Many companies featured on Money advertise with us. Opinions are our own, but compensation and
in-depth research may determine where and how companies appear. Learn more about how we make money.

  1. Personal Finance
  2. Emergency Fund

Orlando Shooting GoFundMe Campaign Tops $5 Million in 4 Days, Breaks Record

Published: Jun 17, 2016 2 min read
Orlando Continues To Mourn The Mass Shooting At Gay Club That Killed 49
ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 16: A couple hold hands while visiting a memorial for those killed at the Pulse nightclub last Saturday night on June 16, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.
Platt, Spencer--Getty Images

In just four days, the GoFundMe campaign established for the victims and families of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando has topped $5 million, breaking the record for both largest and fastest-growing crowdfunding. The previous record was just over $2 million for the "Saving Eliza" campaign that aimed to stop a disease called Sanfilippo, a rare genetic disease.

The fund, started by Equality Florida, isn't the only one that's attracting donors. The city of Orlando has established OneOrlando.org, a separate endeavor that has raised $6.8 million, a city spokesperson told the Orlando Sentinel.

Read More: #OrlandoUnited: How to Donate to Help Victims of the Orlando Nightclub Shooting

Currently the fund is $2 million short of its goal of $7 million, and 105,353 people have donated as of Friday morning. Over 203,000 have shared the campaign on social media, and some donations have hit $30,000, which came from Executive Pride, which promotes LGBTQ+ rights in business, according to the Sentinel.

Ratings-wise, Equality Florida gets a three out of four star rating from Charity Navigator and a gold rating on GuideStar, two charity watchdog groups.

Specifically, Equality Florida will be directing the proceeds from the GoFundMe campaign to "support every single victim of the horrific shooting at Orlando's Pulse Nightclub. This includes victims’ families, survivors, and those in the club who may not have suffered physical injury but in need of support."

Read More: Read This Expert’s Advice Before You Donate to the Orlando Shooting GoFundMe Campaign

As to GoFundMe's take, the company's website says it collects a 5% fee. Their payment processing through WePay is 2.9% $0.30 per donation, bringing the total to 7.9% and $0.30 per donation in costs.