What Nonprofits Deserve from Their Technology Partners: Lessons from a Tumultuous Week in Fundraising Tech

October Was a Wake-Up Call 

In the span of just a few days, two major developments rocked the nonprofit technology space: 

• GoFundMe created over 1.4 million donation pages for U.S. nonprofits - without their consent - raising the alarm around brand misuse, donor confusion, and loss of SEO visibility. 

• Bonterra announced its acquisition of OneCause, signaling another wave of consolidation in nonprofit fundraising software and raising familiar concerns about innovation slowdowns and diminishing customer support. 

For nonprofit leaders - especially in this particular moment when we are heading into the year-end giving season - this is more than news. It’s a call to action. 

It’s a reminder that the technology stack that weyou choose to build your missions on matters. Trust, transparency, and control are essential. 

What Happens When Software Stops Putting Nonprofits First? 

The nonprofit sector is no stranger to mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Sometimes, those transitions are strategic and seamless - like when Virtuous acquired RaiseDonors, a move that many viewed as thoughtful and mission-aligned and has proven to be a true benefit to both RaiseDonors & Virtuous users alike. 

But too often, M&A activity results in: 

• Slower support response times 

• Stalled innovation 

• Increased costs 

• Forced migrations or bundled tools that don’t meet a nonprofit’s real needs 

One nonprofit leader described previous Bonterra acquisitions as “where good software goes to take a nice long nap.” That sentiment is growing when independent platforms are folded into larger systems, often backed, or actually owned by private equity firms and banks, nonprofits often lose out on flexibility, voice, and speed of service - precisely when they need it most. 

GoFundMe’s “Innovation” Missed the Mark 

The GoFundMe donation page controversy takes a different, but equally, critical shape. In late October of this year, GoFundMe created more than 1.4 million donation pages using public IRS data - without asking the nonprofits for consent themselves. These pages often appeared higher in search engine results than the official nonprofit donation pages, drawing donor traffic away from trusted channels and undermining carefully cultivated SEO strategies. 

While GoFundMe has since announced a shift to an “opt-in” model and begun de-indexing unclaimed pages, the damage is already being felt. Nonprofits are still discovering pages they didn’t create. Some must now go through a lengthy process to remove or reclaim them - often by agreeing to legal terms that limit their future recourse. This takes valuable nonprofit staff time, during an already busy giving season. 

And donors? They’re confused. They don’t know where their money is really going or why there’s a 16% “tip” added to their gift. The risk GoFundMe exposed nonprofits to is the reality that some donors may no longer trust these nonprofits, and may cease being a donor for good.  

As one sector leader put it: 

“The moment someone decides to give isn’t a place for confusion  - it’s a place for trust.” 

Trust Is the New Bottom Line 

These incidents, while different in nature, point to a common truth: 
Nonprofits need more from their technology partners than slick features or name recognition. They need trust. 

That trust is built on: 

• Transparency: Clear pricing, visible donor data, and no hiddentransparent fees. 

• Control: The ability to manage branding, communication, and donor stewardship on your terms. 

• Responsiveness: Technology Ppartners who listen, respond, and evolve with your needs - not just their roadmaps or financial backers. 

• Alignment: A shared understanding of what matters in this work and how technology should support, not complicate, your mission. 
• Privacy: Clarity around how a technology partner might use your donor data. Nonprofits want to be assured that technology companies are not using hard-earned donor data to blast self-serving marketing emails or retarget for promotions. 

What Nonprofits Can Do Now 

You don’t have to overhaul your tech stack tomorrow. But this moment is a good one to pause, assess, and act. Here’s what you can do to ensure you have the best technology software to support your cause: 

• Audit your presence: Google your organization’s name + “donate” and see what comes up. If GoFundMe or other third-party platforms are outranking you, consider taking action to reclaim or remove those pages. Hopefully this has already been done and should be, according to GoFundMe’s retraction, but it is best to look and be safe, rather than sorry. 

• Talk to your team: Make time at your next board or staff meeting to discuss how you’re using technology to support donor trust. Is every platform still serving your mission? 

• Stay informed: Mergers, auto-generated pages, surprise or exorbitant fees - these trends aren’t going away. Following trusted sector voices and shareing what you learn, this can help us all stay ahead of the curve. 
• Champion transparency: Whether you're a small grassroots org or a national nonprofit, you have a right to control how donors find and fund you. YOU deserve control over your digital footprint. Advocate for tools and practices that honor that right. 

The Sector Deserves Better 

Nonprofits are not just another vertical market. We are community builders, helpers, advocates, and educators. We carry out the work that shapes a more just and compassionate world. 

You deserve technology partners who honor that work - not just with words, but with actions that protect your integrity and amplify your impact. 

Now is not the time to blindly accept new pages, new terms, or new owners. 
It’s time to ask: Who’s really in your corner - and how do you know? 

Want to help other nonprofit leaders stay vigilant? 
Share this post with your team, your board, or your favorite sector Slack group. The more we talk about trust in nonprofit tech, the better equipped we all are to protect what matters most.