How the Nashville Predators Foundation raised $100K+ for pediatric cancer research with GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools
Mission
To build philanthropic partnerships within our community to successfully leverage the unique assets and skills of our entire organization to improve the lives of youth and their families.
Challenge
Make it easy for fans in the arena to donate during Hockey Fights Cancer nights
Solution
Use GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools to power Nashville Predators Foundation’s in-arena giving with real-time donation tracking
“If every fan at a single game donated just $1, we’d raise over $17,000. It’s such an easy concept, and GoFundMe helped us open those new avenues to connect with donors.”
– Rebecca King, Vice President, Community Relations
Hockey Fights Cancer results (November 2025 and February 2026 games)*:
$100,000
raised
Nearly 500
donors
1.9 million views
on a content creator-produced video
*Based on 2025-2026 GoFundMe data
Turning arena energy into real-time giving
The Nashville Predators Foundation is a self-funded organization, and one of its missions is to raise money for pediatric cancer research through its 365 Fund Pediatric Cancer Fund, benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Like most sports foundations, the Preds Foundation relied on in-arena cash collection and manual tallying to track donations, tools that worked but couldn’t keep pace with an increasingly cashless fan base eager to give. The opportunity was simple: make it easier for fans to act on their generosity in the moment.
The National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators host two Hockey Fights Cancer nights each year, uniting the hockey community through storytelling and meaningful events to raise funds for cancer research. The Preds Foundation team created a GoFundMe fundraiser as a single place for fans to donate during each game.
With GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools integrated directly into the scoreboard during those games, fans could scan a QR code, donate to the fundraiser through their preferred payment method, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, and watch the total climb in real time, all without leaving their seats.
GoFundMe’s real-time donor feed, which showed names, donation amounts, and milestones like first donor and top donor, created an incredible amount of social momentum that we’d never been able to tap into before.
Adding emotion through creator partnership
The Preds Foundation connected with content creator Kara Lewis, who filmed behind-the-scenes at the November Hockey Fights Cancer night, interviewed a pediatric cancer patient, and captured an on-ice jersey surprise. The video reached 1.9 million views, bringing the campaign to an audience outside of the arena and deepening the emotional connection to the cause.
Leveraging donor data for year-round giving
In just two games, one in November 2025 and one in February 2026, Nashville Predators fans raised more than $100,000 from nearly 500 donors. Beyond the totals, the Foundation has noticed a meaningful shift in donor behavior: as the campaigns have grown, some fans opted into recurring monthly gifts, choosing to stay connected to the 365 Fund long after the final buzzer.
GoFundMe gave us the tools and the transparency to turn our fans’ generosity into real impact, and made it incredibly easy to do.
Those sustained commitments are a signal of what’s possible, and the Foundation is ready to build on them. Looking ahead, the team plans to re-engage past donors beyond game nights, reaching supporters who gave at a previous event, even if they weren’t in the arena for the next one. They’re also extending campaign windows to keep fundraisers open longer, ensuring that social content and post-game momentum continue driving donations well after the night ends.
Results reflect the Preds Foundation’s campaign strategy and may vary for other organizations.
Rebecca’s GoFundMe tips:
- Use compelling images that create a story. You only get one click, so if people aren’t drawn in immediately, they won’t come back.
- Always send your donors a personal thank-you note. They’re working hard to support your cause, and they deserve to know it.
