6min read · by KindRise’s founder, a Brooklyn resident
Mutual Aid Fundraising: How to Set Up a Community Fund
Mutual aid is neighbors helping neighbors directly — pooling money to cover groceries, rent, medicine, or emergencies for people in the community. Unlike traditional charity, it's horizontal and local, which makes a simple, transparent fund the heart of the effort.
Define who the fund helps
Be clear and specific: which neighborhood or community, what kinds of needs, and how someone requests support. Clarity builds the trust that keeps donations flowing.
Set up a transparent online fund
Create one online donation page so anyone can give in seconds and share it widely. Because mutual aid aims to move money quickly to people, low fees matter a lot — and a "donor covers fees" option helps keep nearly 100% flowing to neighbors.
Distribute support clearly
- Use a simple intake form or trusted point people to collect requests
- Set rough guidelines (e.g., typical grant size) so funds stretch fairly
- Share regular, privacy-respecting updates on how much was raised and distributed
Share across neighborhood networks
Mutual aid spreads through the channels neighbors already use: group chats, Nextdoor, neighborhood Facebook groups, block associations, and local organizers. A clear, urgent, neighbor-helping-neighbor story moves fast.
Mutual aid is strong in many Brooklyn neighborhoods — see the Brooklyn fundraising guide for local channels.
Ready to start? Launch a donation page on KindRise in minutes — with a free AI-generated banner and low, transparent fees, so more of every dollar reaches your cause.
KindRise is a small, independent project, not a faceless platform. Email support@gokindrise.com and a real person reads it, helps directly, and often builds the features people ask for.
Frequently asked questions
How do you set up a mutual aid fund?
Define who the fund helps and how, create a simple online donation page, set up a transparent way to request and distribute support, and share the link across neighborhood networks.
How can a mutual aid fund get the most money to neighbors?
Choose a platform with a low, transparent fee, enable a 'donor covers fees' option, and keep overhead minimal so nearly every dollar goes directly to community members.