In-Memory Fundraising: How to Raise Money in Someone’s Memory
In-memory fundraising lets family and friends raise money in tribute to someone special who has died, often in place of funeral flowers. On JustGiving, you can set up a tribute page whenever you feel ready, share their story, and invite loved ones to donate and leave thoughtful messages.
Losing someone is hard, and creating a tribute in their memory can be a meaningful way to remember them while supporting a cause that mattered to them.
Coming together to share memories and celebrate someone’s life can bring comfort at a difficult time
That sense of connection often becomes something more over time: a lasting way to support a cause your loved one cared about, so their memory keeps making a difference.
What is in-memory fundraising?
In-memory fundraising can be a helpful way to honour someone who has died by bringing people together to support a cause close to their heart. Unlike a standard fundraising page tied to an event, a tribute page serves as a lasting place of remembrance. Loved ones often share it during a funeral, on an anniversary, or around special moments to celebrate their life.
It is also different from crowdfunding. While crowdfunding often collects funds for personal expenses like funeral costs, in-memory fundraising sends donations straight to a registered charity. It allows you to support a cause connected to their passions, experiences, or the support they received during their life.
Coming together with others to remember them can bring real comfort and a sense that you’re not carrying the burden of grief alone.
How to set up a tribute page
Setting up a tribute page is a gentle way to bring friends and family together to remember someone special. Uniting your community around a cause they cared about creates a lasting legacy and shows how powerful giving back can be.
Here’s how to create a lasting tribute in just a few simple steps:
- Choose a charity: Select a cause that was close to their heart.
- Personalise the page: Add their name and photo, and share a few meaningful stories about their life.
- Set an optional target: Pick a target if you’d like one, giving friends and family a shared goal as they support a cause in their memory.
- Share your link: Send the page to colleagues, family, and friends so they can leave messages and donate.
- Share updates: Thank supporters, share memories, and let people know how their donations are making a difference.
Example donation and tribute messages
Finding the right words to honour a loved one isn’t always easy, especially when family, friends, and wider communities come together to remember someone special.
Leaving a message on a tribute page allows friends, family, colleagues, and loved ones to share memories, offer comfort, and show collective support. Giving together during tough times brings a community closer while honouring a life that mattered.
If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some short donation message examples and funeral donation message examples you can use:
Donation messages
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“In loving memory of [Name], always remembered and deeply missed by all of us.”
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“Thinking of you and your family, with love from the whole team.”
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“Honouring a wonderful person who brought so much light to our workplace.”
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“With deepest sympathy. A gift in memory of someone truly special.”
Tribute wording for the page
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“In loving memory of [Name], a life that touched so many.”
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“Celebrating the life of [Name], whose kindness touched so many people.”
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“Uniting in memory of [Name] to support a cause that meant the world to them.”
Asking for donations instead of flowers
When you lose a friend or family member, being able to support a meaningful cause that they would’ve loved can help you remember the good times you had with them. It can also give others a meaningful way to honour their memory.
Here are a few gentle ways to word this request in a funeral donation message:
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“Family flowers only, please. Donations in memory of [Name] to [Charity] would be gratefully received.”
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“If you wish to make a gift in memory of [Name], donations to [Charity] are welcomed by the family.”
You can share your JustGiving QR code directly in the order of service, funeral notices, or team emails, so people can easily find it. If you’d like to make donating as easy as possible for friends and family, the print poster feature lets you create a poster with your page’s QR code, ready for guests to scan and donate.
Choosing a charity and keeping the fund open
Choosing a charity that reflects the person’s life, passions, or a cause close to their heart is a powerful way to bring those who cherished them together. When people unite to give back, charitable actions can become a place of shared comfort, connection, and support during difficult times.
Here’s how you can keep their legacy alive over time:
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Pick a meaningful cause: Choose a charity connected to their life, passion or experiences, so friends and family can rally behind something personal.
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Keep the page open: Leave your tribute page open for future anniversaries, birthday tributes, memorial gatherings and anniversary moments, so colleagues can continue to donate and share memories.
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Celebrate milestones: Connect your page to a special occasion, like an anniversary or birthday, to keep your community connected through shared moments.
In-memory fundraising: your questions answered
Setting up a fundraiser in memory of a loved one can be an emotionally difficult process. Here are the answers to some common questions that could help make it a bit easier.
How do I set up an in-memory fundraising page?
Setting up a page on JustGiving is simple. Choose a charity close to the person’s heart, add their name, and share a few memories to honour their life. Sharing the page link lets family and friends donate and leave messages. It brings your community together through giving back and can help keep their memory alive.
What do you write on a donation in memory of someone?
Keep your donation message simple, warm, and heartfelt. A phrase like “In loving memory of [Name], always remembered” or “Thinking of you all, from the whole team” works well. When people unite to give back, even a few kind words mean the world and show how much your community cares during difficult times.
How do you ask for donations instead of flowers at a funeral?
Keep your funeral donation messages simple and gentle. Add a line to the notice such as, “Family flowers only, please.”, ” Donations in memory of [Name] to [Charity] gratefully received.” Sharing your JustGiving tribute page link in the notice or order of service makes it easy for family and friends to donate together, share memories, and give back in a deeply meaningful way.
Is in-memory fundraising the same as a tribute fund?
They are closely related. In-memory fundraising covers any donation made in someone’s honour, while a tribute fund is a lasting online space dedicated to them. It stays open for future anniversaries, birthdays, and special occasions. It gives your community a lasting place to leave messages, support causes that matter, and give back together over time.
Can you Gift Aid a donation made in memory of someone?
Yes. If the donor is a UK taxpayer who has paid enough tax to cover it, they can simply tick the Gift Aid box, adding 25p to every £1 at no extra cost to them. It’s a simple way to make a donation go further, helping your community give back together.
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