Funeral & Memorial Fundraising with No Platform Fees
Losing someone you love is hard enough without worrying about how to pay for their farewell. FreeFunder helps you create a free funeral or memorial fundraiser in minutes, with 0% platform fees - so every dollar your community gives goes toward honoring your loved one.
When Funeral Costs Arrive Before You're Ready
The average funeral in the United States costs $7,000-$10,000 or more, and even a simple cremation can run several thousand dollars. Most families receive that bill within days of losing someone - often before life insurance pays out, and sometimes with no insurance at all.
A memorial fundraiser gives friends, neighbors, coworkers, and community members a meaningful way to help when they're asking, "What can I do?" Instead of flowers, they can help carry the cost of a proper goodbye. On FreeFunder, that help goes further:
- 0% platform fees. We never take a percentage of donations. The only cost is the standard payment processing fee (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), which goes to Stripe, the payment processor.
- Funds arrive when you need them. Donations go directly to the connected Stripe account as they come in, with the first bank transfer typically available within days - important when funeral homes require payment up front.
- No goal requirements. You keep everything raised, whether or not you reach your goal. Every contribution helps.
- Simple enough for a hard week. Creating a fundraiser takes minutes, and you can add family members as team members to share the load of posting updates and thanking donors.
What Can a Funeral or Memorial Fundraiser Cover?
Families use FreeFunder to raise money for every expense that comes with saying goodbye, including:
- Funeral home services and burial costs
- Cremation and urn expenses
- Caskets, headstones, and grave markers
- Cemetery plots and interment fees
- Transportation of a loved one, including from out of state or overseas
- Memorial services, celebrations of life, and receptions
- Travel costs for family members attending services
- Outstanding medical bills from a final illness
- Support for the surviving spouse and children, including everyday living costs
There's no wrong way to use a memorial fund. Some families raise money for the service itself; others create a memorial fund to support the children left behind or to donate to a cause their loved one cared about.
How Memorial Fundraising Works on FreeFunder
1. Share Their Story
Create the fundraiser in minutes: add a photo of your loved one, set a goal based on expected costs, and tell people about the person you're honoring - not just the expenses.
2. Let Your Community Know
Built-in sharing tools make it easy to post to Facebook, send by text or email, or include the link in an obituary or "in lieu of flowers" notice. You can also use Text-to-Donate so people can give right from the service or reception.
3. Receive Funds Directly
Donations go straight to the connected Stripe account and then to your bank - typically available within days, when funeral expenses are most pressing.
Gentle Tips for a Memorial Fundraiser
- Celebrate the person. Share who they were - their laugh, their work, the people they loved. Donors respond to a life remembered, not an itemized bill.
- It's okay to be specific about costs. Many people don't realize how expensive funerals are. A simple line like "services and burial will cost about $9,000" helps people understand why you're asking.
- Ask someone to manage it for you. If you're the closest family member, consider letting a friend or relative create and run the fundraiser on your behalf. FreeFunder lets organizers direct funds straight to the family's account.
- Include the link in the obituary. Adding "in lieu of flowers, the family asks..." with your fundraiser link is a widely accepted and effective way to share it.
- Post a thank-you update after the service. A short update with a photo from the celebration of life gives donors closure and often brings in a final wave of support.
Funeral Fundraising FAQs
Donations go directly to the connected Stripe account as they arrive. The first transfer to a bank account is typically available about 5 days after the first donation, then on a rolling basis - timing that matters when funeral homes require payment before services.
No. FreeFunder charges 0% platform fees on funeral and memorial fundraisers. The only cost is Stripe's standard payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction - a fee that exists on every platform. FreeFunder is supported by small optional donations that contributors can choose to add or set to zero.
Yes, and it's one of the kindest things you can do. You can create the campaign yourself and connect it directly to the family's Stripe account, so donations go straight to them and they never have to ask for help personally.
Yes - "in lieu of flowers" requests directing people to a memorial fund have become common and widely accepted. Many families include their fundraiser link in the obituary, the funeral program, and social media announcements.
You keep everything raised. Many families put remaining funds toward a headstone, outstanding bills from a final illness, ongoing support for a surviving spouse or children, or a donation in their loved one's name.
Donations to personal memorial fundraisers are generally considered personal gifts, which are typically not tax-deductible for the donor and not taxable income for the family. Situations vary, so anyone with questions should consult a tax advisor.
When someone is loved, people want to show up. A memorial fundraiser lets them - free, simple, and with every dollar going where it belongs.