How to Create a Memorial Fund: Collecting Donations in Memory of a Loved One

When someone dies, those who loved them often feel a powerful impulse to do something — to channel the grief into action, to create something lasting and meaningful from what can feel like meaningless loss. A memorial fund is one of the most purposeful expressions of that impulse: a collection of charitable donations made in honour of someone who has died, directed towards a cause they cared about during their lifetime.

Memorial funds turn grief into generosity. They give mourners who want to do something concrete a specific, meaningful action to take. They create a legacy that extends the values and passions of the deceased into the world beyond their lifetime. And they can raise significant amounts for important causes in the name of a person who would have approved wholeheartedly.

This guide covers everything you need to know to create a memorial fund: from choosing the right cause and setting it up to promoting it effectively and keeping donors informed.

What Is a Memorial Fund?

A memorial fund is a charitable collection established in the name of someone who has died. Instead of — or in addition to — sending flowers to the funeral, mourners are invited to donate to a chosen cause in the person's honour. The fund may be managed directly by a specific charity, or it may be run through an independent fundraising platform that channels donations to a nominated charity.

Memorial funds typically have a relatively short active period — they are most commonly promoted in the weeks around the funeral and memorial service — but some families maintain them on an ongoing basis, inviting fresh donations on each anniversary or birthday. The total raised can vary enormously, from a few hundred pounds raised by a small, tight-knit community to tens of thousands raised in tribute to a well-known or widely loved individual.

Choosing the Right Cause

The most meaningful memorial funds are directed towards causes that had genuine personal significance for the person who has died. Potential sources of inspiration include:

• A charity they regularly donated to or supported — if they had a standing donation to a specific organisation, that organisation is the natural choice for a memorial fund
• A cause related to their illness or condition — research charities, hospice charities, and disease-specific organisations are frequent choices; they transform the loss into a contribution towards preventing or alleviating the same suffering for others
• A local organisation they volunteered with — the food bank they supported every Christmas, the animal rescue shelter, the local hospice that cared for them
• An arts, sports, or cultural organisation they loved — a theatre company, a sports club, a music education charity
• A scholarship fund in their field of study or at their school — giving future students the opportunity to pursue an education in the subject that mattered to them
• An environmental cause they cared about — tree planting, conservation, rewilding

If the deceased did not express strong preferences, consult with the immediate family and close friends to identify the cause that feels most true to who they were. In some cases, families create a general fund without a specific charity destination and direct the proceeds to multiple causes or to a community project in the person's name.

How to Set Up a Memorial Fund

Option 1: Directly Through a Charity

Most established charities have a simple, streamlined process for setting up a memorial collection. Contact the chosen charity's fundraising team, provide the name and basic details of the person in whose memory the fund is being created, and the charity will typically generate a dedicated memorial fundraising page on their website or via their preferred platform. Donors can then give directly through the charity's payment system, and Gift Aid can be claimed on eligible donations.

Option 2: Through an Independent Fundraising Platform

Platforms such as JustGiving, GoFundMe Charity, and Enthuse allow families to create memorial fundraising pages independently of any specific charity. This approach gives more flexibility in how the page is presented and in the messaging, and can accommodate donations directed to multiple charities or to a specific community project. Donations are typically processed through the platform and paid out to the nominated charity or beneficiary after a processing fee.

Option 3: A Named Fund Within a Community Foundation

For larger memorial funds — typically those expecting to raise in excess of £10,000 — establishing a named endowment or fund within a community foundation can be appropriate. These structures allow the fund to grow through investment and make grants annually in the person's name, creating a lasting legacy that continues indefinitely. Community foundations have their own minimum thresholds and governance requirements; seek independent advice before pursuing this route.

Promoting the Memorial Fund Effectively

A memorial fund raises money only if people know it exists and feel invited to contribute. Effective promotion includes:

• Include the fund link in the obituary — in the newspaper, on the funeral home website, and in any digital tribute post. The obituary reaches the broadest audience and sets the expectation early.
• Print it on the order of service — every person who attends the funeral or memorial service should leave with the fund link or QR code in hand.
• Share it on social media — a post from the family's account, with a brief explanation of the cause and why it mattered to the deceased, gives the fund the broadest possible reach.
• Include it on the online memorial page — a link to the fund on the memorial page ensures that every visitor to the memorial, at any time, has immediate access to a way of contributing.
• Send it by email to extended family and friends — particularly those who could not attend the service but want to contribute something meaningful.
• Set a target — fundraising platforms allow you to set a goal. Having a visible target creates momentum and encourages donations. Choose a figure that is realistic but aspirational.

Keeping Donors Informed

Donors who contribute to a memorial fund appreciate being kept informed about the outcome of their contribution. Share updates when the fund reaches significant milestones, when the proceeds are donated to the chosen charity, and when the charity reports back on how the money has been used. A final update post — thanking everyone who gave and summarising what was raised and what it will support — is both courteous and encouraging for future appeals.

These updates can be shared via social media, via a post on the online memorial page, and via email to anyone who contributed directly. They close the loop on the donation, connecting the act of giving to its tangible impact, and they honour the person in whose name the fund was created by showing that their legacy continues to do good in the world.

A memorial fund is more than a fundraising mechanism. It is a way of saying: this person mattered, their values mattered, and the causes they cared about deserve to continue in their absence. It is one of the most generous and lasting tributes a family can create.