There are many other ways you can collect donations and we have some guidance about the best way to go about this. We also have guidance about working with GoFundMe’s Meta integration to take donations via Facebook.

How to replace Facebook fundraising

Facebook ended its charity donations tools this year. 

You can, however, urge people to donate on your website. 

Details of how to do so are: 

• Go to your Page settings.
• Select the Action button.
• Choose Learn More.
• Add the link to your website.

How to fundraise now these changes have taken effect

If you’re concerned about what these changes mean for you, there’s still ways you can continue to raise money. 

1. Redirect donors to your charity website

Charities will still be able to receive donations directly through their website, but other people will no longer be able to fundraise on their behalf on Facebook any more. 

If you currently have the Donate button at the top of your Facebook Page, you can change it to send people directly to your website.

2. Start charity fundraising on GoFundMe

You can raise funds on GoFundMe’s charity fundraising platform. 

It couldn’t be easier to collect online donations doing this and you can easily redirect your previous donors. 

You can access features that help you build a thriving community around your charity.

There are no fees for charities to sign up to GoFundMe and access their data.

All donations to charities on the platform are subject to standard payment processing fees of 1.9% per donation. Equally our Meta integration means fundraisers share seamlessly to Facebook and Instagram. For more on our Meta integration, you can email iecharities@gofundme.com.

3. Encourage supporters to fundraise on your behalf

Supporters of your charity can fundraise on GoFundMe easily. 

People who want to raise money for a certain charity can do so with ease on the platform and it’s a great way to encourage donations. 

Charities receive donations directly, making the fundraising experience smooth. 

The benefits of charity fundraising on GoFundMe

By raising money on GoFundMe, you can benefit from joining a global community that has worked to raise billions to support causes all over the world. 

It’s easy to set-up on GoFundMe and there are helpful steps and tips along the way to help you have the most successful fundraising experience. 

Contact our charity fundraising team for more information

If you would like detailed information about how GoFundMe can best help your charity, you can reach out to us on iecharities@gofundme.com . 

We can provide more insight into how this will specifically work for you and how online fundraising can be done successfully on another platform. 

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What’s happening with Facebook fundraising?

Facebook fundraising is not available any more across their platforms for any charities in the European Economic Area. This encompasses countries in the EU but also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – so relevant to Ireland. 

What this means for fundraisers and their supporters

People are not able to fundraise on Facebook on behalf of a charity and donate to that charity via Facebook. To donate, you’ll have to go directly to the website of the charity and do it like that instead.  You can also donate to a plethora of charities directly on GoFundMe – there’s a range of charity pages already started by kindhearted fundraisers that you can browse and donate to.

How to donate to charity online without Facebook

There are still several easy, fast and safe ways to donate to charity online without Facebook, however. Donating to charities or fundraising via GoFundMe is a simple solution now that Facebook fundraising is going. It’s easy to set up a GoFundMe page for a charity if you’d like to fundraise yourself, or there are a range of pages set up for charities supporting everything from mountain rescue to rescue dogs that you can contribute to. Many fundraisers also share their GoFundMe pages to social media too, so keep an eye out. To donate directly to charities you can also do so by visiting their website. There’s a blog post on how you can donate to charities online to give you more inspiration on this, too. 

GoFundMe’s Meta integration

GoFundMe has an integration with Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, allowing for seamless social sharing. The new features are designed to make social sharing easier for fundraising organisers and donors to amplify their impact, and help improve donation experiences.

For charities to leverage the new enhancements, they will need the following

1. A Facebook business page
2. A professional Instagram account, linked to your FB page
3. To be enrolled in Facebook’s fundraising tools

For any questions about the enrollment process email iecharities@gofundme.com.

GoFundMe also has integrations with GivePanel and Social Sync which will allow charities to supercharge their charity challenge fundraising on our platform.

Fundraise for charity

If you want to fundraise for charity, it couldn’t be easier to set up a fund on GoFundMe to do this. If you set up a charity fundraiser on our platform, all the donations go directly to the charity so there isn’t any logistics involved in terms of it going to your own bank account. It’s a safe, fast and reliable way to raise money for that good cause. And you can share your GoFundMe on Facebook!

1. Choose the charity you want to raise money for

As mentioned before, setting up a charity fundraiser on GoFundMe is an easy process. When you’ve chosen the good cause you want to raise money for, simply start your charity fundraiser and select the charity you wish to support. Donations are sent to registered charities so there’s no need to set up withdrawals. If you’re looking for inspiration on which charity to choose, have a look at the best charities to fundraise for here.

2. Set up your fundraising page

Starting a fundraiser couldn’t be easier. Think about a concise but catchy title for your page, engaging pictures or video and then write your fundraiser story – letting people know why you’re fundraising for this good cause. Then hit go! And remember to thank your donors and post updates, which is easy to do from your GoFundMe account. 

Share your fundraising page

Now you’re ready to go and get fundraising – shout about what you’re doing! Sharing your page on social media helps to drum up awareness and support; remember to re-share each time there’s a significant update or you hit a milestone figure. Share with colleagues, friends, parents at your child’s school, classmates, anyone who might want to contribute and spread the word. You can even print out QR codes and put up posters in real life, too. All of the donations go directly to the charity on a GoFundMe charity fundraiser so that takes a task off your mind on how to get donations there.

Flexible ways to support charitable causes

Now you’re good to go – get fundraising! Even though Facebook is shutting their fundraising tools, you can still use GoFundMe as a fast and reliable way to raise money. You can even fundraise on your birthday instead of asking for gifts. Remember to say thank you and keep sharing your journey.

The post Facebook is ending charity donations: here’s how to donate instead appeared first on GoFundMe (IE).

The size of the nonprofit sector in Ireland

The nonprofit sector in Ireland is relatively large and is mainly made up of smaller organisations and a few larger ones. The sector gets the main portion of its funding from the government. In 2019, the government was the biggest single source of funding to the nonprofit sector, providing €6.2bn. According to Benefacts Legacy, from 2020 to 2021 the number of registered charities in Ireland increased by 998 and the number of nonprofit companies grew with 465 new incorporations and 214 wind-ups bringing the total number of nonprofit organisations to 34,331. 

The impact of nonprofits in Ireland

In Ireland, the overall social impact of nonprofits is significant. In 2022, Total Direct Expenditure had reached €18.6bn and employment stood at 209,000. The sector is made up of a large number of relatively small public service type charities who have a big economic impact. According to the Amarach Survey, a fifth of Irish people had volunteered for a nonprofit in 2022 in some capacity. A total of 76,000 people volunteered as charity trustees specifically and were key figures in overseeing the operation of the organisations. For more information on the impact that nonprofits have had on Ireland you can visit the Charities Regulator website.

The difference between nonprofits and charities

What is the difference between a charity and a nonprofit? The answer is complex. All charities are a type of ‘not-for-profit’ organisation but not all ‘not-for-profit’ organisations are charities. In order to be considered a charity, an organisation must be established for an exclusively charitable purpose or purposes and provide a public benefit.

What do nonprofit organisations do?

Nonprofit organisations in Ireland carry out hugely important work. From humanitarian aid overseas to offering help at home in Ireland, they support swathes of people in their darkest hour. They can also step in to complement the support available from the government to help vulnerable people and often will lobby the government to implement change. They also carry out important research and advocate for communities that may otherwise not have their voices heard.

Typical structure of a nonprofit

The typical structure of a nonprofit doesn’t differ massively from the structure of many other organisations. They’re commonly led by a board of directors, with layers of management beneath them, along with specialists responsible for the operations of the nonprofit, and volunteers that assist in a range of capacities.

How nonprofits are regulated

Nonprofit organisations are regulated by an independent body called The Charities Regulatory Authority. Its primarily responsibility is to ensure that charitable organisations are compliant with the Charities Act 2009. It also maintains the public register of the charitable organisations operating in Ireland. All charities operating in Ireland must be included in the register as stated in the Charities Act 2009. Each year charities are mandatorily required to submit a report to the regulator which details their finances and their activities.

The Charities Act 2009 actually came into effect in 2014 and it aimed to reform the law on charities in Ireland to ensure greater accountability and transparency. It also aimed to ensure that charitable status is not abused. 

Transparency and reporting

Charities are required to report to the Charities Regulator on an annual basis. This report is made public which serves to provide the regulators aim to provide transparency. Charities are required to provide some guidance on where to access financial reporting, which can often be via the charity’s website or the register of charities. When searching for a charity on the register the public should be able to access comprehensive details about a charity, including their charitable purpose and objectives, trustees (also known as board or committee members), number of employees, annual reports filed and compliance with the Charities Governance Code. To find out more information about what information charities are required to provide you can visit the Charities Regulator website.

Types of nonprofit organisations

There are three different types of nonprofit organisations in Ireland: unincorporated associations, trusts and companies limited by guarantee. Here is a breakdown of the differences between them.

• Unincorporated associations: An unincorporated association is a club, society, or other type of organisation governed by its members. From a legal standpoint, the members of the association are personally liable for it – the organisation itself is not a legal entity.
• Trusts – A charitable trust is a way to hold and protect assets (money, property, etc) for charitable purposes. The trust must be created with charity purposes in mind and all assets are managed according to an agreed set of rules established when the trust was created. 
• Companies Limited by Guarantee – A company limited by guarantee means the company has limited liability but does not have a share capital. The company must have two directors and they must be over the age of 18. The company must have a constitution document which includes a memorandum and articles of association.

For more information on the different types of nonprofit organisations, visit the Citizens Information Board website.

How GoFundMe works with nonprofits in Ireland

You can find Irish charities to fundraise for or donate to on GoFundMe in a matter of minutes. All money raised will be delivered directly to the charity without it ever touching your bank account so you can fundraise hassle free.

You can donate directly to charity through GoFundMe

When you donate directly to charity on GoFundMe, all donations go straight to the charity through our partnership with the Paypal Giving Fund and charities receive 100% of gift aid.This means you can be safe in the knowledge that your donation will go straight to the people who need it most.

You can fundraise on behalf of a charity listed in GoFundMe’s directory

GoFundMe sends money to charities through Paypal Giving. This means that you can fundraise for any registered charity in Ireland so long as they are registered with paypal giving fund. You can easily establish if you can fundraise for your chosen charity on GoFundMe by searching our charity database.  Once you have set up your fundraiser you can easily start collecting donations from your network by sharing the link with them. 100% of gift aid goes to the charity. For more information on GoFundMe website

How to find a charity to fundraise for

According to a 2021 survey by the Charities Regulator, approximately 90% of Irish people donated to a charity in the past year. If you would like to donate to charity fundraiser, head to the website and search for your favourite charity and you will find a variety of fundraisers all raising money for your chosen charity. From taking on marathons to bracing freezing cold water in charity swims, there is no end to the amazing fundraising that people are doing. You can also find charities near you on the GoFundMe website. All donations go straight to your chosen charity and the charity receives 100% of gift aid so you can give with confidence.

The post A guide to Irish nonprofit organisations appeared first on GoFundMe (IE).

The Dublin Marathon began in 1980 and has gone on to become Europe’s 4th largest marathon. Runners are drawn to the fast, flat course and this year it is over subscribed with people applying to take part from 60 countries.

When and where does the Dublin Marathon take place?

This year the Dublin Marathon takes place on October 29th. This event will have five start times, starting with the wheelchair participants at 8:40 am. They will be followed by wave 1 at 8:45 am, wave 2 at 9:05 am, wave 3 at 9:25 am and wave 4 at 9:45 am. It starts and ends in the city centre and takes participants past famous landmarks such as Trinity College.

Dublin Marathon route guide

The Dublin Marathon takes runners on  a tour of the city. Runners will travel along the outside of Phoenix Park and then head towards Inchicore and South Circular Road. Runners will then make their way to Crumlin, Terenure and Rathgar. Read on for the full route break down.

1-3 miles

The first one to three miles takes runners from Kevin Street through to Stoney Batter over James Joyce Bridge.

4-6 miles

Heading into Phoenix Park, miles four to six take runners past Dublin Zoo and out the other side. There are water stations available and there will also be toilets.

7-10 miles

Miles seven to ten see runners head out of Phoenix Park and over Chapelzoo Bridge. There is also an Irish Life Support Zone here. Runners can also grab a drink of water or a Lucozade to keep hydrated.

11-13 miles

Heading down Sarsfield Road past Brickfield Park, miles eleven to thirteen take runners past the medical/ ambulance stations to provide support. There are also toilets and water stations along this part of the route.

14-16 miles

Miles fourteen to sixteen takes runners down Drimnagh Road, through to Walkinstown Road through Cromwellsfort Road West. There is another Irish Life Support Zone here.

17-20 miles

Runners head into Bushy Park during miles seventeen to twenty, where there is another Irish Life Support Zone to provide some much needed cheering as runners head towards the final six miles.

21-23 miles

Heading down towards University College Dublin, runners will have access to hydration stations. There is also a drop out zone here in case the race becomes too much for some.

24-26 miles

The final stretch – miles twenty-four to twenty-six takes runners past Elm Park Golf Course, through the Irish Life Purple Mile towards that all important finish line.

Dublin Marathon entries

Thousands of people enter to run the Dublin Marathon each year. In 2022 the entry was capped at 22,500, down from the previous year’s entry of 25,000, due to new “infrastructure restrictions” along the route. There are a few different options to choose from when entering the Dublin Marathon. Hopeful runners can apply for a Lottery place, a charity place, or a Good for Your Age entry

Lottery applications

Entries for the Dublin Marathon 2023 Lottery were open from 9am Thursday November 3rd 2022 until Midnight Wednesday November 16th 2022. Entering the lottery doesn’t guarantee you a place and you can only enter once per person.

Run for charity

Participants who are looking to run and raise money for a good cause can apply for a charity place in the Dublin Marathon. There are over 50 Irish and International charities officially partnered with the event which participants can run for. Usually the charities will have a minimum amount that participants need to raise in order to run for them. Charities have a set number of places for runners and demand is often high so it is best to apply early. You can apply for a charity place on the Real Buzz website.

Good for Age entries

Runners who are especially fast for their age can apply for a Good for Age entry. There are a few requirements in order to qualify for this. Each age group has a certain time participants need to be able to prove they will be able to complete the marathon within.

You will require the following information:

• Athletic Ireland Membership Number (ensure you have the exact details on their database as you are using to enter).
• You use the race number from the Irish Life Dublin Marathon 22 to qualify (available on our results page).
• If you use any other Marathon, a link directly to your result.

Entries opened in early 2023.

Race day essentials

Once runners are ready to head on down to the start line, there are a few important things they need to remember.

• Don’t start too early, as starting the race before it officially begins could end up with you being removed from the race.
• Remember your number! Your race number must be worn on the front and not the back. Failure to do this could result in your being stopped mid route. Don’t put pins through your time tags. You can collect your number from the Irish Life Dublin Marathon Expo in the Main Hall of the RDS Dublin 4 – open from 12 to 7pm on Friday 27th and 9 to 7pm Saturday 28th.
• Baggage areas – The four Baggage Areas are located in Merrion Square South. Please allow time to walk to the start zones. 15 minutes for Green and Blue numbers. 20 minutes for Purple numbers. Only official Irish Life Dublin Marathon bags will be accepted. No rucksacks, holdalls or any other type of bag can be used.
• Toilets – At the start of the race toilets are located in each wave zone. There are also more toilets along the route.
• Water stations – Water stations are located at different points along the route.
• First Aid facilities will be available at the Finish Area and at the 3, 5, 9½, 11, 13, 16, 19, 21 and 24 mile marks. 

Spectator information

Behind every great runner there’s a legion of supporters. If you are planning to head down to cheer on your loved one there are a number of places where you can cheer from the side lines. The route starts on Fitzwilliam Street Upper and ends on Merrion Square North – both will be popular spots for supporters. There are also a number of supporter stations along the way including near Bushey Park and University College of Dublin. Make sure to bring your camera to capture the runners in action!

Marathon fundraising tips

The Dublin Marathon is a great way to fundraise for charity or a personal cause. Once you know what you would like to fundraise for it’s important to start the process as soon as possible to give yourself a long lead time. Once you have your place you can set up a GoFundMe fundraiser and start collecting donations. As you progress in your training you can share updates with your supporters on how you are getting on. Posting updates keeps donors engaged and can encourage even more donations. What are you waiting for, get training and fundraising today!

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Whether you’re new to running, trying to get a personal best or you’re lacing up your trainers to start exercising again – everyone’s 5k time is different. 

If you’ve not run that far before, it can be a daunting challenge and it can be hard to know what you should be aiming for. 

Every runner is different and has varying levels of fitness, so it can be tricky to know what 5k time is achievable and worth striving for. 

With our tips, we can help you to understand what time to aim for during your next 5k fundraising race. 

If you’re taking on a 5k park run, running in an organised event or simply fundraising by running 5k in your spare time, having a goal time in mind can really help when raising funds. 

Trying to achieve a personal best when fundraising is a great way to motivate you when your legs are feeling tired and you want to stop. 

Keeping track of your timings is also a great way to let your donors know how you’re getting on and how the training is going.

What is the average 5k time?

Running times can vary widely depending on a runner’s fitness, height and age. 

Other factors can influence speed, but there are some general average times which could be good to understand as you’re training. 

A state of running report found that both male and female runners perform best at a half marathon distance (13.2miles). 

The report also broke down average 1k and 5k times.

Its conclusions were as follows: 

• Male: average 1k split time is 7:04
• Male: average 5k finish time – 35:20
• Female: average 1k split is – 8:18
• Female: average 5k finish time – 41:30

Average parkrun times

Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. The route is typically 5k and takes place every Saturday morning. The average time for people to complete a parkrun in Ireland is 30 minutes 11 seconds. The fastest male to complete a parkrun is Sean Tobin who completed the 5km run in an impressive 14 minutes 19 seconds. The fastest woman is Eileen Kenny who got round her parkrun route in 22 minutes and 27 seconds. 

What’s a good 5k time for your age?

As well as fitness levels, age plays a massive part in determining average 5k times. 

The average time to complete a 5k run varies for each age group. Data from the state of running report has provided helpful figures which provide an insight into different age groups. 

Sourced from US races, the data provides finish times and average times. 

Data taken from 2018 shows the following average 5k finish times: 

Age Group Men Women

<20 31:28 38:38

20-29 33:19 38:44

30-39 34:36 40:13

40-49 35:24 41:40

50-59 36:34 43:57

>60 40:42 48:41

Record 5k times

It’s also good to put into context just how quick elite runners are. 

According to World Athletics the fastest 5k completed by an Irish person is Frank O’Mara who completed a 5k road race in 1991 in 13:35.

Tips for running a 5k fundraiser

If you’re new to running or training for an event, 5k is a great milestone to aim for. 

It may seem like miles away and something you may not be able to achieve, but with our tips about how to get into running, you can get there. 

See here for more tips about how to get into running and fundraise at the same time.

1. Time your training runs

Once you get comfortable running, it’s a great idea to time your runs and monitor your progress. 

Depending on the weather, how much you’ve eaten and how hydrated you are, some days you may be quicker and you may be slower. But overall, you will see your running times improve as the weeks go on. 

There’s a load of easy ways you can record your progress, including free fitness apps, stopwatches or fitness trackers. 

As your times improve, this can be a great motivator to keep going and keep training. 

Measuring your progress can also give you something to aim for when you run the 5k fundraiser.

2. Aim for a realistic finish time

When the time finally arrives for your fundraising run, try not to put too much pressure on yourself and your finish time. 

If this is one of your first events, or if you’re an inexperienced runner, try to aim for the best time you’ve set in training. 

You don’t need to be the person at the front of the race and if you’re having a slow day, that’s also ok. 

Set yourself a realistic goal and consult the times you’ve done in training. Try to think what the best average of these could be.

3. Don’t rush the start

Many runners find their first 1k and last 1k can be much quicker than the rest of the run. 

With all the determination to finish and set off strong, sometimes you can tire yourself out before you’ve even reached 2k. 

Try to start off at a settled pace and build up to gradually going quicker once your breathing is in a good rhythm. 

Remember, on the day it may be crowded at the start line. You may not be able to go as quickly as you’d like, but it’s good to be patient in this situation. 

Try to treat it as any other run and remember you have a big distance to go. For more information read this article on how to pace a parkrun.”

4. Remember to warm up

With all the excitement of the race, it’s natural to just want to set off and get going. 

As your adrenaline is starting to build, it may feel boring or unnecessary to do all the adequate stretching before a run. 

It’s crucial you stretch and hydrate before a big period of exercise. You lessen the risk of injury and the chances of you being in pain afterward decrease massively. 

Once you’re stretched out, it’s also hugely important to warm up before a race to avoid injuring yourself. 

This can be anything from running on the spot, walking or loosening your body up. For more warm up tips visit Runner’s World.

5. Enjoy the race

There’s so much to think about on the day like timings, warming up and the aftermath. 

But the most important thing is you enjoy the race. 

It’s something you’ve trained long and hard for, but it should be something you have good memories of after. 

Keep in mind the cause you’re raising funds for and how this race can help others.

The post How long does it take to run 5k? appeared first on GoFundMe (IE).

Donating to a homeless charity online couldn’t be easier. You can find causes important to you locally or donate to a national charity that works all over the country.

GoFundMe is an easy way to contribute to a cause close to you – you can search for fundraisers you care about or even start one for a homeless charity.

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