JustGiving charity bosses give themselves a £2m pay rise as the online fundraising giant brings in £27m through fees charged on donations
- US-based software company Blackbaud bought JustGiving for £95m last year
- The fundraising platform's 'key management personnel' shared £2m pay rise
- JustGiving saw £2m rise in revenue to £27m last year thanks to donation fees
- The website scrapped its controversial 5 per cent fee for major incidents last month after a backlash
JustGiving bosses gave themselves a £2 million pay rise after bringing in £27 million through fees charged on donations last year, it has been revealed.
Founders Dame Zarine Khaas and Anne-Marie Huby shared a salary bump of £90,000 to bring their earnings to £530,000 after US software giant Blackbaud bought the platform for £95 million,The Mirror reports.
The website's 'key management personnel' – including directors and certain senior managers – cashed in as JustGiving saw a £2million rise in revenue to £27million last year, according to company accounts.
JustGiving founders Zarine Khaas (left) and Anne-Marie Huby (right) shared a salary bump of £90,000 to bring their earnings to £530,000
The company paid its 122 staff members – including directors, technicians and admin workers - a total of £12.6 million, leaving it with a profit of £3.5 million last year.
'Charities deserve the best and JustGiving helps them raise more money, more safely and more easily than anyone else,' a JustGiving spokesman told MailOnline.
'We constantly reinvest our revenue back into the platform, funding world-class digital tools to help individuals and charities raise more money for brilliant causes.'
The revelations come after JustGiving scrapped its controversial 5 per cent fee for crowdfunding for natural disasters and terror attacks following a backlash.
Neil Coyle, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said last month that he was sickened to learn JustGiving took £500,000 pledged for the victims of major incidents, such as the London Bridge attack, Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell fire.
Following the criticism, JustGiving announced last month that its 24 million customers will be able to use the personal crowdfunding service without paying 'platform fees'.
The changes also mean the removal of fees for money being raised following major incidents including acts of terrorism and natural disasters.
Third-party processing fees on card payments will still be charged.
JustGiving bosses gave themselves a £2million pay rise after the charity site was bought by US software giant Blackbaud. File photo
People have previously pledged money to appeals through the website following major atrocities such as the Manchester Arena attack and the Grenfell Tower fire.
JustGiving said the fee removals mean more funds raised via the crowdfunding platform will go to the people and communities who use it – making it easier to reach their targets.
At the time, Jerry Needel, JustGiving's president, said: 'These changes mean our users can raise money for personal causes, using our world-class technology, all without paying a platform fee.'
He added: 'We know people want to help those affected as quickly as possible after these events and we want to do everything we can to support that.'
He added that users have donated £3.5 billion for charitable and personal causes since it launched 18 years ago in 2001.
JustGiving said that, as of January 1, 2019, card processing fees for crowdfunding will be set at 2.9 per cent plus 25p, 'in line with other major crowdfunding platforms'.
Most watched News videos
- Wild moment would-be mugger gets stabbed by victims
- Elephant herd curls up in jungle for afternoon nap in India
- Chilling moment man follows victim before assaulting her sexually
- Man grabs huge stick to try to fend off crooks stealing his car
- 'Predator' teacher Rebecca Joynes convicted of sex with schoolboys
- Father and daughter attacked by Palestine supporter at Belgian station
- Gillian Keegan describes 'evidence' behind new gender education rules
- Met officer found guilty of assault for manhandling woman on bus
- Alleged airstrike hits a Russian tank causing massive explosion
- Britain's 'kindest' plumber apologises after exploitation allegations
- Suspected shoplifter dragged and kicked in Sainsbury's storeroom
- Maths teacher given the nickname 'Bunda Becky' arrives at court