10 Websites Where Rich People Giveaway Free Money
We’ve all been there – paycheck to paycheck, barely scraping by even after working super hard.
No need to feel embarrassed! Financial struggles can hit even the most hardworking people.
The good news is, that there are some generous people out there who are always ready to help and support people who are in need of money.
I’ve compiled a list of 12 legit websites where kind strangers and even rich people give away money for free to those in need.
These sites have funded causes ranging from medical bills, college tuition, and new business ideas to even vacations and holidays for families who can’t afford them!
Key Takeaways
- Websites like Seed&Spark, and Crowdfunder help artists, and entrepreneurs raise funds from generous investors
- Sites like Kickstarter, Patreon, Fundly focused more on launching creative projects, causes
- Fund My Travel, GoGetFunding enable raising money even for vacations, events
- Most just want users to honestly share situations and Promise rewards to donors
10 Websites Where People Giveaway Free Money
Here is the list of websites where you can get free money from kind people, investors, and business owners for your upcoming projects, startup, or even for personal use.
1. Seed&Spark
Seed&Spark is a niche platform focused explicitly on helping independent filmmakers secure funding for projects through crowdfunding campaigns.
Over $55 million has been raised on Seed&Spark to date, fully funding over 1,000 film/TV projects.
Many of those projects have gone on to be accepted into prestigious festivals like Sundance, Tribeca and SXSW.
So how does it work? Instead of vaguely asking for donations, filmmakers offer specific Rewards to backers, such as:
- Digital downloads
- Physical DVDs/Blurays
- Private film screenings
- Film character name rights
- Film set visits
- Executive producer credits
Also Read: Where To Sell Used Tools For Cash
2. Crowdfunder
Got a brilliant app idea but don’t have the funds to cover development costs? Or an amazing business concept but need capital to launch properly?
Crowdfunder opens up seed money doors!
This site connects entrepreneurs to investors wanting to put money into promising business ideas. So whether you need a lakh or even a crore as investment capital – create a solid Crowdfunder pitch and the funds will follow!
How it works:
- Upload a business plan clearly explaining your idea’s USP, projected growth rate, monetization plans
- Make over-the-top growth claims to get investors salivating about ROIs
- For bringing their money to the table, investors get company equity
3. Kickstarter
The website named Kickstarter is arguably the king of contemporary crowdfunding.
Since launching in 2009, over $7 billion has been pledged to creative projects on the platform, funding a remarkable 241,000 campaigns ranging from films to video games to art projects and everything in between.
Kickstarter charges a 5% fee on all successfully funded campaigns, but creators keep complete ownership of their work.
The site has received some criticism over allowing people to raise money for questionable projects, as well as projects that ultimately never deliver on promises made to backers. Still, there are lots of heartwarming success stories.
The gist is simple – build a campaign page with a catchy video, outline exactly how much money you need, describe donor rewards in detail and start engaging.
The most successful campaigns don’t treat the platform like an online tip jar though. Instead, they cultivate communities of passionate supporters/investors waiting eagerly for regular project updates.
4. GoGetFunding
GoGetFunding allows people to raise money for just about any personal cause they can imagine – no restrictive project categories found on other crowdfunding sites.
Since launching in 2011, over $97 million has been raised on the platform.
Medical fundraisers make up a large chunk of campaigns, but you’ll also find people raising money for celebrations, volunteer trips, education costs, you name it.
The site boasts an 80% campaign success rate and a dedicated support squad to maximize that percentage.
5. Fundable
Entrepreneurs and small business owners should check out Fundable. The site connects startups seeking cash infusions with two key sources – accredited investors and future customers.
For customer-based campaigns, the concept essentially allows people to “preorder” innovative new products by pledging money, while also helping entrepreneurs generate starting revenue.
There tend to be more accountability with these campaigns, as contributors expect to receive an actual product in return for money pledged.
Investor-based campaigns involve offering equity in exchange for fundraising milestones being met.
Over $500 million has been raised on Fundable so far, making it a proven platform for securing the crucial early funding rounds startups need to eventually become thriving, profitable businesses.
6. CircleUp
Another platform connecting startups with investors is CircleUp.
The niche here is helping innovative consumer product brands across industries like food, beverage, beauty, pet supplies and more to rapidly grow through fundraising.
So if you have dreams of building the next Blue Apron meal kit empire or Halo Top healthier ice cream brand, CircleUp makes for a solid choice to get your initial funding rounds squared away.
Over $200 million has been invested into 700+ early-stage consumer product companies via CircleUp.
The site screens all companies before allowing them to create profiles, as well as vets all investors, ensuring it’s a reputable platform.
There’s also an element of competition – brands looking to raise funds on CircleUp must first make it into the “Winning Product Gallery” by swaying judges during an annual event called the Innovation Summit. If your product makes it into the gallery, it will gain invaluable exposure to eager investors.
Also Read: 22 Websites To Get Paid To Do Homework (Upto $7,000/mo)
7. FundMyTravel
Do you have an unforgettable trip in mind, but lack the finances to make it happen?
FundMyTravel just might be your ticket to raising money for experiences instead of material possessions.
While asking strangers to fund vacations may seem odd, FundMyTravel has facilitated over $17 million in donations for worldwide adventures since 2013.
Campaigns range from volunteers needing support for missionary trips to families seeking funds for once-in-a-lifetime Disney vacations.
Medical travel campaigns are also prominent – think people needing donations to access experimental treatments only offered in certain hospitals abroad.
The key is explaining precisely why you need to take the trip and how donations will be allocated. Backers want to feel they are contributing to life-enriching experiences that otherwise couldn’t happen.
8. Patreon
Patreon is an established platform used by over 250,000 creators to monetize all types of art, videos, music, podcasts and more through ongoing crowdfunding.
Rather than relying on sporadic donations from one-time campaigns, Patreon allows artists to offer exclusive access and content to “patrons” via paid monthly membership subscriptions.
Musicians may offer new song downloads, authors could provide early book drafts, and podcasters might grant access to live streams.
By incentivizing patrons to pay recurring monthly pledges, creators receive reliable income enabling them to keep producing regular content.
Some top Patreon creators even generate over $100k per month.
It’s free to create an account, but Patreon takes a 5-12% commission on earnings. Still, the consistent cash flow funds creative passions that would otherwise struggle relying on ads or merchandise alone.
9. Indiegogo
Indiegogo bills itself as the largest global fundraising platform, facilitating over $2 billion for creative, cause-based, and entrepreneurial campaigns across the world since launching in 2008.
The site contains both flexibility and legitimacy most competitors can’t rival. Campaign categories range from medical bills to real estate endeavors to inventions to charity drives – essentially anything legal that requires funding.
While Indiegogo collects a 5% fee on funds raised, 90% of campaigns hit targeted goals thanks to customizable funding types.
Flexible campaigns let you keep all funds raised, even if targets aren’t hit. Fixed campaigns require hitting pre-set targets or no money changes hands.
A famous flexible funding example – an Indiegogo campaign titled “Let’s Build a Goddamn Tesla Museum” raised over $1.3 million to purchase Nikola Tesla’s old lab site, even though the initial goal was only $850k.
10. JustGiving
JustGiving specializes in online donations for charities but also facilitates fundraising campaigns benefiting individuals in times of need.
Over $6 billion has been raised on the platform since 2001 when it originally launched in the UK before expanding globally.
Campaigns related to healthcare dominate the site, but you’ll also find fundraisers for education costs, youth programs, funerals, religious missions and community projects.
While the platform itself is legitimate, sadly not all campaigns meet transparency standards, highlighting the need to vet any requesting significant sums.
UK children’s hospice charity CHAS shared a disappointing example, “We were made aware of a fundraising page fraudulently claiming to raise money for CHAS. Thanks to JustGiving’s vigilance, the page was quickly removed before any money could be taken from kindhearted donors and children in need.”
Conclusion
Crowdfunding clearly opens up innovative possibilities for charitable types with spare cash to do good. Likewise, those struggling financially can share their stories to access new donation-based funding sources.
As with any requests for money from strangers, ethics and transparency remains paramount. Do your due diligence in assessing legitimacy on both sides.
With so many niche donation platforms now available, systems enriching lives through simple financial exchanges now thrive like never before. Whether donating or requesting aid, take pride serving in this interconnected web of humanity helping fellow humans.