Birthday fundraisers are one of the most effective peer-to-peer giving tools out there — and one of the easiest to run. Here's how to set one up and launch it on Every.org in about 10 minutes.
You don't need to be famous, have thousands of followers, or be an expert fundraiser to make a big difference. Sometimes the biggest impact starts with one person and their existing community willing to help.
Here’s how to run a birthday fundraiser on Every.org step by step, with some outreach tips to get your community on board.
Step 1: Create a Free Account.
Head to every.org and sign up for a free donor account. When prompted, select "donor" as your account type. This is the option for individuals who want to raise money on behalf of a nonprofit. It takes less than a minute, and you can sign up with Google or your email address.
There are no fees to create an account or run a fundraiser on Every.org.
Step 2: Find Your Cause
Search for the nonprofit you want to support. Every.org hosts thousands of verified 501(c)(3) organizations across causes like education, climate, mental health, animal welfare, and more. You can search by organization name, EIN, or browse by cause category (animals, environment, health, justice, and others).
Once you find the organization, click into their profile page.
Note: is your desired nonprofit not yet listed on Every.org? Check out your options in our FAQ below.
Step 3: Click "Start a Fundraiser"
On the nonprofit's profile page, look for the "Start a fundraiser" button. It's located directly below the main donate button. Click it to begin building your fundraiser page.
Step 4: Build Your Page
This is where you make it personal. You'll want to complete the following to be ready to launch:
- Add a photo — this is the first thing people see, and it doesn't need to feel corporate. A few options that work well: a personal photo of you connected to the cause (volunteering, attending an event, or simply a moment that reflects why you care), an image from the nonprofit's own website or social media (most are happy for you to use them), or even a screenshot of a statistic or quote that moved you to act. What matters most is that it feels real and specific. A candid photo of you at a local cleanup will outperform a polished stock image every time.
- Write a headline — keep it clear and compelling; tell people what you're doing and why
- Write a description — share your personal connection to this nonprofit. Why does their work matter? What impact will donations make? This is the most important part. People give to people, not pages.
- Then, set your fundraising goal. You can enter your own dollar amount, or use Every.org's Smart Milestones feature, which automatically adjusts your goal as you hit milestones which is a clever way to keep momentum going and donors engaged.
Step 5: Launch
Once you're happy with your page, launch it. Your fundraiser is now live and linked to the nonprofit's profile on Every.org so donors can give to the nonprofit using any payment method they prefer.
Step 6: Share It (The Most Important Step!)
A fundraiser nobody sees raises nothing. Every.org makes sharing easy with quick links built right into the post-launch screen. Share to Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), or send it directly to people you know by text, email, or however your friends and family like to connect.
A few tips for sharing effectively:
- Tell your own story. A personal message, even a quick one, converts far better than just dropping a link. Say why you care about this.
- Share more than once. Most people need to see something 2–3 times before they act. Post again, send a follow-up message, update people on your progress.
- Tag the nonprofit. They may reshare your fundraiser to their own followers, expanding your reach. If you know someone personally at your chosen nonprofit, let them know too!
- Tie your ask to a milestone or a news moment. Fundraisers tied to a personal anecdote or “reason to believe” perform better. Use your birthday or another event as the hook and go from there.
For best results, we also recommend following up with your friends, family, and network a few times after the initial launch; everyone is busy and the reminders really help.
Managing Your Fundraiser Over Time
You can view and edit your fundraiser anytime by going to the "Fundraisers" tab under your My Giving page. You'll be able to see how much has been raised, update your description, and track who's contributed.
- When your fundraiser period has ended (the timeline is up to you) you can end the fundraiser here as well.
FAQ: What If My Desired Nonprofit Isn't on Every.org Yet?
Every.org currently serves around 9,000 nonprofits (and growing) so if you are looking for a specific nonprofit to support, search for their profile to make sure they use our platform already before building a fundraiser.
Here's what to do:
Try searching by EIN (employer identification number) first. Every.org pulls from IRS data and registered nonprofit EINs are available by searching online. Go to every.org and search by the nonprofit's Employer Identification Number (EIN). You can usually find this on the org's website, their annual report, on GuideStar/Candid, or by just Googling.
Point the nonprofit to Every.org. If they're not listed at all on Every.org yet, the best path is for the nonprofit itself to claim and create their profile at every.org/nonprofits/get-started. It's free and takes just a few minutes for them to claim their profile. Let them know that once they're set up, you can create your fundraiser. This is also a great way to reach out to an organization you love and introduce yourself as a supporter.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
You don't need a big network to make a big impact. The most effective fundraisers aren't always the ones shared with the most followers, they're the ones with the most passion within an engaged, tight knit community. Be specific about why you care, and the right people will respond.
We don’t take a cut. Every.org charges no platform fees. Every dollar donated goes directly to the nonprofit, minus standard third-party payment processing fees (learn more here).
Your fundraiser connects you to an even bigger community. Every.org has over 100,000 active donors. When your fundraiser gains traction, the platform starts showing it to people already looking to support causes like yours.
Want Help?
Every grassroots campaign starts somewhere, so start yours today. If you need any help setting up your fundraiser, you can reach our support team here.