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Fundraising by online influencers has grown dramatically over the last 20 years Getty Images About 20 years ago on a miserable rainy day in Los Angeles, I made my way to a modest West Hollywood apartment to share a pizza and get a lesson in online gaming from Michael Wasserman, the founder of Tiltify, a nascent social fundraising platform. The pizza was very late in arriving and the internet connection went down so we never got to play, but the trip was very much worth it. The world of online gaming influencers that Wasserman described was fascinating. Leading figures in this growing community were attracting hundreds and sometime thousands of followers at a time to watch them play video games for hours and many got so “into it” that they contributed to featured charities in the process. Some Top Programs of the Last Year Flash forward to 2025 and online influencer fundraising has grown beyond gaming and raises millions for charity. Some outstanding examples include: This August Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, and YouTube star Mark Rober led #Team Water, a global coalition of content creators that raised $40 million over the course of a month. The creators used videos, livestreams, and social content to drive viewers to donate to bring clean water to 2 million people through the charity WaterAid and other partners. This summer streaming influencer Ryan Trahan raised $11.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in a campaign called “50 States In 50 Days.” Through daily videos, Trahan and his wife chronicled their travel to all 50 states staying in unusual Airbnbs. In addition to attracting numerous individual donations, the entrepreneur attracted sponsorship from companies including TMobile, Airbnb and Lectric Bikes. Last December, Jacksepticeye, one of the world’s most followed YouTubers, raised over $3 million for mental health services provided by Samaritans and Crisis Text Line through Thankmas, an annual program he has hosted since 2017. The live streamed event recruited comedians, musicians and Youtubers to inspire donations. Whereas traditionally most fundraising efforts originate with nonprofit organizations that is often not the case in these types of programs. Building relationships with influencers and supporting them when they express interest are key success factors for nonprofit organizations seeking to get into influencer fundraising, according to Andy Steig, Stand Up To Cancer’s Director, Influencers & Gaming Community. Andy Steig is responsible for building relationships with gamers and influencers for Stand Up To Cancer. Stand Up To Cancer MORE FOR YOU Steig described how he had nurtured a relationship with a LEGO brick building streamer named Brian Saviano, also known as Bricks ‘O’ Brian, into an alliance that has generated more than $300,000 for Stand Up To Cancer over five years. Saviano took part as an individual in 2021 in #Up2Us to Stand Up To Cancer, the charity’s annual streaming event. Based on Saviano’s positive experience, Steig chatted with him about involving more LEGO brick builders and crafters and Saviano began recruiting. The group grew from five people in 2022 to 20 in 2023 to 70 in 2024 and passed 100 participants in 2025. One Relationship Can Grow To So Much More The experience has taught Steig “how one relationship with a single creator can lead to so much more over time” and that success does not have to rely on the participation of a massively popular creator. “Sometimes, the collective efforts of a community of creators who care and work together can make a greater impact,” Steign said. “They not only help fundraise but also expand reach, spread the word, and bring more visibility to the cause.” Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
