How JoyFund Works
JoyFund helps people fund meaningful, experience-based moments that support emotional wellness. Campaigns are reviewed for safety and trust, and donations are processed securely through Stripe.
- 🔒 Payments are processed securely through Stripe (JoyFund does not store card numbers).
- ✅ Campaigns are reviewed before going live to protect donors and campaigners.
- 💡 Fees are transparent: platform operations + standard Stripe processing.
- ↩️ If a campaign is removed for safety reasons, refunds may be issued where applicable (see Terms for details).
Pilot phase: We’re growing carefully to keep JoyFund safe and trustworthy.
1) Create your campaign
Share what experience you’re raising for and why it matters. Keep it honest, specific, and personal — donors connect with clarity.
Good examples: a nature reset, a wellness class, a reconnection trip, a supportive milestone.
2) Identity verification (ID)
To keep JoyFund safe and trustworthy, users who create a campaign may be asked to verify identity by uploading a photo ID. This helps protect donors and prevents misuse.
Privacy note: ID uploads are reviewed for verification purposes and are not displayed publicly.
3) We review for safety & trust
Before a campaign goes live, we review it to protect donors and campaigners. We may request clarification or edits so the platform stays safe and credible.
Typical review time: 24–72 hours (pilot phase). Some campaigns may take longer if extra verification is needed.
4) Your campaign goes live
Once approved, your campaign becomes visible on JoyFund for donors to discover and support. You can also share your campaign link with friends, family, and your community.
Tip: A short “why this matters” message often performs better than posting just the link.
5) Donations are processed securely
Donors contribute through Stripe Checkout. JoyFund does not store credit card details. Fees (if any) are shown clearly at checkout.
Stripe charges a standard processing fee. JoyFund’s platform fee (if applicable) supports operations and safety. You’ll see the totals clearly before you complete a donation.
6) Coordination & outcomes
When your campaign succeeds, JoyFund does not send money directly to the campaigner. Instead, JoyFund coordinates the experience and uses the funds raised to pay the vendors directly (for example: tickets, lodging, classes, transportation, or other approved experience costs). This protects donors, reduces misuse, and gives campaigners one less thing to manage.
Updates: After the experience, we encourage you to post an update — even a short one — because updates build trust and inspire others.
Refunds: Refunds are handled case-by-case based on vendor commitments, timing, and payment processing. Please review our Terms and contact admin@fundasmile.net for help.
7) If a campaign doesn’t reach its goal
Campaigns run for a set amount of time. If a campaign does not reach the full goal by the deadline, JoyFund will review what was raised to determine what’s feasible.
If feasible: JoyFund may coordinate a smaller approved version of the experience and pay vendors directly using the funds raised.
If not feasible: The campaign may be closed, and remaining funds will be handled according to our Terms.
8) Campaign expiration & restoration requests
Campaigns run for 60 days. When a campaign reaches its end date, it is marked as Expired and no longer accepts new donations.
What happens when it expires: Donations are paused, your campaign remains visible, and you can still post updates.
Need more time? If your campaign expires and you'd like it reviewed for possible restoration, contact admin@fundasmile.net with your campaign title and reason for the request.
Each request is reviewed individually to protect donors and keep JoyFund fair and trustworthy.
9) What JoyFund funds (and does not fund)
JoyFund focuses on experience-based support. For details, see our FAQ section on what we fund and what we don’t fund.