benefit of the large audiences it can engage.

 

 

How does livestream fundraising work?

 

Here we investigate the three main ways that a livestream fundraiser can come into being.

 

 

Charities inviting streamers to fundraise

 

Sometimes charities decide that they would like to encourage their supporters to livestream for their cause. In this case, many charities will have systems in place to reach out to streamers and support them with their fundraising.

 

These charities will often have a webpage available for anyone to find out how to stream for them, and a Discord chat where their supporters can talk and learn from each other. Some charities who have this set-up will help promote their supporters’ fundraising livestreams and even send messages in the chat while the stream is live.

 

To encourage livestream fundraising, some charities hold events that invite supporters to livestream during a particular time period, for example Make-a-Wish’s Wish 200 Week and Special Effect’s weekend event GameBlast. Others associate livestream fundraising with a particular awareness campaign or appeal, while still others encourage streamers to get involved year-round.

 

 

Charities hosting their own livestreams

 

Another way that livestream fundraising can happen is when a charity decides to host a livestream itself. The British Red Cross, for example, held a successful Harry Potter Quiz livestream fundraiser, hosted by one of its celebrity ambassadors Jason Isaacs. The charity has also used Twitch to highlight the impactful work of its operational teams.

 

 

Supporters leading the way

 

A third and final way that livestream fundraising can happen is when a person decides they would like to raise money for a particular charity by livestreaming – but the charity does not have anything in place to encourage their supporters to do so.  People should get in touch with such charities to let them know their plan and find out whether they can work together to make it a success.

 

It’s also possible for individuals to livestream for charity by getting involved in mass community fundraising events such as Jingle Jam or GamesDoneQuick.

 

 

Should I livestream for charity?

 

As an individual, livestreaming for charity is a great opportunity to use your passions to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause. Like many fundraising methods, livestream fundraising can be both enjoyable and a source of pride to know you have contributed to a cause you care about.

 

Streamers for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) reflect on their experience: “Mental health means a lot to me and my community, so streaming for CALM is really special. Everyone coming together around a common goal and donating to save lives – it makes me a bit emotional!”

 

“It’s amazing to raise money for a vital cause and help people talk about their mental health at the same time.”

 

“During lockdown I spoke to CALM when I needed help and felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone. I’m so happy I did. Now, I support and talk about CALM on my streams, because we’re more than just a gaming community. We’re here for each other.”

 

Here are just some of the many charities that encourage their supporters to fundraise through gaming and streaming. We have linked specifically to each charity’s livestream fundraising page:

• Crisis
• WWF UK
• British Heart Foundation
• Against Breast Cancer
• Prince’s Trust
• Save the Children
• Refuge
• Doctors Without Borders
• Combat Stress
• RSPCA
• End Youth Homelessness
• CALM
• British Red Cross
• Mind
• The Trussell Trust
• Make-a-Wish
• National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
• Blue Cross
• Aberlour
• ZERO Prostate Cancer
• Cancer Research UK
• Sands

A handy resource is Mind’s wellbeing advice for gaming and streaming fundraisers, which includes finding a balance between your online and offline life, staying safe online, and making the most of the benefits of digital.

 

Finally, if livestreaming isn’t for you, there are many other options for raising money for charity, from hosting an afternoon tea to braving a zip wire.

 

 

Is livestream fundraising right for your charity?

 

To charities, it is important not to waste time and money. So, it follows that many have practical questions about livestream fundraising, wanting to weigh up whether it is worth the investment.

 

A lot of charities use livestream fundraising, but 2019 research found that established charities who used it saw it as a long-term plan, with money raised through livestreams representing less than 5% of their total fundraising efforts.

 

Livestream fundraising was found to be a good approach for the British Red Cross because of the charity’s involvement in emergency appeals. “When disasters happen across the world, when they’re very newsworthy, the red cross symbol is seen in the media and people have that association and if they are motivated to do something then it’s quite an easy choice to make to fundraise for us,” Georgia Paton, former Gaming and Streaming Manager at the charity told us.

 

However, this does not necessarily mean that smaller or lower-profile charities should disregard livestream fundraising. In fact, it can be a great way to build awareness of your cause among new demographics in addition to fundraising.

 

Paton also noted that the charity’s large size enabled its team to put the necessary investment of time, effort, resource, and money into livestream fundraising, while charities of other sizes may not have the same privilege.

 

It is also worth being aware of potential expenses and risks of the fundraising method, particularly for high-profile and elaborate events. The influencer-run boxing event Creator Clash 2 failed to raise money for charities, for example, due to online piracy of the livestream and additional costs associated with the in-person component of the event.

 

If unsure whether livestream fundraising is right for your charity, it may be worth testing the waters with simple, inexpensive livestream events – either in-house or in partnership with supporters – to see whether the investment of time and money could be worth the benefits on a larger scale.

 

For more information, we have previously explored how to throw a fundraising event and how to market fundraising events.

 

 

How can charities get into livestream fundraising?

 

Approaches to livestream fundraising will differ depending on each charity’s strengths and unique opportunities, but a great starting point for fundraising teams is to immerse yourself in the world of streaming. Paton recommends getting curious and talking to people you know who engage with streaming. The ultimate goal, she says, is to create something that streamers would want to be part of.

 

It’s also a great idea to watch livestreams to get a better understanding of available streaming platforms, their culture, the diversity of communities engaging with this form of media, and more. Tom Downie, UK charity manager at Tiltify, recommends watching livestream fundraising events such as Jingle Jam: “I think there’s so much to learn from how they’re operating, how they communicate with their audiences, how they talk, live, one-on-one”, he told Third Sector.

 

 

Consider your approach to livestream fundraising

 

Once you have got a feel for the livestreaming format, decide which approach you are going to take to fundraising:

 

• Reaching out and partnering with a selection of streamers
• Hosting in-house livestreams
• Inviting all supporters to livestream fundraise for you

All options will require some time investment, so the choice will likely rest on the existing strengths of your charity. If you have an in-house team who already hosts in-person fundraising events, for example, you might think about how you can adapt what they already do to the livestream format and your intended audience.

 

Maybe your charity has existing fundraisers, ambassadors, or volunteers who could host your first livestreams. Or maybe you can partner on the livestream with organisations who have an in-built community that already cares about your cause.

 

Of course, it’s also possible to combine methods and experiment. Don’t be afraid to get creative and do things differently to suit the unique circumstances of the charity.

 

When planning a fundraising event, always be sure to check the UK Fundraising Regulator’s advice. For fundraising livestreams, their advice for Community Fundraising and Events may be relevant.

 

 

Decide how you will receive donations on the livestream

 

When setting up a donations page, services such as Tiltify and JustGiving allow donors to give directly to a charity. This avoids streamers having to act as middlemen for payments and allows stream viewers to have trust that their donation will end up with the charity.

 

As a charity, you can set up pages on these platforms to make it easy for streamers to get started. For example, here are Refuge’s Tiltify and JustGiving streaming pages.

 

 

Reach out to streamers

 

If your charity has decided to reach out to streamers, it’s best to think small, says Marcus Howard, a consultant who helps nonprofits and companies raise money through esports. Like with friendships, he told The Chronicle of Philanthropy, “You have the best relationships with the people who are closest to you…It’s counterintuitive, but generally streamers with smaller audiences will raise more money for charity than those with millions of fans.”

 

When engaging with streamers, it’s also a good idea to reach out them plenty of time in advance, says Paton. Giving streamers one, two, or three months’ notice before a planned livestream is a way to support people to take part, particularly professional content creators, who can tend to have busy schedules.

 

When choosing streamers, it’s worth establishing the values you want to represent the charity. April Stallings, Gaming and Influencer Manager at Make-a-Wish International, recommends vetting a streamer’s online behaviour, ensuring that their language and content aren’t hateful or offensive before reaching out.

 

Similarly, some charities kindly ask streamers to avoid certain themes that are not in-keeping with their values. For example, Mind’s Gaming and Streaming wellbeing advice page states: “We know we can’t control what games people choose to play for our streaming and gaming fundraising. However, we ask our supporters to be mindful that violence, nudity, and other triggering content wouldn’t be appropriate for a Mind fundraiser.”

 

As an alternative to directly reaching out to streamers, some charities post invitations on social media for supporters to livestream fundraise for them, and have detailed webpages or fundraising packs that give those interested all the information they need.

 

 

Help make the fundraising livestream a success

 

Making sure the streamer is comfortable asking for donations to the charity is key, says Stallings. For example, this could involve one-on-one coaching sessions. You can also ask streamers to talk about the impact that donations have within the charity and to thank both large and small donors. Make-a-Wish International also sets up chatbots to ask for donations during streams.

 

Another way to keep the cause front of mind is to associate something about the stream with a key fact or statistic relating to the charity. For example, Mind has set timed challenges, such as “Stream 4 hours for the 1 in 4 of us who experience a mental health problem every year.”

 

You can also prepare assets for livestreams, such as talking points, videos, and branded templates. These help to remind audiences to donate throughout. Whether or not the charity reaches out to streamers, materials such as these can be available on a charity’s website ready for use. It can also be useful to make an FAQ page publicly available.

 

 

Stay engaged with streamers

 

Once an individual has hosted a livestream fundraiser for charity, the most important thing to do is thank them for their contribution. This creates a feeling of mutual appreciation, and could lead to the person deciding to host another livestream for your cause in the future.

 

Like the British Red Cross, you may choose to spotlight your livestream fundraisers through your own channels to celebrate their contribution.

 

You can also stay in touch with past participants through Discord, sharing information about upcoming campaigns. It is always worth asking streamers about their experience and using their feedback to create an even better livestream fundraising experience in the future.

 

 

How to put on a successful fundraising livestream

 

To put on a successful fundraising event, start by choosing the cause and understanding the charity’s set-up for receiving donations. As an individual, following instructions laid out by the charity on their website can make the process easy.

 

 

Plan your fundraising livestream

 

Then, it’s time for deciding what activity you will do. A popular activity is gaming, but you can do all kinds of activities – so long as you enjoy it, it is engaging to an audience, and it is appropriate to the charity you are fundraising for.

 

When it comes to charities hosting their own fundraising livestreams, it’s best to do something relevant to the charity’s work, says Allysa Sweetman, Director of Creator Social Impact at Twitch: “It needs to be authentic and engaging. It’s better if charities livestream something that fits with their mission. Putting an employee on playing games doesn’t automatically ensure that an audience will show up or find it engaging.”

 

The livestream length is also a key component. Lengthy charity livestreams can encourage donations because they serve as a challenge for the host and can involve a lot of variety – for example, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 24-hour Kitchen Disco Danceathon for BBC Children in Need.

 

Having a plan for how you will spend the time during livestreams will help keep the ball rolling smoothly throughout. Note that many charities provide holding slides that you can use while streaming to take breaks as needed.

 

It may be worth considering how you might involve your audience throughout the stream to make the most of the live format. The British Red Cross has created a list of over 50 things to use as incentives once you have reached different donation goals on livestream.

 

Below, we explore some livestream fundraising ideas to help with this step.

 

 

Choose a livestreaming platform

 

Next, decide which platform you will use to host your livestream. Each platform has different guidelines for users, which you must familiarise yourself with ahead of time.

Some popular platforms for livestream fundraising are:

• Twitch
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

Charities choosing a platform to host their own livestream fundraising event could consider the demographics of each platform compared to their intended audience, while individuals planning a livestream might consider which platform they already use to connect with their audience and which platform is best for their planned activity.

 

Everyone hosting a livestream should also check the platform’s functionality for moderating and safeguarding the live chat. Make a plan ahead of time for who will be your chat moderator and take into consideration both the rules of the platform and your own boundaries for what messages should be allowed to be sent to the livestream.

 

 

Decide how you will raise donations on the livestream

 

Be sure to read the UK Fundraising Regulator’s advice for the public when setting up an online fundraising appeal.

 

Consider the different options available for raising money. Many livestream fundraisers are totally free to watch, with hosts simply encouraging viewers to donate to the charity using the “Donate” button throughout the broadcast.

 

Another option is creating a ticketed event, with a fixed cost for each attendee. This might be a good option for shorter participatory events, such as a fitness or skills class, a quiz, or a musical event.

 

Some fundraising livestreams also involve giving donors a gift in return. For example, the annual gaming event Jingle Jam encourages participants to donate above a minimum amount to access a Games Bundle, which are donated to the event organisers for free by video game publishers and developers.

 

It is important to set up a clear way for viewers to donate straight to charity, for example through Tiltify or JustGiving. Make sure you have set up your stream in advance and know where your donation link or button will appear on screen so it’s easy for you to direct your viewers there.

 

 

Make sure you have the right equipment for livestreaming

 

The equipment every streamer needs is a computer, a webcam, a microphone, and a reliable internet connection. Many in-built computer webcams and microphones are high enough quality to livestream with, but if you want to add multiple audio or video inputs to your stream, you may need more equipment. To check if you have all the equipment you need, check out Computer Discount Warehouse’s Live Stream Equipment Checklist.

 

Once your equipment is sorted, it’s worth completing a ‘Tech check’ in advance of the livestream to make sure it works as intended. This might include checking that your microphone is registering your voice, that your webcam is showing your face and is positioned correctly, and that any other features (such as screensharing) are happening smoothly.

 

You may be doing an activity that requires additional equipment: if you are baking, you will need certain kitchen equipment and ingredients, for example. Make sure you have considered this in advance and have everything you need to hand on the day.

 

 

Prepare your livestream and reach out

 

To prepare for the stream, it’s also worth making sure you feel comfortable talking about the charity and asking your audience for donations. The charity may be able to help you by providing talking points in advance, or you can talk about some of the charity’s key facts and statistics that are important to you.

 

Some charities will also provide branded materials for fundraising livestreams, such as overlays for their video feed or a T-shirt to wear during the stream. It’s worth asking about this in advance.

 

If you will be playing games on your livestreams, Pete Wilkins, founder of livestreaming specialist company Gaming Careers, recommends reaching out to games developers of the games you will be playing to let them know about your upcoming event. They may support the stream with gifts for donors or general promotion.

 

If your livestream involves another activity, you may similarly consider getting in touch with companies associated with key products you will be using to see if they would like to support your fundraising efforts.

 

 

Promote your livestream

 

Next, promote your livestream to your friends, family, and other followers. This could involve promotion on your planned livestreaming platform itself and on your other social media accounts.

 

It can also be a good idea to create a central landing page with all the information about your livestream ahead of time.

 

In these communications, you can tell the story of why that particular charity is important to you, what activity you will be doing, and why it is worthwhile for people to join you on the stream. Sharing the link for your scheduled livestream and a link to learn more information about the charity is also a good idea.

 

For those hosting lengthy livestreams with multiple games, activities, or guests, Wilkins suggests publishing a schedule for the livestream ahead of time so that your audience can choose when to tune in.

 

The British Red Cross recommends that you post multiple times to remind  followers that your livestream is happening: one a few days in advance, one just before going live, and others during the livestream. Any posts you plan to send while live could be scheduled in advance for ease.

 

Some charities will also help you with promoting your fundraising livestream, for example by providing guidance and ideas, or sharing infographics or posters. There are also a range of free graphic design tools available to help you create your own promotional materials.

 

 

Go live

 

When the day arrives, all that’s left to do is go live and have fun. Remember to keep the charity front of mind and say thank you for each donation, and you’re good to go!

 

 

Gaming for Good facts

 

Gaming for Good is when a person or group of people host a fundraising livestream that involves playing games. Gaming livestreams are a popular form of entertainment because its participants enjoy being part of a community, feeling acceptance and inclusion, having fun and experiencing escapism, and learning new gaming skills.

 

Here, we explore some of the main aspects of Gaming for Good to help you embrace this fundraising method.

 

 

Types of Gaming for Good livestreams

 

There are many different ways to play games on a livestream, but what tends to differentiate a fundraising livestream from a normal gaming livestream is an additional element of challenge, entertainment, or the introduction of gifts and incentives for donors. Here are some of the main types of Gaming for Good livestreams.

 

 

Gaming marathon livestreams

 

Gaming marathons are when a person or group of people commit to gaming for a continual period of time. GameBlast is an annual fundraising gaming marathon weekend, organised by SpecialEffect, a charity transforming the lives of people with physical challenges through the use of innovative technology.

 

Anyone can host their own gaming marathon livestreams during the GameBlast weekend to raise money for SpecialEffect.

 

 

Telethon-style gaming livestreams

 

Gamers can also host events in the tradition of TV telethons. These are long broadcasts or collections of long broadcasts, intended to raise money for charity, typically consisting of a variety of engaging content and multiple guests or hosts.

 

One example is Jingle Jam. An annual event that aims money for a number of charities during the festive period, it was created and hosted by popular gaming content creation group the Yogscast. In 2023, the event ran for 14 days and raised donations for Autistica, CALM, Comic Relief, CoppaFeel, Galop, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, Hello World, Movember, Justdiggit, The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and War Child UK.

 

Each of these charities has created a video introduction about their work, available for attendees to view on the event’s YouTube channel. The event also invites those who wish to host their own fundraising livestream during the 14-day period to do so. The event has raised more than £23 million for charity since it began.

 

 

Speedrun livestreams

 

A speedrun is when someone completes a video game, or a level of a game, as fast as possible. This type of gaming content is a way for viewers to learn advanced techniques and glitches that can be taken advantage of in a particular game, experience a thrill from the sheer pace of events, and feel rewarded when they see a gamer succeed after many speed attempts.

 

 

Competitions and tournament livestreams

 

Competitions and tournaments are another type of gaming livestream. Games Done Quick is a series of “speedrunning” marathons and tournaments to raise money for charity. It is an in-person ticketed event that is also livestreamed online. The event has raised over $45 million (£35.5 million approx.) for charities to date.

 

On a smaller scale, gamers can also compete with friends, family, and other content creators to create engaging livestreams in the comfort of their own home.

 

 

What are the best games for fundraising livestreams?

 

The world is truly your oyster when it comes to choosing games for a livestream fundraiser. Streamers can play any game of any genre, from Dungeons and Dragons to Disney’s 102 Dalmations: Puppies to the Rescue.

 

The most important things to consider are whether you enjoy playing the game and whether its themes are appropriate for the charity you are fundraising for. If in doubt, check whether the charity has provided guidance on their website or other communications to you, or get in touch with them.

 

Taking in those main considerations, you may opt to play the most popular game of the moment. Some new releases in 2024 include ‘Life By You’, ‘Baby Steps’, and ‘The Plucky Squire’.

 

Alternatively, don’t be afraid to stick to the classics if that’s what you prefer, as enjoying yourself will ensure that the livestream is fun for your audience too.

 

Playing more niche games can also go down well, introducing viewers to new worlds or unique concepts. Or if you are skilled at a particular game, you can share tips and tricks with your audience – or simply amaze with your speedy gameplay.

              

 

The best livestream fundraising ideas

 

Beyond Gaming for Good, there are many other activities that can make for excellent fundraising livestreams. Here, we explore four of the best livestream fundraising ideas.

 

 

Challenges

 

Challenge-based livestreams can be a test of endurance or skills. Some past examples include livestreaming a five-mile swim in a paddling pool, a watching spree of all 11 Star Wars films, and a marathon attempt.

 

To invent your own challenge, try pushing a passion one step further than most would go. If you love making art, you could livestream yourself painting 100 pictures of your friends’ and followers’ pets for your favourite animal charity. If you love James Bond, you could host a watch-a-thon with themed interactive games with your audience. Just keep the challenge light-hearted and fun, and you’re on to a winner!

 

 

Sharing your skills

 

Do you have a highly coveted skill? Consider putting it towards a good cause with fundraising livestreams. Whether it’s acing bridge or nailing blacksmithing, there are many people who are eager to learn, all while supporting the great work of an important charity.

 

 

Fitness classes

 

Online fitness classes are a popular genre of content, with many (literally) jumping at the chance to get moving in the comfort of their own homes. For fitness teachers, livestreamed fundraisers are an opportunity to share knowledge, help others get their endorphins flowing, and support a cause close to the heart. What could be better?

 

 

Live music

 

There is no better excuse to share the gift of music. That could mean livestreaming an in-person music fundraising event or hosting a concert from your living room. Just remember not to get too lost in the rhythm to interact with your audience. DJ duo Black Market Stereo UK got creative on their live music fundraising stream by involving their audience’s original music and artworks and encouraging audience members to call in.