How to Get Started with Twitch Charity Streams [5 Tips]

With over 240 million monthly active users and approximately 2.3 billion hours of video viewed during peak months, Twitch is a powerful platform for engaging audiences. Its built-in feature, Twitch Charity, empowers streamers to fundraise for causes they care about—sometimes raising millions in charitable donations for a single nonprofit.

Roughly 73% of Twitch’s global audience is under the age of 34, presenting a highly engaged group and strong opportunities for charitable partnerships and peer-to-peer fundraising. For nonprofit leaders new to the platform, we’ve created a guide to help you launch your first Twitch charity stream.

What is Twitch?

Launched in 2011, Twitch—hosted at twitch.tv—is an interactive livestreaming service for content like gaming, entertainment, sports, music, and more. The average Twitch stream lasts for roughly three hours, keeping audiences’ attention for longer than other popular short-form content like Instagram Reels.

Twitch is extremely popular among streamers, content creators, and general viewers. As of 2025, more than 7.3 million people broadcast content on the platform monthly, and it gets around 2.55 million concurrent viewers at any given time. Viewership in the United States accounts for over 20.6% of the global audience. 

Users can watch streams from the main Twitch site, mobile app, or directly within their gaming console. Every channel has a live chat feature as well, allowing users to engage with the streamers in real time.

How does Twitch’s charity tool work?

Twitch Charity connects with the PayPal Giving Fund, offering a catalog of hundreds of thousands of registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This allows streamers to switch into “Charity Mode” to choose a nonprofit from the catalog, set fundraising goals, and control how the donation button appears to their viewers.

Charity fundraising is deeply embedded in the Twitch community, with streamers and the platform actively encouraging charitable efforts. Being able to donate to charity adds a meaningful layer to the viewing experience, giving audiences a reason to tune in beyond video games or other entertainment.

How GoFundMe can help you host an effective charity stream on Twitch

Social media and emerging digital platforms are transforming the fundraising landscape. However, for many nonprofits, especially those with small teams, keeping up can feel overwhelming. 

That’s why we launched live fundraising tools on GoFundMe. These tools allow nonprofits and, equally important, creators to seamlessly integrate fundraising into their live streams on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. 

With the option to choose from custom donation overlays—like a live progress bar, donation alerts, and donation QR codes—fundraising becomes more interactive, engaging, and rewarding for supporters.

Plus, supporters aren’t limited to fundraisers they’ve created—they can select any fundraiser or Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe. With thousands of fundraisers on GoFundMe and a community of over 190 million people, this provides ample options for streamers to find a cause they’re passionate about and then easily elevate the respective fundraiser to an even wider audience.

To empower supporters to host a successful stream, you can also remind them to:

• Choose a specific program or initiative that means something to them.
• Set realistic fundraising goals and track milestones along the way.
• Use incentives to motivate their audience to take action.
• Use their personal Twitch channel and other social media platforms to promote the stream and your cause.
• Learn from experienced Twitch streamers who understand what it takes to pull off successful fundraising campaigns.

GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools in action

From individual influencers to national sports teams, many have already put GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools to use with impressive results.

Tess Bohne, a Taylor Swift livestreamer, used GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools to rally the Swiftie community. She raised over $35,000 for Coburn Place, a nonprofit supporting domestic violence survivors. Her initial goal was $13,000, but with the power of real-time engagement, she quickly surpassed it, turning her platform into a force multiplier for good.

In another instance, the Nashville Predators used GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools to raise over $36,000 for the 365 Cancer Fund during their Hockey Fights Cancer game. To engage and activate fans, they used live tracking to capture real-time donation totals and a progress bar that gamified the giving experience and created a sense of urgency.

Although these experiences took place on platforms other than Twitch, they illustrate what’s possible and how the same principles can apply to a Twitch livestream.

5 tips for connecting with Twitch streamers to elevate your cause

Knowing livestream fundraising is a proven, effective way to rally support around your organization, empower supporters to launch their own Twitch charity streams. Here’s how you can partner with popular streamers to fundraise on your behalf and encourage your current supporters to view Twitch as a fundraising platform to help your cause.

1. Reach out to streamers directly

Take the time to explore Twitch and learn which streamers might be a good fit for your organization. Segment each Twitch channel by where streamers are geographically, what types of games they prefer to play, and other general categories that feel relevant to your organization’s campaign.

It’s also worth considering if there’s anyone within your organization or donor community who already has a strong Twitch following. You might have an avid gamer in your midst and not even realize it.

Additionally, with GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools, any supporter can become a creator—they don’t necessarily have to have an existing influencer program. Offering a solution that requires minimal tech experience to use allows your nonprofit and your community to cast a wider net. You can also connect with streamers who may be earlier in their charity journey and want an easy way to give back.

Once you find someone who might be a good fit, reach out to initiate an introductory conversation. It’s likely easy to find their social media channels and other contact methods listed in their profiles. Understanding the basics of influencer marketing for nonprofits is a good first step as you contact these streamers. 

2. Build a trusting relationship

Be upfront with streamers about why you’re reaching out and your ideas on potentially starting a partnership. Take the time to help them understand more about your cause and why you believe they would be a strong fit to represent your mission.

Twitch charity streams are most successful when the streamer you work with feels personally invested in your mission. As a nonprofit, you should also invest time in getting to know the individual. Ask questions to help understand who they are and what they care about, such as:

• Have they previously supported or been involved with nonprofit work?
• What causes are they most passionate about?
• What motivates them to use their platform for good?
• How do they typically engage with their audience around social issues?

Think of this relationship like any other sponsorship or brand collaboration—mutual respect and alignment are essential.

3. Make it easy to partner together

Make your nonprofit stand out by being a thoughtful and accommodating partner, especially since top Twitch streamers often receive many promotional requests. Lean on your fundraising team’s expertise to help with planning and logistics so the streamer can focus on what they do best: entertaining and engaging their community.

To make their job easier, you can even create a fundraiser for them on GoFundMe. To set them up for success during the event, provide helpful resources, such as:

• Talking points about your organization and mission
• Relevant links, like your website, donation page, Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe, and social channels
• A brand guide, including your logo, colors, and relevant photos and graphics
• Answers to frequently asked questions that might pop up in the chat
• Social media posts and blurbs to add to their channel

Offering something in return for their time shows that you value their contribution and can help lay the foundation for a lasting relationship. Consider sending them some branded swag—items they can wear or display during their stream—to naturally spotlight your organization and elevate your brand.

4. Promote your charitable stream

Support the success of the stream and help the streamer grow their audience by actively promoting the event. While many streamers have built-in followings, it’s essential not to rely on them alone to drive traffic and donations. Your nonprofit can help boost visibility in several ways:

• Feature the stream on your website.
• Promote it across your social media channels using relevant hashtags.
• Reach out to sponsors and provide them with promotional assets.
• Send an email to your donor base.
• Encourage staff and volunteers to share the event online and in person.

Charitable streams aren’t limited to only one gamer, either. By involving multiple streamers, you can reach a broader audience and attract more potential donors. Just be sure that all participants align on key messaging to keep the campaign cohesive and consistent.

5. Track your results

With a claimed and verified Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe, your nonprofit can access valuable donor and fundraiser data from any livestream that includes a GoFundMe fundraiser benefitting your nonprofit. This can help your nonprofit better understand the fundraiser’s audience and inform future supporter-led fundraising efforts on Twitch.

You can also ask streamers if they can share Twitch user data, such as subscriber names or profiles, to help you follow up with participants from your charity event. Be sure to discuss this with them in advance so they can plan to collect the necessary information during the stream.

It’s also crucial to determine which metrics will best help you gauge the success of the event. Key figures, such as total funds raised and the number of viewers, are essential. These metrics will also serve as a benchmark for future events, helping you track your progress and improve over time.

Use GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools to tap into powerful livestream channels like Twitch

Twitch charity streams are a powerful way for nonprofits to engage a younger, highly active audience and raise crucial funds, and GoFundMe’s streaming widget can take Twitch livestream campaigns to the next level. 

With features like goal tracking and custom overlays, GoFundMe’s live fundraising tools simplify the process and enhance viewer engagement, helping streamers maximize support and impact with minimal effort. This ease lets your nonprofit build stronger relationships with streamers for continued successful campaigns.

Copy editor: Ayanna Julien