YouCaring

YouCaring

Company type	Certified B Corporation
Industry	Crowdfunding
Founded	2011 (2011)
Founder	Brock Ketcher, Naomi Ketcher, Luke Miner
Fate	Acquired by GoFundMe in 2018
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Crowdfunding platform for personal, medical, and philanthropic fundraising

YouCaring functioned as a crowdfunding service dedicated to personal, medical, and philanthropic fundraising efforts. Based in San Francisco, California, it operated under the status of a Certified B Corporation. The platform’s revenue model exempted fundraisers from any fees, instead relying on voluntary contributions to support its operational expenses. Donors were responsible for fees charged by third-party payment processors such as PayPal. In 2018, YouCaring was acquired by GoFundMe.

History

Established in 2011 by Brock Ketcher, Naomi Ketcher, and Luke Miner, YouCaring originated from their collective desire to aid individuals facing adversity after international mission experiences. The platform has enabled over $800 million to be raised from upwards of 8 million contributors. In March 2017, YouCaring broadened its reach by acquiring rival GiveForward. Achieving Certified B Corporation certification in May 2016 underscored its dedication to social responsibility. Additionally, YouCaring released yearly reports on fundraising trends, spotlighting the most compassionate cities in the United States, thereby strengthening its market presence and brand credibility.

Business model

Users on YouCaring launch campaigns aimed at generating funds for personal needs, medical treatments, and charitable projects, with nearly half of the funds raised allocated to medical expenses. Campaign creators provide descriptions of their circumstances, establish financial targets, upload multimedia content, and promote their pages through social networks and email outreach. Contributions are processed via PayPal, WePay, or Stripe. The company trademarked the term "Compassionate Crowdfunding" to characterize its approach. Fundraisers incur no platform fees; instead, operational costs are offset by optional donations from supporters, while donors cover processing fees charged by third-party payment providers.

Fee structure

YouCaring does not impose charges on those raising funds but encourages donors to offer an optional "Tip." In addition, contributors pay a credit card processing fee amounting to 2.9% plus $0.30 for each donation. This voluntary tipping system differs from other crowdfunding platforms that deduct a percentage fee from the total amount raised.

Controversy

The use of crowdfunding for medical expenses has exposed deficiencies within profit-driven healthcare systems, attracting criticism both toward the healthcare industry itself and platforms like YouCaring that facilitate such fundraising.

Notable fundraisers

• Help Save Matthew! — Matthew Schreindorfer secured $700,000 for participation in a clinical trial following an acute leukemia diagnosis shortly after his wedding.
• The Ridley Sandler Memorial Foundation — Raised $560,000 in memory of Riley Sandler to assist children overcoming significant challenges.
• Oakland Fire Relief Funds — Multiple campaigns collectively gathered over $1.4 million after the 2016 Oakland Ghost Ship fire, involving nonprofits and local sports franchises.
• Heat for the Sisters — More than 1,500 donors contributed $160,686 to fix heating systems in a convent over 150 years old.
• Restore WA Soldiers Home Cemetery — Raised $254,109 dedicated to restoring a historic cemetery located in Orting, Washington.
• We Are Messengers Vehicle Replacement — The band collected $77,542 following an accident that destroyed their tour van and gear.
• Portland MAX Attack Survivors — Raised $148,675 to provide essential supplies and mental health support for two girls assaulted on public transit.
• Help Kati with Medical Expenses — College student Kati McFarland gained national media attention while raising funds for treatment of multiple chronic illnesses.
• #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund — Lung cancer research fundraiser created by survivor Adam Klein in honor of his late mother.
• Doomtree’s P.O.S Kidney Transplant Fund — Supported rapper P.O.S with expenses related to his kidney transplant.
• Tom Edwards Memorial Fund — Collected funds for funeral expenses of Tom Edwards, guitarist associated with Adam Ant.
• Jay Lake Medical Fund — Science fiction author Jay Lake crowdfunded whole genome sequencing for metastatic colon cancer treatment options; he later publicly criticized PayPal’s policy on frozen funds.
• Houston Flood Relief Fund — Exceeded $20 million in donations following Hurricane Harvey, supported by celebrities and corporations including Drake, Ellen DeGeneres, Walmart, and the Tennessee Titans.
• YoXMéxico Earthquake Relief Fund — Launched by Mexican soccer players Javier Hernández and Miguel Layún after the 2017 Central Mexico earthquake.
• YouCaring was actively promoted during Giving Tuesday campaigns aimed at boosting charitable giving.
• Artist Jska Priebe organized a fundraiser for her brother Michael Charter’s treatment of end-stage liver disease.

These examples demonstrate YouCaring’s broad impact across various causes and underscore its position as a significant contributor within compassionate crowdfunding for healthcare and disaster recovery efforts.