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GoFundMe or FEMA? How LA Fire Survivors Can Plan Their Benefits Carefully

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Erika McMahon and her daughter Shauna McMahon look through their remembrances of burned Altadena home in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2025.  (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A week into the devastating wildfires in and around Los Angeles County that have claimed at least 25 lives and destroyed over 12,300 homes, buildings and landmarks, thousands of residents are still displaced by mandatory evacuation orders — and many have lost their homes and businesses.

Amid the destruction and upheaval caused by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, as well as other blazes, huge numbers of people have begun to fundraise for themselves or for others, using online crowdfunding platforms. These include GoFundMe, which has a list of verified fundraisers using its site for those impacted by the fires. (If you’re looking for other ways to help people affected by the L.A. fires, take a look at our ongoing list of organizations and groups asking for support.)

But there’s one thing that anyone thinking of online fundraising in this way should know before they start: If someone intends to also seek financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the agency says it “cannot duplicate benefits you receive from another source” — including platforms like GoFundMe.

Keep reading for what you need to know about applying for FEMA aid if you’re fundraising online through a platform like GoFundMe.

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What does FEMA say about platforms like GoFundMe?

FEMA assistance — which is not dependent on household income — can help disaster survivors with a wide range of needs, from rental assistance to childcare to accessibility requirements. Read our 2020 guide on how fire survivors can apply for FEMA aid.

But according to FEMA’s rules, if a person’s GoFundMe details that they’ll be using any money raised for “a specific disaster-related expense” — which the agency defines as including home repairs, funeral expenses or other emergency needs — they cannot receive funds from FEMA for the same specific purpose.

How does this practically work? In a video posted to social media platform X on Tuesday, FEMA public affairs officer Brandi Richard Thompson says that aid from the agency “may be able to help you replace a vehicle that was damaged during the disaster” — but “if your GoFundMe page clearly states that the funds you’re raising will be used to replace your car, FEMA won’t be able to provide assistance for that specific need.”

 

“This is because the government regulations prevent FEMA from providing financial assistance to replace items that have already been paid for by another source,” Thompson says — such as insurance payouts, platforms like GoFundMe and “money received from nonprofit organizations.”

FEMA also suggests people keep their FEMA-related receipts for at least three years to show how they spent their aid.

So, how should I word my GoFundMe or other fundraiser?

As FEMA has made clear, the agency can’t provide you aid for an expense that you’ve already specifically fundraised for.

“We know this can be frustrating,” Thompson says. “That’s why we encourage you to carefully consider how you describe your needs when creating a GoFundMe page.”

In the context of these FEMA rules, some organizers assisting families affected by the Los Angeles wildfires suggest that people “avoid specifying funds for expenses like home repairs, medical bills, or cleanup, if you intend to apply for FEMA assistance for those specific purposes.”

Instead, they recommend that people should keep the descriptions of their GoFundMe pages “broader to reflect your general recovery and supplemental needs.” However, these groups emphasize that they are not legal experts. Residents can reach out to legal groups in the L.A. region that specialize in working with people in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

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I already have a GoFundMe. Should I hold off on applying for FEMA assistance?

No. Thompson told LAist that the funds you’ve received via a GoFundMe or similar can be used to offset whatever funds you could get from FEMA — i.e., fundraising does not make you immediately ineligible for FEMA aid.

FEMA says survivors of a disaster should still apply for FEMA assistance regardless of other fundraising you’ve been doing or benefitting from, so it can review people’s specific cases. The agency emphasizes that there are “many different types of assistance” available and that it will review each application “to ensure you receive the aid for which you are eligible.” In other words, don’t try to work it out yourself and count yourself out prematurely.

You can apply for FEMA assistance online at disasterassistance.gov.

Folks can visit one of FEMA’s two Disaster Recovery Centers, the UCLA Research Park or Pasadena City College Community Education Center, in person. There, FEMA representatives can answer questions about applying for aid and help them navigate the process.

I’m concerned that vague language in a GoFundMe might seem ‘scammy’ to people

This is admittedly a snag that fire survivors attempting to fundraise for their needs might run into when trying to abide by FEMA’s rules: GoFundMe’s own best practices for drafting a fundraiser recommend that people should be: “as detailed as possible in your fundraiser story,” “be specific about what you are fundraising for whenever possible,” and “break down the costs that make up your fundraising goal.”

What’s more, GoFundMe’s tips for spotting a fundraising scam also warn potential donors to be wary of fundraisers that don’t specify “how will the funds be used.” (Read more about advice on spotting fundraising scams.)

In this context, GoFundMe’s “Writing Your Story” guide to structuring and drafting a fundraiser may offer fire survivors some tips on how to emphasize their personal experience to share their story without necessarily falling foul of FEMA’s rules. You can also speak to FEMA representatives in person about this issue at one of FEMA’s two Disaster Recovery Centers.

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