World Central Kitchen grew its email list with 99% new contacts acquired through GoFundMe experiments
Mission
WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Challenge
Turn one-time crisis giving into lasting donor relationships
Solution
World Central Kitchen participated in GoFundMe’s experiments, leveraging small donations and email opt-ins to engage individuals through storytelling and build long-term donor relationships
“The biggest win from the GoFundMe experiments was the percentage of donors who opted in for future outreach. That’s what we’re focused on—sharing our stories and inviting them to become long-term supporters.”
– Lynn Welton, Director, Development Operations
Results from GoFundMe experiments:*
Almost 3.5 million
impressions in five weeks
99% of donors
who gave their first gift to WCK on GoFundMe were new to the organization
2,000+ individuals
gave explicit marketing consent in five weeks
*Based on 2026 GoFundMe data
Building a stronger donor pipeline
World Central Kitchen (WCK) has long focused on a storytelling-first approach and relied on emotional clarity to drive awareness rather than making a direct solicitation. During moments of crisis, that approach drives strong engagement. But outside of urgent events, it became harder to keep supporters connected.
WCK saw an opportunity; when a supporter opted in, the team could steward them to build a lasting relationship. GoFundMe experiments offered a simple way to make that first connection.
These experiments focused on:
- Small donations from people already supporting essential needs-related fundraisers on GoFundMe
- Email opt-ins from prospective supporters who had not yet donated to WCK
Turning first actions into lasting impact
The biggest takeaway from the experiments was that lowering the barrier to entry helps more people take that first step in supporting WCK.
Through this new approach:
- 2,000+ individuals gave explicit marketing consent to be contacted by WCK in five weeks
- WCK’s brand has been shown to almost 3.5 million users on GoFundMe in five weeks
- 99% of donors who gave their first gift to WCK on GoFundMe were new to the organization
GoFundMe is a new channel for us to grow our supporter base, especially with younger audiences. Small gifts matter—they’re often the first step in a longer journey.
Now, the WCK team is focusing on building continuity beyond urgency, which means viewing the newly acquired donors and opt-ins as a potential pathway to recurring donors if stewarded appropriately.
Their approach includes:
- Stewarding new donors and segmenting communications to younger donors through tailored storytelling.
- Creating clear pathways to ongoing support through Kitchen Corps, WCK’s monthly giving program.
Results reflect World Central Kitchen’s campaign strategy and may vary for other organizations.
