Last updated: 2026-01-06

For most charity fundraisers in the U.S., start with StreamYard as your live "studio" and connect it to a fundraising platform like Streamlabs Charity or Tiltify. If you need very advanced scenes or special multistreaming setups, layer in tools like OBS or Restream instead of replacing your core StreamYard workflow.

Summary

• StreamYard is a browser-based studio that non-technical hosts and guests can use without downloads, which is ideal for charity events with volunteers and VIPs joining from anywhere. (StreamYard blog)
• Pair StreamYard with a fundraising platform such as Streamlabs Charity or Tiltify to handle donations, overlays, and goal trackers on top of your show. (Streamlabs)
• Use OBS or Streamlabs Desktop only when you truly need deep scene control or heavy graphics; they take more setup and are better suited to technical users. (OBS Project)
• Consider Restream when your priority is reaching extra niche platforms beyond the usual YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and LinkedIn. (Restream)

What does a "best" charity streaming setup actually look like?

A great charity livestream is less about flashy effects and more about three things: a stable broadcast, guests who can join without friction, and a clear way for viewers to donate.

For most organizations, a simple and effective stack looks like this:

• Studio: StreamYard in your browser to host the show, bring guests on, and manage layouts.
• Fundraising: Streamlabs Charity, Tiltify, GoFundMe, or your nonprofit CRM generating donation links, overlays, and QR codes. (Streamlabs, GoFundMe)
• Destinations: YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and maybe LinkedIn.

That’s usually enough to raise meaningful money without your team learning broadcast engineering.

Why is StreamYard a strong default for charity fundraisers?

Charity events are messy in the best way: board members, influencers, survivors, doctors, and volunteers all dialing in from different devices and comfort levels. This is where a browser-based studio gives you a huge advantage.

With StreamYard, guests join in a browser link without installing apps, which is especially helpful when you’re onboarding non-technical participants on a deadline. (StreamYard blog) Users routinely describe it as “more intuitive and easy to use” and say guests "can join easily and reliably without tech problems"—it effectively passes the “grandparent test.”

A few ways that pays off during a fundraiser:

• Fast onboarding: You can walk someone through joining over the phone in a couple of minutes.
• Clear studio control: Producers control who’s on screen, when lower thirds appear, and which layout shows the donation goal.
• Room for the whole team: You can have up to 10 people in the studio with additional backstage participants, which comfortably covers hosts, guests, and a producer.

For many nonprofits, that mix of ease and control is more valuable than ultra-complex scene setups.

How do you connect donations and overlays to your stream?

Your streaming software rarely handles donations directly. Instead, you connect it to a fundraising platform.

A practical pattern looks like this:

1. Choose a fundraising platform
   • Streamlabs Charity states that it charges no annual fees and 0% platform fees to charities, while standard payment processing fees still apply. (Streamlabs)
   • Tiltify and GoFundMe provide live fundraising tools, overlays, and QR codes that integrate with Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms. (GoFundMe)
2. Create a campaign and overlay
   These tools usually give you a browser-based widget or URL showing donations and goals.
3. Bring that overlay into your broadcast
   • In StreamYard, you can display donation goals and links visually through screen share or external tools, while keeping layouts clean.
   • In OBS, you typically add donation widgets via the Browser Source input, since the project does not provide donation facilities directly. (OBS Project)

The key takeaway: your “best streaming software” sits alongside, not instead of, a dedicated fundraising platform.

When should you consider OBS or Streamlabs Desktop instead?

Tools like OBS and Streamlabs Desktop are powerful, but they come with more knobs and switches.

OBS Studio is a free, open-source desktop encoder that lets you build complex scenes, mix many sources, and stream via RTMP/HLS/SRT to many endpoints. (OBS Studio) Streamlabs Desktop builds on this style of workflow and adds integrated alerts and overlays aimed at creators. (Streamlabs)

These tools may be useful when:

• You are running a gaming-heavy fundraiser and want advanced capture filters and scene transitions.
• You have a technical volunteer who is comfortable managing encoder settings and audio routing.
• You plan to send one highly customized RTMP feed into StreamYard or a multistream service.

However, many teams find they prioritize ease of use over complex OBS-style setups, especially when onboarding staff and guests who stream only a few times per year.

Where does Restream fit for charity events?

Restream is a cloud multistreaming and browser-studio service that focuses on sending one stream to many platforms, including more niche destinations. Its free Basic plan allows multistreaming to two platforms, while higher tiers increase channel counts. (Restream)

This can be helpful when:

• You must reach additional platforms beyond the mainstream ones.
• You want to keep your local bandwidth usage low while still expanding reach.

For many nonprofits, though, the most important destinations are YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and possibly LinkedIn. In those cases, StreamYard’s built-in multistreaming on paid plans often covers the practical need without adding another layer of complexity.

How do you multistream a fundraiser to YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook at once?

A simple multistream workflow for charity events usually looks like this:

1. Set up your StreamYard studio with your branding, donation link banners, and a “thermometer” graphic or text.
2. Connect your main destinations (YouTube, Facebook Page, Twitch, LinkedIn) as outputs.
3. Schedule the event so your audience sees the upcoming stream ahead of time.
4. Go live to all connected destinations at once, using StreamYard as the central control room.

If you already use OBS for complex visuals, you can send an RTMP output from OBS into StreamYard and then let StreamYard handle the multistreaming and guest management. That hybrid model keeps advanced visuals while still giving you browser-based guest links and studio control.

When should you run a hybrid OBS → StreamYard setup for a fundraiser?

Picture a 4-hour telethon: a gamer playing in one corner, live remote interviews in another, pre-produced videos rolling between segments, and a donation ticker at the bottom.

A hybrid workflow works well here:

• OBS handles the game capture, animated scenes, and any highly customized effects.
• StreamYard receives that as an RTMP input, adds remote guests, overlays clear donation CTAs, and sends the final program out to your social channels.

You only need this level of complexity if advanced visuals are mission-critical. Many fundraisers are just as compelling with a clean StreamYard studio, a clear host, and a visible donation goal.

What we recommend

• Default: Use StreamYard as your main studio for most charity fundraisers, and connect it to a dedicated fundraising platform like Streamlabs Charity, Tiltify, or GoFundMe for donations and overlays. (StreamYard blog)
• Add-ons: Bring in OBS or Streamlabs Desktop only when you truly need advanced scene control and have someone comfortable running it. (OBS Project)
• Reach: Consider Restream if you must hit additional niche platforms beyond the major networks your audience already uses. (Restream)
• Mindset: Focus on reliability, clear calls to donate, and easy guest workflows; those factors usually raise more money than marginal technical upgrades.