Answers first, a person right after.

Usually not. Most HopeNest campaigns are personal fundraisers rather than registered charities, and a gift to an individual is not deductible in most jurisdictions. Where a registered nonprofit runs the campaign, they will say so and can issue their own receipt — ask them before you give if it matters to you.

Yes. Guest donations are supported and each one is counted once towards the campaign’s supporter total. Creating an account simply means your giving history is in one place.

Yes — choose the anonymous option when you donate and your name is replaced with "Anonymous" everywhere it would otherwise appear, including the public donation feed. The organiser cannot see past it.

If you believe a campaign is fraudulent, the Giving Guarantee covers eligible donations — file it through support and a person will look at it. Refunds for a change of heart are at the organiser’s discretion, since the money may already be committed.

Most campaigns are reviewed within a day. Emergency causes are queued ahead of the general line. If a reviewer needs something clarified they will contact you rather than silently reject it.

Withdrawals unlock once identity verification is complete. This is enforced in the API, not just in the interface, so there is no way around it — and no way for anyone else to move your funds either. Start verification while your campaign is still collecting and it will not hold you up later.

A payout deducts the 8% service fee from the gross you request, and the withdrawal screen shows the exact net figure before you confirm. Nothing is deducted afterwards. The full fee schedule is on the pricing page.

You can post updates at any time, and updates are the right way to record changes — donors get to see what changed and when. Substantial rewrites of the story or goal may send the campaign back for review.

Nothing is forfeited, but say what the surplus will do in an update. Donors respond well to being told; they respond badly to finding out later.