What Is Passive Fundraising (and Does It Work)?

Passive fundraising is raising money from supporters' everyday actions — mainly shopping — without running a campaign or event. Supporters select your nonprofit once, and a share of their purchases is donated automatically. It works best as steady, background income: small per transaction, but meaningful across many supporters over time.

How it works

Through a platform like Good Circles, ShopRaise, or iGive, supporters link your cause once. Then a percentage of their eligible purchases is routed to you automatically — no order forms, no events, no recurring 'asks.'

Does it actually raise meaningful money?

Per transaction it's modest, so it works at scale. On Good Circles, a supporter generates about $72 a year, so 500 supporters ≈ $36,000 a year — recurring and unrestricted, with almost no staff time. The key is enrolling enough supporters and keeping it top-of-mind.

Make it work for your org

Enroll supporters at every touchpoint (newsletter, events, socials).
Choose a local program so supporters feel the community impact.
Report the running total to keep people engaged.

See passive fundraising with Good Circles »

Turn everyday shopping into funding

Free, recurring support for your nonprofit — no campaign required.

Good Circles for nonprofits

FAQ

Does passive fundraising really work?

Yes, at scale. It's small per purchase but recurring and effortless — roughly $36,000 a year from 500 supporters on Good Circles.

What's the best passive fundraising platform?

Good Circles for local, recurring funding with shopper savings; ShopRaise or iGive for national-retailer coverage.