JustGiving Goes Platform Fee-Free For Charities In The UK

• Donating to a cause or fundraising for a charity in the UK will be completely free of platform fees on JustGiving from today, in the biggest change to the company’s fee model since it was founded 19 years ago
• Donors will be able to make a voluntary contribution to support the operation of the platform, increasing choice for donors and delivering more money for charities
• The move follows the removal of platform fees for crowdfunding, which the platform announced in October

London, 26 March: JustGiving, the world’s leading online giving platform, is removing platform fees from all fundraising campaigns and charitable donations from today, allowing its 22 million users to raise even more money for charities.

JustGiving will no longer charge a 5% platform fee to charities in the UK. Instead, donors will be able to make a voluntary contribution to support the operation of JustGiving’s platform.

These voluntary contributions will provide donors with choice and transparency, allowing charities to raise more and supporting the future sustainability of JustGiving’s platform. Thousands of charities rely on JustGiving to raise hundreds of millions of pounds for good causes every year safely, securely and reliably.

The voluntary contributions made by donors will enable JustGiving to invest in innovation, helping meet our long-term goal of growing the world of giving and making sure that no good cause goes unfunded. JustGiving has enabled more than £3.8 billion to be raised for charities since 2000.

Today’s announcement follows changes made in October 2018 which saw the removal of JustGiving’s platform fees for all crowdfunding, disasters and major incidents. These changes followed extensive consultation with JustGiving users and charities.

Keith Williams, JustGiving’s General Manager and Head of UK, said:

“Today, JustGiving is taking an exciting step into the future by removing our platform fee. This change means lower costs for charities, transparency and choice for their supporters, and a sustainable future for the UK’s biggest and best platform for giving.

“We’re incredibly proud of JustGiving’s history as the pioneer of online giving and are inspired by the generosity of our users, who have raised £3.8billion for charities since we launched 19 years ago.

“We believe that people who donate through JustGiving will be happy that more money will be going to their chosen charity, and by making a voluntary contribution to the UK’s most-trusted giving platform we can continue to help charities and individuals raise even more money for good causes. That’s why we’re putting more power in the hands of our donors.

“We’re committed to providing a world-class platform and continuing to transform and grow online giving for the future, and the removal of platform fees across charity fundraising, donations and crowdfunding will help us do just that.”

Clive Sanders, Director of Communities at Save the Children, said:

“JustGiving has always responded to the market with sector-wide innovation.

“This is a welcome step, bringing benefit to charities and fundraisers alike. It can only help build trust and increase transparency in our sector.”

JustGiving announced a consultation regarding its Gift Aid reclaim service in October 2018. The service allows charities to save money and time by reclaiming Gift Aid through JustGiving. The consultation process included hundreds of charities, thousands of donor, political stakeholders and tax experts. During the consultation process, charities made clear that JustGiving’s Gift Aid reclaim service is highly valued because it is the most cost and time-efficient way for charities to reclaim Gift Aid.

Following the consultation – and to ensure transparency and choice – JustGiving is changing its terms of service to allow charities to opt out of the Gift Aid reclaim service if they wish. This gives charities the ability to choose the service they want, maintaining a high level of transparency for donors and allows charities to continue claiming back Gift Aid cheaply and efficiently through JustGiving if they wish to.

JustGiving believes the vast majority of charities will find its Gift Aid processing service the cheapest, easiest and most effective way of claiming Gift Aid compared with costs of alternative platforms and will continue to decide to opt in to receive the service, which is best-in-class within the fundraising sector. 

Richard Bray, Finance Regulatory and Taxes Manager, the Charity Tax Group, said:

“JustGiving helps many charities, particularly smaller organisations, to focus their efforts on fundraising rather than on paperwork.

“The Charity Tax Group has welcomed the way JustGiving has listened to charities during its consultation and supports JustGiving’s commitment to provide charities with choice and transparency which is demonstrated by them giving charities the chance to opt out of having Gift Aid claimed on their behalf.

“The Charity Tax Group welcomes this contribution to the charity sector and looks forward to continuing to work with JustGiving to help future-proof Gift Aid as we move into an increasingly digital age.”

– ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Fundraising

JustGiving has two types of fundraising options on the platform:

JustGiving fundraising enables individuals or teams to raise money for a registered charity, or on behalf of a charity campaign.

JustGiving crowdfunding enables individuals or communities to raise money for a personal cause

2. Commencement of changes

Platform fees will no longer be charged with immediate effect from the 26 March 2019.

Payments processed through JustGiving will still be subject to standard card processing fees of 1.9 per cent plus 20p, in line with other major online giving platforms.

About JustGiving

JustGiving (a Blackbaud Company) is the world’s online giving platform, enabling 24 million people to raise £3.5 billion for over 26,000 charities since launching in 2001. As a tech-for-good company, JustGiving develops world-class technology and innovative tools to fulfil its mission to connect people with the causes they care about. By making giving more simple, social and rewarding, JustGiving helps all causes, charities and people in need to reach more people and raise more money.

JustGiving was acquired by Blackbaud in 2017. Blackbaud (Nasdaq: BLKB) is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good.

Media Contacts:

JustGiving

Rhys Goode – rhys.goode@justgiving.com  / 07825 429 361

Headland

Gabriel Huntley, Bryony Sym – justgiving@headlandconsultancy.com  / 020 3805 4822

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks related to our dividend policy and share repurchase program, including potential limitations on our ability to grow and the possibility that we might discontinue payment of dividends; risks relating to restrictions imposed by the credit facility; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud’s investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.