Donating money? How to choose a charity or crowdfunding that fits you

You want to make a difference for someone else. Maybe because you want to give something back, because a particular cause moves you, or because you simply have a bit to spare and want to do something good with it.

But where do you donate to?

There are countless charities and social organisations out there. At the same time, you can now also donate money directly to people, families, associations and local initiatives through crowdfunding.

That choice makes giving more personal, but sometimes also harder. Which cause fits you? How do you know where your contribution ends up? And do you choose a large organisation, or a personal fundraiser instead?

There is no right or wrong way to give. What matters most is that you choose a cause you feel connected to.

1Donating money to a charity

For many people, a charity is the first thing that comes to mind when they want to donate money. That makes sense. Charities often work for years towards a clear social cause. Think of health, poverty, animal welfare, nature, children, international aid or research into disease.

With your donation, you contribute to something bigger. That can be a good fit when a particular social mission matters to you and you want to support an organisation structurally. Your contribution then becomes part of a broader approach that often helps many people at once.

Some people choose one or several organisations they support every year or every month. Others donate whenever a specific campaign or disaster comes up.

But a charity is not the only option.

2Donating money to a personal crowdfunding

Crowdfunding makes it possible to give much more directly.

You could, for example, contribute to someone who needs expensive medical treatment, a family starting over after a house fire, an athlete working towards a special goal, or an owner who cannot afford their pet's surgery alone.

The big difference is usually how concrete it is. You see who is organising the fundraiser, why money is needed and what the amount raised will be used for. Sometimes you know the person behind the fundraiser personally. Other times a story moves you, even though you have never met the organiser.

That personal character is exactly what appeals to many donors.

You are not just donating to a theme. You are helping someone with a very specific situation.

3Donating money or helping someone directly?

It does not have to be one or the other.

You can support an organisation for years that works on a cause you find important, and also occasionally contribute to a personal crowdfunding that moves you.

Maybe you donate every year to a cancer research organisation, and also see a fundraiser from a family collecting money for travel costs around a treatment. Or you structurally support an animal welfare organisation, and at the same time come across a crowdfunding for a dog that urgently needs surgery.

Both ways of giving can exist side by side. One supports a bigger social cause. The other makes direct, personal help possible.

4Where do you want your donation to make a difference?

A good way to work out what you want to give to is to ask yourself which topic affects you most. Some people feel especially connected to health. Others to animals. Others again want to help specifically when people unexpectedly run into serious trouble.

New fundraisers are started on Steunactie every day. That means you can search very specifically for an initiative that fits you.

Help someone with medical costs

Getting sick often has far more consequences than just the illness itself.

Costs can arise for treatment, aids, transport, stays abroad or adjustments to the home. Someone may also be unable to work as much, or at all, for a while. Not every cost is fully covered.

Through crowdfunding, family, friends, acquaintances and others can contribute together. That means one person does not have to raise the full amount alone, and many small contributions can together make a real difference.

Maybe a particular situation speaks to you personally. Maybe you recognise something from your own life. Or maybe you simply want to help someone who needs support right now.

See current fundraisers for medical help

💔 Dit is helaas niet de laatste operatie. hart🫀 transpalatie volgd

65 donations

40%

€3,993 of €10,000 raised

💔 Dit is helaas niet de laatste operatie. hart🫀 transpalatie volgd

Hailey onze kleine strijderin💪🏻🫀 heeft jullie hulp nodig🤲🙏

Samen op weg naar vrijheid én een mobiele fotostudio voor Kim & Joeri

224 donations

50%

€10,000 of €20,000 raised

Samen op weg naar vrijheid én een mobiele fotostudio voor Kim & Joeri

Steun Kim & Joeri voor een aangepaste bus met daarin een mobiele fotostudio, voor vrijheid en maatschappelijk werk!

Help an animal that needs care

For many people, a dog, cat or other pet is a full member of the family.

When an animal suddenly falls ill or has an accident, the vet bill can add up fast. Tests, medication, emergency care and surgery can cost thousands of euros. Not every owner has enough savings, or a pet insurance that covers all of it.

Crowdfunding gives other animal lovers the chance to help out. A contribution of €10 or €20 might seem small next to a high vet bill. But when dozens or hundreds of people do the same, a necessary treatment can suddenly become possible.

See current fundraisers for animals

Help ons blijven zorgen - Het Blauwe Kruis van de Kust vzw

71 donations

€3,340 of €100,000 raised

Help ons blijven zorgen - Het Blauwe Kruis van de Kust vzw

Help kleine Fauna aan een prothese op maat!

46 donations

90%

€2,245 of €2,500 raised

Help kleine Fauna aan een prothese op maat!

Fauna verloor als lammetje haar pootje. ❤️ Help ons haar een prothese te geven, zodat ze weer vrij kan bewegen.

Help people after an unexpected setback

Sometimes a life changes within a few hours. A house fire. A flood. A serious accident. A sudden death. Or another event that suddenly leaves a family facing major practical and financial problems.

At a moment like that, costs often arise immediately. Think of temporary housing, clothing, furniture, transport, repairs or other essential expenses.

In situations like these, crowdfunding can quickly bring many people together. Family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and sometimes entire communities can each contribute.

For the people affected, that means more than just financial help. It also shows them that they are not facing it alone.

See current emergency fundraisers

Franky en Coen bakken friet aan het front en helpen oorlogsslachtoffers

22268 donations

€784,225 raised

Franky en Coen bakken friet aan het front en helpen oorlogsslachtoffers

Franky en Coen serveerden meer 300.000+ gratis porties friet en snacks aan vluchtelingen in Oekraïne en helpen vluchtelingen

53 donations

15%

€3,755 of €25,000 raised

Ik wil terug mama zijn

Deze mama werd na de bevalling besmet met gangreen . Recent volgde een hartstilstand en daarbij een bloeding

5A fundraiser does not have to be big to matter

When we think of donating money, we often picture large amounts and large organisations. But impact does not always have to be big or international.

Maybe a local association is trying to raise money for new equipment. A family needs help buying a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. A school is raising money for a special project. Or someone wants to make a loved one's last wish come true.

For the person who needs help, a relatively small goal like that can matter enormously. Crowdfunding makes exactly this kind of initiative visible. As a donor, you then decide for yourself which story you want to support.

6How do you choose a crowdfunding to donate to?

A personal story can move you instantly. Still, it is wise to also take a conscious look at a fundraiser before you donate.

Look at who is organising the fundraiser

Is it clear who is behind the fundraiser and who the money is being raised for? Sometimes someone organises a fundraiser for themselves. In other cases the crowdfunding is started by family, friends, colleagues or an association. A clear explanation helps you understand who is involved.
Look at what the money is needed for

A good fundraiser explains as specifically as possible what the money is being raised for. For example a medical treatment, a pet's surgery, funeral costs, temporary housing or a specific project. The clearer that goal is explained, the better you as a donor can decide whether you want to contribute.
Read the story

Why was the fundraiser started? A personal and honest story gives context. It helps you understand what is going on and what your contribution can mean.
Check the updates

Organisers can post updates during a crowdfunding. That lets them share, for example, how a treatment is going, which milestone has been reached, or what part of the money raised has already been used for. Updates can give you extra insight into how the fundraiser is progressing.

7How much money should you donate?

There is no right answer to that. Donate an amount that fits your own situation. For one person that is €5. For someone else €25 or €100.

A crowdfunding is precisely about the power of many people helping together. It does not have to come from one large donation.

Say a hundred people each contribute €10. That already adds up to €1,000. That is why even a relatively small contribution can be valuable.

And if you cannot spare any money right now? You can often still help a fundraiser by sharing it with others.

8Donating once, or more often?

That is up to you too.

Maybe you choose to support one fixed charity every month. On top of that, you can help a personal fundraiser now and then whenever a story moves you. You do not have to pick just one way of giving.

That freedom is exactly what makes online giving interesting. You can support large social organisations and, at the same time, help someone very close by who has a concrete need right now.

Which story do you want to support?

Browse different fundraisers, read the stories and decide for yourself which cause you want to support.

See all fundraisers

Donating money to what feels right for you

In the end, giving is personal. One donor wants to contribute to structural change. Another wants to know exactly which person is being helped by their contribution. Both choices are valuable.

What matters most is that you give consciously, to something you believe in.

Crowdfunding has added an extra option to that. Alongside well-known charities, you can now also directly help people, families, animals, associations and local initiatives.

Sometimes the story is close to home. Sometimes it is on the other side of the world. But behind every fundraiser is someone trying to make something possible.

Discover a Steunactie that moves you

Maybe you already know exactly what you want to donate money to. Maybe you would rather browse around first.

On Steunactie you will find fundraisers for, among other things, medical help, animals, emergencies, funerals, sport, education, charities, associations and personal initiatives.

See current fundraisers on Steunactie

71 donations

€3,340 of €100,000 raised