Advocacy Effort Where can I set up a personal fundraising page for ME/CFS?

[November Girl]

My first thought is to support the Open Medicine Institute, but I'm open to other ideas.

Also, is there a setup anywhere to scholarship either the yoga videos or the genetic testing for the database that NOVA and others are working on?

 

[tandrsc]

Try getting in touch with the Open Medicine Institute (or whichever non-profit/charity you decide on) and ask them which fundraising site they would prefer you use. The only one I know of in the states is Everday Hero - https://www.everydayhero.com/us/

The ones in the UK I know about are:
Just Giving - https://www.justgiving.com/
Virgin Money Giving - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/
BT Donate - https://mydonate.bt.com/charity/search.html

The charity needs to be registered with the platform (which is easy for them to do), but the more platforms they are registered with the more admin they need to deal with. The platform sends the money you raise direct to the charity.

Also, bear in mind that these platforms take a cut of your donation (usually between 3% and 5%) but they should have that listed somewhere on their site. I think this is fair enough as it costs them to run the service and in general they provide quite a lot for the money.

I used to work for a charity so I have some experience of the admin and costs involved.

 

[Cort]

My first thought is to support the Open Medicine Institute, but I'm open to other ideas.

Also, is there a setup anywhere to scholarship either the yoga videos or the genetic testing for the database that NOVA and others are working on?

What kind of scholarship are you thinking of? Is that another kind of donation?

The Open Medicine Foundation (not the Institute) - the Foundation supports Ron Davis's research - would be at the top of my list...Also up there would be the Simmaron Research Foundation, the Solve ME/CFS Initiative, Ian Lipkin's microbiome work, Nancy Klimas' work and ....I'm sure there are others. (Health Rising is another good choice )

 

[November Girl]

Here is the link to setting up a personal fundraiser for OMF
http://www.openmedicinefoundation.org/how-to-set-up-your-own-fundraising-page/
As for scholarship, I mean a place where individuals can help fund the purchase of the videos or testing for someone who can't afford it.

OMF's site is on Crowdrise, which charges a 5% fee.