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Do you have a recently deceased loved one with a passion for giving back? Are you hoping to honor them with a gift to a person or charity in need? If so, consider setting up a memorial fund.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What Is a Memorial Fund?
- How to Set up a Memorial Fund
- How Do Memorial Funds Honor Loved Ones?
In this post, you’ll discover how to celebrate your loved one by setting up a memorial fund. When you emphasize their work and passion, you’ll find success no matter which platform you choose.
Tip:If you're planning or attending avirtual or live-streamed memorial serviceusing a service likeGatheringUs, you can still request and send funds without a physical box. Consult with your funeral or event planner to figure out the best way to collect digital donations and make sure they put the link to donate on the announcement and program.
What Is a Memorial Fund?
A memorial fund is an opportunity for you to celebrate a loved one with a grant or gift made in their honor. The money you raise in their name can create a legacy for years to come.
There are many kinds of memorial funds, each dedicated to a different cause or passion. We’ve listed a few common options below, so see if any feel right for your loved one.
- Childhood: When your loved one was young, was there an organization that helped shape them? Consider summer camps, scouting groups, or 4-H clubs.
- Formative years: Did your loved one blossom in high school or college? Were there any academic, arts, or sports-related groups they belonged to?
- Scientific research: Was your loved one passionate about science or engineering? Setting up a fund for scientific research might be a great way to honor their memory.
- Local community: Perhaps the city council is trying to raise funds for solar panels on city buildings or build a new park. Gathering funds for this type of work could be appropriate for a community supporter.
- Nonprofits: Did your loved one have a soft spot for public broadcasting, protecting rocky shore habitats, or donating medical supplies to animal rescues? Raise money for your loved one's favorite non-profit.
- Physical memorial: Did your loved one have a favorite spot? By paying for a park bench, you’ll create a space where people can relax and enjoy the scene.
- Unexpected expenses: Did a sudden death leave behind financial hardships? Consider a fund specifically to help out with funeral costs or mortgage payments.
- Scholarship: Developing a scholarship at your loved one's hometown high school or alma mater can be a simple process. Most schools will already have a to-do list ready to follow.
If you’re struggling to decide, consider putting it to a vote with your closest relatives. Asking for input may reveal some ideas you hadn’t considered.
How to Set up a Memorial Fund
Now that you’ve made a decision on where you’d best like to leave a legacy in your loved one’s name, you’ll need to figure out the logistics. Below you’ll find options for collecting money for a memorial fund. Here's how to complete the process.
1. Publicize the memorial fund.
Use the obituary or funeral notice to tell others about the memorial fund. You might ask that instead of flowers or gifts to the family, mourners directly contribute to the fund or charity.
Here are a few examples of memorial fund announcements for an obituary or funeral program:
“Our family humbly requests that in lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider donating to [organization] in [name's] honor.”
“Because Raphaella Sanchez was an advocate of children’s literacy and food security, please consider donating to [organization] in lieu of flowers.”
“By contributing to [organization], you’ll be helping our family continue the legacy of our beloved father’s work.
“Our mother was greatly impacted by polio her entire life. With a donation in her honor, you’ll be ensuring that other victims of this disease can live their best lives.”
"Please consider a donation to [organization] to further Sam's work in ocean life preservation.”
“Organizations like [nonprofit] have been able to provide children worldwide with fresh water. Please consider a donation in Aunt Pat’s name.”
“As you all know, Harold was an advocate of our community arts program. Consider donating to the arts program at [high school] to honor his memory."
“Gene was an outdoor enthusiast his whole life. By contributing to [fund], you’ll ensure a continuation of his life’s work.”
“We humbly ask that in lieu of flowers, all gifts be made to the Smith Family.”
2. Collect funds at the funeral.
Many funeral homes or churches have staff present to accept memorial donations.
3. Use a crowdfunding platform.
Choose the platform that fits your needs with the fewest fees to maximize donations. Online fundraising platforms have easy-to-follow instructions that you can link to your social media pages — it’s never been easier! Here are a few options to consider.
Facebook offers an excellent option for promoting and posting memorial funds. It's a relatively simple process, too. Here's how you do it:
- First, click on “What's On Your Mind?”
- Find and click on the “…” (ellipsis) symbol next to the microphone.
- Then, click “Raise Money.”
- From there, you can search for the correct charity.
If Facebook doesn't list your preferred charity, copy/paste a link from the charity's website with your instructions. You can even set up a charity link to help cover funeral expenses, too.
GoFundMe
There are only a few steps to start a fundraiser with GoFundMe.
- Choose a fundraising goal from a few hundred dollars to as much as you like.
- Name your fundraiser after your loved one or whatever is best suited for the goal.
- Select a photo or video to attach to the fundraiser.
- Tell a story about your loved one to persuade people to donate.
- Publish your fundraiser and share it on social media, email it, or text it to those who would be interested in donating.
- Add a community to the fundraiser to increase the chances of reaching the goal.
Don't be bashful about asking people to share the GoFundMe, either. When communities unite for a common charitable goal, beautiful things can happen.
Plumfund
Creating a campaign on a site like Plumfund is relatively simple, too, and free of charge. Anyone can then share it on social media or through email. There's just one thing that might surprise people — the third-party service fee. Although nominal, these fees can be off-putting.
EverLoved
While GoFundMe and Plumfund can be used for many occasions, EverLoved is designed to help families collect memorial tributes for loved ones.
Tip: If you're ready to start an online tribute with fundraising capabilities, check out Cake's own online memorials pages. Cake's memorial pages are simple to make, beautifully minimalistic, and free.
How Do Memorial Funds Honor Loved Ones?
Giving others a chance to help a certain cause or members of their community is a fantastic way to honor those we’ve lost. Plus, being able to share their life and message on a platform only enhances their legacy.
So, whether you’re creating a bench for someone to sit with their thoughts or helping children in need, your memorial can make a powerful statement about your loved one’s life.
Post-planning tip: If you're the executor of a deceased loved one, deciding how best to memorialize them may not be your only cause of stress. Handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist that will help ensure your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.
Sources:
- Indiegogo-Wp. (2016). Pitching Your Passion: How to Make an Amazing Crowdfunding Video. Indiegogo. go.indiegogo.com/blog/2016/09/pitching-passion-make-amazing-crowdfunding-video.html
