Help Ukraine: donate or start a fundraiser
The need in Ukraine hasn't gone away
The headlines have moved on, but the humanitarian need has not. Millions of people remain displaced inside Ukraine or as refugees across Europe, and frontline communities still lack reliable access to food, heating, power and medical supplies. Winters are hard, infrastructure is repeatedly damaged, and many families have lost their income.
Ongoing, person-to-person support matters precisely because the emergency has become long-term. Small, well-run fundraisers — for a single family, a school, a hospital ward, or a community of refugees — fill gaps that large appeals can't always reach quickly.
Four ways to make a difference
Ukraine fundraisers on WhyDonate and across Europe focus on humanitarian and recovery needs, including:
Donate money
The fastest, most flexible way to help. Money lets organisers and charities buy exactly what's needed, when it's needed — from food parcels to medical supplies. Browse live Ukraine fundraisers and give in a couple of clicks.
Donate goods
Clothes, medical supplies and medicines are valuable, but in-kind drives need logistics — sorting, storage and transport. If you can't find a local drop-off point, funding a verified collection or buying supplies through a fundraiser is often faster than shipping goods yourself.
Start a fundraiser
Have a specific cause — a family you know, a hospital, a refugee shelter, a community project? Start your own WhyDonate fundraiser in minutes and rally your network. You decide exactly what the money is used for.
Share and spread the word
Not able to give right now? Sharing a fundraiser with friends, family and colleagues is one of the most valuable things you can do. Most donations come through personal shares on WhatsApp, email and social media.
Every cause is different — that's the point. When you run your own fundraiser, you choose the need you want to meet.
What people are raising money for
Ukraine fundraisers on WhyDonate and across Europe focus on humanitarian and recovery needs, including:
Refugees & displaced families
Transport to safety, temporary housing, rent, food and everyday essentials.
Medical & food aid
Medicines, first-aid supplies, hospital equipment and food parcels via vetted local partners.
Children & education
School supplies, safe spaces, psychosocial support and help for orphaned children.
Shelter, heating & rebuilding
Generators, power banks, repairs and winter survival kits for damaged homes.
Animals & shelters
Food, veterinary care and rescue for pets and animals left behind.
Community & solidarity
Neighbourhoods, clubs, companies and diaspora groups pooling support for a shared cause.
Humanitarian and defensive aid — yes. Weapons — no.
One question comes up again and again: what am I actually allowed to raise money for? Here's the clear line on WhyDonate.
You can fundraise for
Humanitarian and non-lethal, defensive and survival support, such as:
Food, water, clothing, hygiene and shelter Medical aid: medicines, first-aid kits (IFAKs), tourniquets, hospital and rehabilitation equipment, medical-evacuation vehicles Protective & survival gear: helmets, body armour (protective only) Power & connectivity: generators, power banks, batteries, Starlink terminals, radios and comms equipment Vehicles & logistics: pickups, vans and ambulances used to move people, food and supplies
You cannot fundraise for
These are prohibited on WhyDonate, without exception:
Weapons & firearms of any kind Ammunition & explosives Any lethal military equipment
Some items — a truck, a drone, a generator — can be used in more than one way. Be honest and specific about what the money buys and who receives it, and route funds through reputable, verifiable recipients. Transparency protects your donors, your cause and you.
Many US-based platforms ban any equipment “meant for use in conflict,” which can block even protective gear and vehicles. As an EU platform, WhyDonate supports legitimate humanitarian and non-lethal defensive aid — while drawing a firm line at weapons.
Organisations running Ukraine campaigns on WhyDonate
From foundations to grassroots initiatives, recognised organisations choose WhyDonate to fundraise for Ukraine — alongside individuals and well-known public figures.
Hope4Ukraine
Funds safe deliveries and maternity care for Ukrainian mothers, so newborns and their families get a healthy start despite the war.
View campaignStichting Diel
Organises direct humanitarian aid and relief convoys, delivering food, supplies and essentials straight to communities in need.
View campaignEyes on Ukraine
Raises awareness and funding for the people most affected, keeping the human story of the war in clear public view.
View campaignFastLane Ukraine
Runs rapid logistics and supply runs, moving urgently needed goods to where they make the biggest difference, fast.
View campaignProtect Ukraine
Provides protective and humanitarian support on the ground, backing the volunteers and families closest to the front line.
View campaignDe Leeuw Kyiv
A Dutch initiative rallying support and funds for Ukraine, connecting donors here with people and projects in Kyiv and beyond.
View campaignImagine hearing you're going to be a mother or father. That indescribable feeling of joy, gratitude, happiness… and then imagine your very next feeling is fear. Because what now — will you even be able to give birth safely? That's why we're raising money for Ukrainian maternity care.
Is it safe to donate to Ukraine?
Yes — if you give through a trusted platform and check a few simple things. Sadly, crises attract scammers, so a little care goes a long way.
Give through an established platform with secure payments and campaign review — not a stranger's bank details from a comment. Read the story. Trustworthy fundraisers say specifically who is helped and what the money buys. Look for updates and proof — receipts, photos, progress reports. Check the organiser — a name, organisation or link you can verify. Be wary of pressure and secrecy — urgent DMs, crypto-only requests, vague “send me money” appeals.
Secure, PCI-compliant payment processing Campaign review and a Trust & Safety process Transparent, traceable payouts to the organiser's bank account A 0% platform fee, so more of your gift reaches the cause (only standard payment-processing costs apply)
Start a Ukraine fundraiser in 4 steps
Anyone can do it — an individual, a group, a school, a company or a charity. It takes a few minutes.
Create your fundraiser
Add a title, your story, a photo or video and a goal. Be specific about who you're helping and what the money buys.
Share it
Send it to friends, family and colleagues via WhatsApp, email and social media. Sharing is what drives donations.
Receive donations
Supporters give via iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA, card or PayPal. Funds pay out automatically to your bank account.
Thank donors & post updates
Show receipts, photos and progress. Gratitude and transparency keep donations coming.
Prefer to give rather than organise?
Donate to a live fundraiser above — browse current Ukraine campaigns. Support a cause you care about — refugees, children, medical aid, animals — by choosing the campaign that matches it. Give from anywhere in Europe using local payment methods, with your donation reaching the organiser directly.
Why start your Ukraine fundraiser on WhyDonate?
Built for Europe, trusted by thousands, and designed so more of every donation reaches your cause.
0% platform fee
We don't take a cut of your donations — only standard payment-processing costs apply.
Built for Europe
An EU-based platform with EUR payouts, GDPR-compliant data handling and cross-border reach.
Payment methods donors trust
iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA, Sofort, Giropay, card, PayPal and more — so people give without friction.
Fast, automatic payouts
Funds go straight to your bank account, automatically.
Room for defensive & humanitarian aid
Support legitimate aid that some US platforms block — while weapons are never allowed.
Multilingual & supported
Run your campaign in your language, with a human team to help.
Every cause is different — that's the point. When you run your own fundraiser, you choose the need you want to meet.
Frequently asked questions
Stand with Ukraine — your way
Whether you give €10 to a campaign you trust or rally your community to raise thousands, every contribution reaches people who need it. Start in minutes, keep what you raise, and help where it matters.