Share this article
Charity Live Streaming: How to Raise Money Online | 4fund
Alicja Wójcik
Can a live stream make a real difference? Across Europe, online creators and their communities are showing that it can. Charity streams bring people together to support important causes, sometimes raising millions of euros in just a few days.
In France, ZEvent raised almost €33 million in 2026. In the UK, Jingle Jam collected more than £3 million in 2025. These events show how powerful live fundraising can be when creators and viewers work towards a shared goal.
But you do not need millions of followers to organise a charity live stream. With a clear purpose, a fundraising page and an engaged community, anyone can bring people together to make a difference.
In this guide, we explain how charity live streaming works, why it engages viewers and how to organise your own fundraising stream.
Key takeaways
- A charity live stream is an online broadcast that raises money for a chosen cause.
- Charity streams can take place on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube and Facebook.
- Anyone can organise a fundraising stream, including individuals, creators, companies, schools and non-profit organisations.
- European events such as ZEvent and Jingle Jam show how much online communities can achieve together.
- You can use donation widgets to display fundraising progress, recent donations and other information during your stream.
- Challenges, fundraising milestones and conversations with viewers can help keep your community engaged.
- You do not need a large audience to get started. A clear goal, good preparation and an interesting idea are more important.
Charity live streaming in Europe: how much can online communities raise?
Charity live streams are not a new idea. For years, gamers, YouTubers and other online creators have organised broadcasts to raise money for charities and people in need.
However, some recent European events show just how large these fundraising campaigns can become.
ZEvent: almost €33 million raised in France
ZEvent was one of Europe’s largest charity streaming events. It brought together French-speaking streamers, artists and their communities to support charitable organisations.
In 2025, ZEvent raised €16.18 million, compared with €10.15 million in 2024. This represented an increase of almost 60%.
The following year, the event reached an even more impressive result. Its final edition, held in September 2026, raised €32.89 million for 22 charitable organisations.
The 2026 event included a concert and more than 50 hours of live streaming on Twitch.
After ten editions, ZEvent came to an end. Its final result shows what an established community can achieve when thousands of people support the same cause.
Source: Fondation de France, ZEvent 2026.
Jingle Jam: a UK charity streaming event that brings creators together
Jingle Jam is an annual charity fundraising event organised by gaming creators and their communities.
In December 2025, the event raised £3.23 million for eight charities, compared with £2.67 million in 2024. That was an increase of approximately 21%.
The 2025 campaign received more than 71,000 donations.
Jingle Jam shows how creators can use their audiences to support several charitable causes through one shared event.
Source: Civil Society, December 2025.
Łatwogang: a Polish example of community fundraising
Poland has also seen major fundraising campaigns supported by online creators.
One example is Łatwogang, a group of Polish internet creators who have organised charity activities and fundraising campaigns.
Their initiatives have attracted thousands of supporters and raised substantial amounts for charitable causes.
The success of Łatwogang shows that live fundraising is not limited to international events with established organisations behind them. Online communities can also organise their own campaigns and mobilise people around a specific cause.
Younger donors are supporting charities through gaming and live streams
Large fundraising events are only part of the story. Research also shows that gaming and live streaming are important ways to reach younger donors.
According to the Blue State UK Giving Behaviours Tracker 2026, which surveyed 2,136 adults in the UK:
- 14% of people aged 18-34 donated to charity through a computer game or live stream in 2025.
- 7% of people aged 35-54 made a donation through one of these channels.
The research covers both gaming and live streaming, not charity streams alone. It also reflects the UK market rather than Europe as a whole.
Still, it highlights an important opportunity: people are willing to support causes through the online communities and activities they already enjoy.
Source: Blue State, UK Giving Behaviours Tracker 2026.
Why do charity live streams engage so many people?
Charity streams combine fundraising with entertainment and direct interaction between creators and viewers.
People can support a cause, follow fundraising progress and take part in the event as it happens.
This makes live fundraising different from simply sharing a donation link.
Viewers become part of the event
During a traditional online fundraiser, supporters usually follow the campaign from outside.
During a charity stream, they can actively participate in what happens on screen.
Live chat, challenges and fundraising milestones give viewers opportunities to interact with the host and other supporters.
For example, a streamer might complete a challenge when donations reach a certain amount. Viewers can work together to reach that goal and see the result immediately.
Instead of only watching, they become part of the event.
Donations can make an immediate difference
Viewers can support a fundraiser in just a few clicks.
When someone makes a donation, the fundraising total can update during the stream. Everyone can see the progress towards the next goal.
This immediate feedback helps supporters understand the impact of their contributions.
Even small donations matter. When many people give together, the total can grow quickly.
The conversation matters as much as the fundraising goal
Successful charity streams are not just about asking people to donate.
They often include conversations, games, interviews, challenges and personal stories.
These activities help viewers understand the cause and the people behind it.
They also give supporters a reason to stay involved throughout the event.
How to organise a charity live stream in 6 steps
You do not need a professional studio or hundreds of thousands of followers to organise a fundraising stream.
What matters most is having:
- a clear fundraising goal,
- an engaged community,
- an interesting idea for your broadcast,
- an authentic reason to support the cause.
Even a small group of viewers can achieve meaningful results.
Here is how to get started.
1. Create a fundraiser
Before your stream begins, create a fundraising page that viewers can use to make donations.
You can create a fundraiser on 4fund and share its link during your broadcast.
Make sure your fundraising page clearly explains:
- who or what you are raising money for,
- why the support is needed,
- how the collected money will be used.
A clear description helps potential donors understand the purpose of your campaign.
PRO TIP
If you are organising a charity stream for a non-profit organisation, ask whether it already has a fundraiser you can support.
You can create a donation box linked to an existing fundraiser. This allows you to involve your own community in supporting the organisation’s campaign.
2. Plan your charity stream
Decide what will happen during your broadcast.
Prepare a simple plan that includes the main activities, guests, challenges and other attractions for viewers.
For example, you could organise:
- a gaming marathon,
- a live interview with a charity representative,
- a creative challenge,
- a live auction,
- a question-and-answer session,
- a special activity when you reach a fundraising milestone.
PRO TIP
You do not have to follow your plan exactly. Authenticity and natural interaction are important parts of live streaming.
However, preparing activities in advance will help you keep the event interesting and avoid long periods without interaction.
3. Promote your charity stream before it starts
Tell people about your charity stream before the event.
Share the date, time, streaming platform and fundraising goal on your social media channels.
Explain why you are organising the event and how people can participate.
Remember to publish a reminder shortly before the stream begins.
PRO TIP
Ask your guests, partners and the organisation you are supporting to share information about your event.
You can also contact local media or online communities that may be interested in your cause.
Prepare promotional posts and graphics that others can easily share.
4. Show fundraising progress with donation widgets
During your charity stream, you can display fundraising information directly on the screen.
With 4fund streaming widgets, you can show:
- the total amount raised,
- a fundraising progress bar,
- a donor leaderboard,
- notifications about new donations,
- a QR code linking to your fundraiser.
These widgets help viewers follow the campaign and see how their donations contribute to the fundraising goal.
You can add them to your broadcast as overlays using streaming software such as OBS Studio or Streamlabs Desktop.
Want to know how to set everything up?
Read our step-by-step guide to [adding donation widgets to OBS Studio and Streamlabs Desktop].
PRO TIP
Share fundraising updates on social media during the event.
This can help you reach people who are not watching the live stream and encourage them to join or support your fundraiser.
5. Engage your community during the stream
Direct contact with viewers is one of the biggest advantages of charity live streaming.
There are many ways to encourage participation and make supporters feel involved.
For example:
- Read comments from viewers and respond to their questions.
- Thank donors for their contributions.
- Show a donor leaderboard to recognise supporters.
- Set smaller fundraising milestones and celebrate reaching them.
- Introduce challenges that become available when the community reaches a specific donation goal.
PRO TIP
You can also add offers and auctions to your fundraiser on 4fund.
For example, you could auction a signed item, a unique experience or something created by the streamer.
Talk about the auction during your broadcast and encourage viewers to take part.
6. Thank supporters and share the results
Your fundraising campaign does not have to end when the live stream finishes.
After the event, publish a summary on social media.
Tell your community how much money you raised and thank everyone who participated.
You can also share information about how the donations will be used.
If possible, publish further updates showing what the campaign has achieved.
PRO TIP
Send a thank-you message to your donors.
Include the final amount raised and explain what their support will make possible.
You can also share a short video, photos or another update from the organisation or people you supported.
This helps maintain relationships with your community and shows donors that their contributions matter.
Find out how to create a streaming widget for your fundraiser.
Charity streaming is about more than raising money
Fundraising is rarely something people do completely alone.
People come together at charity concerts, local events, community campaigns and fundraising activities to support causes they care about.
Charity live streams bring this experience online.
During a broadcast, hundreds or thousands of people can follow the same fundraising goal, talk to each other and celebrate every milestone.
The results of events such as ZEvent and Jingle Jam show what large online communities can achieve. But the same idea also works on a smaller scale.
A charity stream organised by a group of friends, a school or a local organisation can bring people together around a cause that matters to them.
The internet has not replaced communities. It has given them new ways to work together.
And sometimes, all it takes to get started is a live stream, a fundraising page and a group of people who want to help.
Ready to organise your own charity live stream?
Create a fundraiser on 4fund and invite your community to support a cause that matters to you.
Create a fundraiser for your stream
FAQ - Charity live streaming
What is a charity live stream?
A charity live stream is an online broadcast organised to raise money for a charitable, social or community cause. During the stream, viewers can make donations, participate in live chat and follow fundraising progress in real time.
How does charity live streaming work?
The organiser creates a fundraising page and hosts a live broadcast. During the stream, they explain the cause and invite viewers to make donations. Supporters can donate through the fundraising page, while the host can display donation updates and fundraising progress on screen.
Can anyone organise a charity live stream?
Yes. Individuals, content creators, schools, companies and non-profit organisations can organise charity streams. You do not need a large audience. A clear goal, good preparation and an engaged community are more important.
To create and manage a fundraiser on 4fund, you must meet the platform’s eligibility and verification requirements.
How can I collect donations during a live stream?
Create a fundraising page and share its link in your stream description, live chat and promotional materials.
You can also display a donation QR code on screen so viewers can open the fundraiser using their phones.
What equipment do I need for a charity live stream?
You need a device that can broadcast video, a stable internet connection and access to a live streaming platform.
Depending on the type of event, you may also need a microphone, camera or streaming software such as OBS Studio.
You do not need expensive equipment to organise a simple charity stream.
How can I show donations during my charity stream?
You can use 4fund donation widgets to display the amount raised, fundraising progress, donor rankings and new donation alerts.
Add the widgets to your streaming software as browser sources.
Do I need a large audience to raise money through a charity stream?
No. A large audience can help you reach more potential donors, but smaller communities can also raise money successfully.
Choose a clear cause, explain why it matters and encourage your viewers to share the fundraiser with others.
Discover more practical tips and inspiring stories.
