GoFundMe for groceries? 2025 was the year, crowdfunding platform says

GoFundMe's 2025 “Year in Help” report shows a 20% rise in fundraisers for essentials—rent, utilities and groceries—after those campaigns already quadrupled last year, with increases across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia; “monthly bills” was the second fastest-growing category. In the U.S. the trend aligns with weaker wage growth, sluggish hiring, rising unemployment and low consumer confidence, and the platform recorded a nearly sixfold spike in food-related fundraisers around SNAP benefit cuts during the government shutdown. Researchers warn the data likely understates need because not everyone can run or reach successful campaigns, and GoFundMe’s CEO frames the platform as filling gaps in social safety nets—an indicator of growing household stress that could pressure discretionary spending and boost demand for nonprofit and social-service support.

Analysis

GoFundMe's 2025 “Year in Help” report shows a 20% rise in fundraisers for essentials—rent, utilities and groceries—after those campaigns already quadrupled year-over-year last cycle, with increases across its four major English-speaking markets (U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia) and “monthly bills” identified as the second fastest-growing category. The platform recorded a nearly sixfold spike in food-related campaigns around the end of October and early November when many Americans’ SNAP benefits were cut during the government shutdown, underscoring sensitivity to policy shocks.

The company frames these trends as correlated with deteriorating U.S. labor-market outcomes: weakened wage growth for lower-income workers, sluggish hiring, a rising unemployment rate and low consumer confidence, according to the report and CEO Tim Cadogan’s comments. Academic co-author Martin Lukk cautions the data likely understates need because not everyone can run or succeed with campaigns and successful fundraisers require internet access, storytelling skills and strong networks.

For investors, the shift from entrepreneurial crowdfunding toward emergency household support signals an expansion of platform demand tied to macroeconomic stress, which could depress discretionary spending for lower-income cohorts while increasing donations and usage of donation platforms and food-bank services. The data also highlights operational and reputational risks for for-profit crowdfunding firms if they are perceived as de facto social-safety-net providers amid policy debates.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Monitor GoFundMe and similar platform metrics (essentials fundraisers, campaign success rates) and SNAP/benefit policy changes as near-real-time indicators of lower-income consumer stress,
• Reduce exposure to lower-income-exposed discretionary retailers and consider modest reallocation toward consumer staples and defensive sectors likely to withstand reduced discretionary spending,
• Evaluate exposure to fintech and donation-platform businesses for potential secular demand increases but maintain caution given data limitations, campaign success concentration and growing reputational/regulatory scrutiny