Fundraise for your nonprofit with custom merch

Q: What type of nonprofits are eligible to use the nonprofit fundraising features?

All IRS-verified organizations with an EIN can use our nonprofit fundraising features, but only 501(c)3 nonprofits found on Change get an organization profile page and receive direct payouts from connected campaigns.

Q: Are nonprofit chapters eligible to use all of the nonprofit fundraising features?

Yes, but only chapters verified to a 501(c)3 nonprofit found on Change can use all of our nonprofit fundraising features.

Q: How do I verify my nonprofit on Bonfire?

To verify your nonprofit, ensure you have an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 status and are listed on Change. From there, you can connect your EIN on Bonfire to access nonprofit features.

Q: Should I claim my campaign profits as ‘donations’ or ‘sales’?

Most nonprofits claim their profits as sales proceeds, but you should talk to your tax professional before making any tax-related decisions.

Q: What happens if my organization loses its nonprofit status?

You can still use our standard features to sell apparel and raise money, but you will no longer be able to use our nonprofit feature suite until your organization is reinstated as a recognized nonprofit with the IRS.

Q: My nonprofit status is pending, can I start using the nonprofit features now?

You can start using all of the standard features of our site to sell apparel and raise money, but for legal/privacy reasons we cannot offer access to supporter lists or reduced cost donations until your status is confirmed by the IRS. Once you have your status confirmed you will gain access to historical lists of your supporters.

Q: How can my customers get a receipt for tax purposes?

We provide a supporter list that includes the amount of their donation so you can quickly and easily issue receipts.

Q: How can I use the supporter information I get from my campaign?

This information is for outreach purposes on behalf of the nonprofit and should not be sold or redistributed in any way.

Bonfire makes it easy to sell quality custom merch that inspires & connects your supporters with your cause.

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100% free • Easy setup • No inventory required

Bonfire is trusted by

A suite of apparel fundraising tools & features that work for your nonprofit

Special perks, from us to you

Reduced donation fees

Once your nonprofit is verified, all of your processing fees are reduced from 8% to 3.5%.

Verified nonprofit badge

A symbol of trust that lets your supporters know their money will directly benefit your organization.

Customizable organization
profile pages

Your nonprofit’s home to tell your story, highlight active campaigns, and show off your fundraising stats.

Support for your supporters

Launch peer-to-peer event fundraisers

Enhance your organization’s events by empowering your community to launch peer-to-peer t-shirt fundraisers on your behalf.

Send personalized thank you notes

Thank the supporters who launched campaigns on your behalf by sending them a thank you email from your Campaign Dashboard.

Receive direct payouts from
Giving Campaigns

Supporters connect their campaigns to your nonprofit so all of the money they raise is sent directly to your organization.

Helpful data where you need it

Downloadable supporter information

Easily export the contact information of your supporters across all connected campaigns in a .CSV format.

Access to platform integrations

Maximize your fundraising efforts by integrating your Bonfire campaigns with other fundraising platforms like Classy.

Verify your nonprofit to get access to these exclusive fundraising features

Get started

Nonprofits making an impact with custom merch on Bonfire

How to start a t-shirt fundraiser for your nonprofit

Design or upload artwork

Upload your artwork or create your own design in our design tool.

Learn how to design a shirt

Launch & promote your campaign

Launch your nonprofits fundraiser and notify your community about the campaign.

Promoting your fundraiser

Shirts are printed & shipped

Once your fundraiser is over, we will print and ship your donors their orders.

Creating print ready designs

COLLECT THE MONEY RAISED

Collect 100% of the profits you raised for your nonprofit.

Pricing t-shirts to maximize profits

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Sell high-quality custom products your supporters will love

Our catalog has 150+ products for you to design and sell for your nonprofit. We have everything from shirts, hoodies, mugs, totes, water bottles, hats, and so much more!

Explore products

Open an online merch store for your nonprofit

Display all of your nonprofits merch in one place with an online merch store on Bonfire. They're easy to setup, free to use, and can be customized to match your brand.

Open your store