Small Business Relief Fund: Matching Funds for Businesses Raising $500+ on GoFundMe

The Small Business Relief Fund will provide one-time matching grants to qualifying small businesses to help alleviate the financial burdens during these pressing times. Donations to the relief fund will be paid out as grants to businesses that qualify, and which businesses have created a fundraiser through the Small Business Relief Initiative or had an existing GoFundMe. For small business fundraisers started prior to March 24 , or outside of the Small Business Relief Initiative partnerships, the organizer can update their fundraiser description with the hashtag #SmallBusinessRelief to be considered for a grant from this fund.

To qualify for a matching grant from the Small Business Relief Fund, the GoFundMe fundraiser must raise at least $500 and verify that your small business has been negatively impacted by a government mandate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Your small business must be independently owned and operated, and must not be nationally dominant in your field of operation. Each recipient of the matching grant must intend on using the funds to help care for your employees or pay ongoing business expenses. 

All donations to the Small Business Relief Fund will be collected and administered by  GoFundMe.org, the advocacy and charitable arm of GoFundMe. GoFundMe.org is a tax-exempt public charity, registered in the United States (EIN 81-2279757).  Donations are tax-deductible, to the extent allowed by law.

The GoFundMe.org Small Business Relief Fund will provide micro-grants to qualifying small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Relief Fund is part of the Small Business Relief Initiative : a program supported by GoFundMe, Yelp, and Intuit QuickBooks. The Small Business Relief Initiative  will supply financial assistance and support to businesses across the country by providing grants, tools, and resources to help during the crisis.

GoFundMe, Yelp, and Intuit QuickBooks have pledged to donate up to $1.5 million in donations into the GoFundMe.org Small Business Relief Fund. Until that Fund is depleted, GoFundMe.org will continue issuing $500 matching grants to qualifying businesses. Additional companies are expected to contribute to this Fund in the coming weeks, in order to provide much needed aid to even more businesses across the country.

Important information for businesses wanting to donate:

If you are a corporation looking to donate to this fund and providing a matching incentive, please email info@gofundme.org for more details. 

The 501(c)(3) charity will issue grants to coronavirus-related fundraisers that concentrate on helping small businesses. Each GoFundMe fundraiser is verified in order to assure that your donation is going towards the specific cause.  Any funds which can not be granted out to fundraisers will be granted to other charitable organizations serving the same purposes stated here.