How to run a memorial giving campaign with a named tribute fund

Build a memorial giving campaign with a named tribute fund, a branded donation form, and automatic tax receipts, all routed into a restricted nonprofit fund.

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The goal

Collect gifts in someone's memory into a named restricted fund, receipt every donor, and let the family know who gave.

Where Givebear fits

A named fund and giving page set up the same day, with online gifts and mailed checks recorded in that fund and receipts sent automatically.

What it leaves to you

Givebear does not notify the family automatically. Agree with them how they want to hear about gifts, and send the donor list yourself.

The plan, phase by phase.

Tick tasks off as you go. Your checklist is saved in this browser, and it works whichever giving platform you use.

1
Set up
Within hours of the family's request
Fund, purpose, and link before the obituary runs.
- Create a restricted fund named for the person, such as 'The [Name] Memorial Fund'.
- Agree with the family where the money will go and how they want to hear about gifts.
- Publish the giving page and give the family the link for the obituary and service program.
2
Gifts arrive
The first two to three weeks
Most gifts come in a short burst after the service.
- Record mailed checks into the same fund as they arrive.
- Make sure every donor receives a receipt.
- Send the family an updated donor list as often as they asked.
3
Close and steward
After about a month
Report the total and tell donors how it was used.
- Report the final total to the family.
- Apply the money as agreed and tell donors how it was used.
- Thank memorial donors again later, without asking for another gift.

Copy and adapt.

Replace the bracketed details with your own goal, fund and giving link.

Where to send it

Memorial page
Family message
Funeral program
QR code
Tribute updates

Launch email

Subject: Remembering [name] In memory of [name], the family has asked that gifts go to [fund] in place of flowers. You can give here: [giving link]. Every gift is held in a fund named for [name] and used for [purpose]. [organization]

Thank-you message

Thank you for your gift in memory of [name]. It has been added to [fund] and will support [purpose]. With your permission, we will let the family know you gave.

Why this plan works

When a family asks for gifts "in lieu of flowers," the organization has a few days to give people a clear place to give. This template sets up a named memorial fund, a giving page that points to it, a way to keep the family informed of who gave, and receipts for every donor, so the gifts become lasting support for the cause the person cared about.

Memorial gifts arrive in a cluster within days of the obituary or service, many from people who have never given to you before, and some by check in a sympathy card. They need to land in one fund with the person's name on it, so the treasurer can report the total and the board can honor what the family asked for.

Handle family notifications and acknowledgments with care

Families usually want to know who gave so they can write to them. Givebear does not send tribute notifications to the family automatically, so agree on a rhythm: for example, a list of donor names from the fund report once a week during the first month, and a final list when the fund closes. Many organizations leave the amounts off that list.

On your side, thank each donor in a way that names the person they gave in memory of, then write again after the service to say how the fund will be used. That second note is often what turns a one-time mourner into a supporter.

Reconcile, report, and steward beyond the service

Checks arrive in sympathy cards for weeks. Enter each one against the memorial fund and the donor so the total is complete and those donors get a receipt too.

When giving slows, share the final figure with the family; it often means a great deal to them. A year later, a short note to memorial donors on the anniversary, telling them what the fund did, is the natural moment to invite them to give again.

Practical use cases

Open a fund named for the person and share its giving link in the obituary and the service program.
Print a QR code to that fund on the service program or a card at the reception.
Send the family a list of donor names from the fund's report so they can write thank-you notes.
Invite memorial donors, gently and later, to give again on the anniversary.

Common questions

Is a memorial giving campaign the same as crowdfunding for a family?

No. A memorial fund is run by your nonprofit: gifts go to a restricted fund your organization controls and uses for its mission, donors get a receipt from your nonprofit, and the family is acknowledged rather than paid.

How does the honoree's family find out who donated?

Export the donor list from the memorial fund's report and send it to the family contact on an agreed schedule. Givebear does not notify families automatically, so decide in advance how often to send the list and whether to include amounts.

Can we keep memorial gifts separate from our general donations?

Yes. Each memorial gets its own restricted fund, reported separately from general revenue and from other memorials, so you can state the exact amount given in one person's name at any time.

Are tax receipts issued automatically for tribute gifts?

Online gifts get an email receipt automatically. Checks that arrive by mail can be entered against the same fund and donor so every memorial donor has a record of their gift.

What does it cost to run a memorial campaign on Givebear?

There is no separate charge to create a memorial fund or its giving page, and you can set one up the same day a family asks. Givebear charges a flat platform fee from 1.9% to 5.9% depending on plan (one rate online, at kiosks, and on memberships), plus Stripe card processing at cost, with no setup fee and no monthly minimum.

See it with your own funds.

Book a 30-minute walkthrough. No slides and no hard sell: we set Givebear up around how your organization already gives.

Your funds, set up the way your treasurer reports them
Where a kiosk would go, and what it costs
The reports your board will actually see

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