How to donate crypto
Crypto donations can be cheaper for organizations to process
According to the 2020 Global Trends in Giving Report, 63 percent of donors worldwide prefer to donate online via debit or credit card. But given by card can reduce the actual donation organizations receive — because processing can fees range anywhere from 2.2 to 7.5 percent (according to Charity Navigator, a non-profit that rates online-donation processors)
How much of a difference might that make? Let’s say you wanted to donate $1,000.
Donate via credit card: the processing fees incurred by the organization could be as high as $75.
Final donation received: $925
Donate via crypto: the same donation made in bitcoin would incur a transaction fee of about $8.70 (calculated using the median transaction fee on April 6, 2021 according to CoinMetrics.io).
Final donation received: $991.28
Stablecoins can make crypto giving less volatile
Organizations looking to take advantage of the benefits of crypto without the volatility risk can also accept donations in USDC or similar stablecoins. USDC is a cryptocurrency that is fully backed and redeemable for US Dollars. Any organization that has Coinbase Commerce enabled is set up to accept USDC.
(If you’re an org looking to accept crypto you can set up a Coinbase Commerce account — within minutes, you’ll be able to accept donations in five different cryptocurrencies.)
Which nonprofits accept crypto?
Whether you’re looking to support initiatives around clean water, early-childhood education, or human rights, dozens of organizations are already set up to accept donations today in crypto. Here are a range of popular options:
Daffy Charitable: Via the Daffy mobile app, you can easily donate crypto to more than 1.5 million organizations — with the nonprofits and charities you choose receiving the funds in cash.
Electronic Freedom Foundation: “Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. We work to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum.
Freedom of the Press Foundation: “The organization works to preserve and strengthen First and Fourth Amendment rights guaranteed to the press through a variety of avenues, including the development of encryption tools, documentation of attacks on the press, training newsrooms on digital security practices, and advocating for the public’s right to know.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and ZCash.
GiveCrypto.org: In 2018, Coinbase co-founder Brian Armstrong founded GiveCrypto, a nonprofit that distributes cryptocurrency to people living in poverty. GiveCrypto has distributed over $300k of cryptocurrency to over 5,000 people in 13 different countries. Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and USDC via Coinbase Commerce.
Greenpeace: “Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.” Accepts: Bitcoin.
Internet Archive: “We began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use. Like newspapers, the content published on the web was ephemeral — but unlike newspapers, no one was saving it. Today we have 20+ years of web history accessible through the Wayback Machine and we work with 625+ library and other partners through our Archive-It program to identify important web pages.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, XRP, and ZCash.
Human Rights Foundation: “We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. HRF unites people in the common cause of defending human rights and promoting liberal democracy. Our mission is to ensure that freedom is both preserved and promoted around the world.” Accepts: Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Khan Academy: “Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum.
Rainforest Foundation: “The Rainforest Foundation works on-the-ground to secure land rights for indigenous people. We strengthen indigenous land security and train indigenous communities to use technology to protect their forests. By investing directly in indigenous communities, we connect people who are deeply motivated to conserve their ancestral lands with the tools, training, and resources necessary to protect their rainforests.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
The Reagent Project: “At The Reagent Project, we aim to match excess scientific equipment and reagents languishing in labs across the U.S. with talented, under-resourced researchers who need those very items.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and USDC via Coinbase Commerce.
Red Cross: “The international Red Cross and Red Crescent network is the largest humanitarian network in the world with a presence and activities in almost every country. All Red Cross and Red Crescent activities have one central purpose: to help those who suffer, without discrimination, whether during conflict, in response to natural or man-made disasters, or due to conditions of chronic poverty.” Accepts: Bitcoin via Bitpay (note: Bitpay may charge a conversion fee).
Tor Project: “We, at the Tor Project, fight every day for everyone to have private access to an uncensored internet, and Tor has become the world’s strongest tool for privacy and freedom online. But Tor is more than just software. It is a labor of love produced by an international community of people devoted to human rights.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Augur, Dash, Litecoin, Monero, Stellar Lumen, ZCash, and Ethereum.
The Water Project: “The Water Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization unlocking human potential by providing reliable water projects to communities in sub-Saharan Africa who suffer needlessly from a lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation.” Accepts: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and USDC via Coinbase Commerce.
United Way: “United Way envisions a world where every individual has an opportunity to succeed, and entire communities thrive as a result. We’re getting a little closer everyday, with help from millions of people around the world. Our work is fueled by the passion of 2.8 million volunteers and 9.8 million donors who give their time, their money and their voice to improve the lives of others.” Accepts: Bitcoin via Bitpay (note: Bitpay may charge a conversion fee).