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To start an Extra Life fundraiser, register at Extra Life, choose a participating children’s hospital in the United States or Canada, and share your personal donation page. You can play any game on any day; streaming on Twitch or YouTube is optional, and you do not have to play for 24 hours. Extra Life Game Day 2026 runs November 7–15, with the signature day beginning Saturday, November 7.
Registration is free with Classic. Platinum costs $19 USD, a fee that does not count as a donation. After signing up, you can fundraise solo or with a team, set a goal, customize your page, and—if you want to stream—connect it to a broadcast and add a donation link or overlay.
What do you need before starting an Extra Life fundraiser?
You need an Extra Life account, a chosen hospital, and a way to tell people about your fundraiser. A game, console, computer, phone, and livestream are optional: Extra Life includes tabletop games and other play-based activities, and the program is not limited to online creators.
- Choose a challenge: Decide what you will play and when. It can be one stream, several shorter sessions, a tabletop event, or another activity involving play.
- Choose your format: Raise money on an individual page, join or create a team, or look into a local Extra Life Guild for community activities.
- If streaming: Have a device that can run or broadcast your game, a microphone and/or webcam if appropriate, a Twitch or YouTube account, and a link to your fundraiser. A microphone and webcam are not prerequisites for registering.
- Pick a hospital: Extra Life registration lets you select from 170 Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals in the United States and Canada. Choose the participating hospital you want your fundraising to support.
Extra Life is CMN Hospitals’ peer-to-peer gaming fundraiser. The program began in 2008 and became an official CMN Hospitals program in 2010. Extra Life’s 2026 public figures report $145 million raised and 170 supported children’s hospitals; its homepage also reports 38 million patient visits across the network. These are organization-wide figures, not a promise about the amount raised by an individual participant or the effect of one donation.
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How do I sign up for Extra Life?
Register at extra-life.org, create a participant account, choose your registration type and fundraising setup, then complete your page. The 2026 registration links use event ID 562; if a hospital’s registration link takes you into that event, that is the event identifier, not a fee or fundraising goal.
- Open Extra Life and select Join, Sign Up, or Register. Start from the official Extra Life site. Registration is available year-round.
- Create an account. Enter a name, email address, and password. You may use your streamer handle instead of your legal name if that is how supporters know you or you want more privacy online.
- Choose Classic or Platinum. Classic is free. Platinum costs $19 USD; the fee is separate from donations and does not increase your fundraising total. The Extra Life FAQ answer gives $19, though one FAQ heading still shows the older $15 amount.
- Choose solo or team participation. Continue with an individual page, join an existing team, or create a team. A team can help participants coordinate, while each member can still share their own fundraiser.
- Set a goal. The official default goals are $100 USD for Classic and $200 USD for Platinum. You can treat the suggested amount as a starting target rather than a requirement to raise that much.
- Select a CMN hospital. Choose the participating hospital you want to support. Extra Life says donations go to the chosen hospital as unrestricted funds.
- Choose the fundraising platform if the signup flow offers one. Extra Life currently describes Tiltify as a creator-focused option and DonorDrive as a straightforward home for personal and team fundraising. Some registration links go directly to a DonorDrive event page.
- Finish and personalize your page. Add a short explanation of your challenge, your reason for participating, and how supporters can help. Copy the page URL so you can add it to social posts, messages, and stream descriptions.
Platinum includes an achievement badge and eligibility for Platinum-only incentives such as a T-shirt, medals, and other items at fundraising levels. The exact 2026 reward thresholds are not stated in the available FAQ answer. Do not count the $19 registration fee toward your fundraising goal: it is not a donation.
When is Extra Life Game Day 2026?
Extra Life’s 2026 Game Day dates are November 7–15, and the signature day kicks off Saturday, November 7. The stated 2026 Game Day Season runs October 1 through November 15; you can also pick another date, because Extra Life fundraising is not confined to Game Day.
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The 2026 event page frames Game Day as a community moment, not a mandatory schedule. It also describes the program’s evolution beyond a 24-hour marathon: participants choose how, what, and when they play. If an all-day stream does not fit your life, a shorter session or a few scheduled blocks can still be your fundraiser.
Extra Life’s official Game Day page says there is no single right way to participate: if it involves play, it counts. Any game and platform can work, including video games, mobile games, and tabletop games. Make a schedule that suits your availability and lets you take ordinary breaks for food, water, movement, and rest.
Where does Extra Life money go?
Donations support the local CMN hospital selected on the participant’s page, and Extra Life describes the funds as unrestricted. Children’s Health Foundation says 100% of funds raised through Extra Life benefit local pediatric hospitals; that is its description of the program’s hospital benefit, not a claim that every hospital spends funds in the same way.
Unrestricted funds can support hospital priorities such as research, training, equipment, and uncompensated care. Extra Life also says hospitals treat patients regardless of ability to pay. For financial information about CMN Hospitals, Extra Life directs readers to CMN Hospitals’ financials page; the national program’s public figures should not be confused with a separate audited Extra Life-only line item.
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Extra Life is available to participants worldwide, but the supported hospitals are in the United States and Canada. The program says it cannot list foreign hospitals or send checks abroad because of legal restrictions. For international outreach, Extra Life highlights Boston Children’s, SickKids in Toronto, and Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; choose from the actual hospitals available in registration.
How do I stream Extra Life on Twitch?
Register first, then connect your fundraiser to Twitch and make the donation path visible. For DonorDrive pages, the current Twitch panel option is the DonorDrive Charity Fundraising extension; Extra Life’s former Twitch extension is no longer available. Tiltify has a separate Tiltify Fundraising extension for campaigns hosted on Tiltify.
Set up the DonorDrive Twitch panel
- Log in to Twitch and open Profile icon > Creator Dashboard > Extensions.
- Search for Charity, install DonorDrive Charity Fundraising, and confirm the installation.
- Select Configure, search for and select the charity, then choose Next.
- If you already registered, paste your DonorDrive fundraising page URL. If you have not registered, use the registration link provided in the extension flow, then paste the resulting page URL.
- Select Save & Complete. In Extension Manager, activate the extension as Panel 1 or add it to a new panel.
- In the extension settings, copy the overlay with the fundraising thermometer and add it to your stream setup if you want the goal visible on screen.
These steps reflect Extra Life Support Center instructions modified October 5, 2026. If the extension cannot find your page, check that you selected the matching charity and pasted the correct DonorDrive page URL. Extra Life lists support@extra-life.org for help.
Use Tiltify with Twitch
If your page is on Tiltify, create the campaign there first and configure its fundraising features, such as incentives, polls, rewards, or milestones. Build a Tiltify overlay and add its URL to OBS as a browser source; then install the Tiltify Fundraising extension, sign in, select the campaign, save, and activate it in a Twitch panel. The platform paths are not interchangeable: use the extension and overlay associated with the service hosting your campaign.
Tiltify describes its tools as designed for streamers and creators, with overlays, alerts, polls, auctions, Crowd Control, and a Twitch widget. DonorDrive is positioned as a simpler personal or team fundraising home, with a Twitch panel widget, mobile app, QR code, Facebook fundraising, and a simple streaming overlay. Choose based on where your registered page lives and which features you need.
How do I stream Extra Life on YouTube?
You can stream a fundraiser on YouTube with OBS or another supported broadcast method, but the sources covered here do not identify a YouTube equivalent to Twitch’s charity panel extensions. Use an on-screen overlay and put the donation URL where viewers can find it.
- Prepare your YouTube channel and live setup. You can broadcast through OBS or XSplit, a console app, or a smartphone. If your channel cannot go live, check YouTube Studio’s current live-stream eligibility requirements; Extra Life’s materials do not specify YouTube’s watch-hour, subscriber, or verification rules.
- Connect the live account to the fundraiser. Extra Life’s streaming guidance describes connecting your Twitch or YouTube live account to the DonorDrive or Tiltify fundraising page so the stream can simulcast there. Follow the connection options shown by the platform hosting your page.
- Add your overlay. Use an Extra Life or fundraising-platform overlay as a browser source in OBS so viewers can see the campaign and goal. Confirm the source is visible in the broadcast layout before you go live.
- Make donating easy. Put your participant page in the video description and a pinned comment, and show it on screen. Extra Life’s Streaming 101 guide says that adding
#donateto the end of a non-customized participant URL jumps to payment. - Label and promote the stream. Use
#extralifeon YouTube and share both the video link and fundraiser page through the channels where your community will see them.
Extra Life lists Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming as stream options. Its older FAQ still names Mixer, but Mixer has shut down and should not be treated as a current destination.
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What equipment and software do you need to stream?
A computer, console, or smartphone can be enough to broadcast, depending on the game and layout you want. Extra Life’s streaming guide names desktop or laptop computers, Xbox, PlayStation, and smartphones; a webcam and/or microphone are optional peripherals for showing or speaking to viewers.
| Setup | What it can do | What to add if needed |
|---|---|---|
| PC or laptop | Run OBS or another named broadcast program, capture a PC game, and combine the game, camera, microphone, and fundraiser overlay. | A USB microphone or webcam if you want clearer voice or camera presence. |
| Console broadcast | Broadcast directly from the console’s available streaming app; Extra Life’s guide names Xbox One and PlayStation 4 apps. | Use the console app for a straightforward stream. A capture card is an option when you want to bring a modern console’s HDMI output into a PC OBS scene. |
| Smartphone | Broadcast yourself to Twitch or YouTube, including without a game on screen. | A stable way to position the phone and a microphone if the built-in audio is not suitable. |
Extra Life names OBS, Streamlabs OBS, Lightstream, and XSplit as software options. OBS is the free PC encoder named in the streaming guide. Console apps can simplify broadcasting from a console, while a PC-based scene gives you more control over combining sources. Extra Life does not endorse a particular microphone, webcam, or capture-card model.
For donation alerts, the guide names Streamlabs or StreamElements. A chatbot can post the donation URL on a timer or when a viewer enters a command. For a simpler setup, the stream description, pinned chat message, and on-screen overlay can provide the link without adding a bot.
How can you make it easy and appealing to donate?
Give viewers a clear reason to care, a direct route to the donation page, and a way to see what their support unlocks. Make the ask before the event as well as during it, thank donors as they give, and keep the fundraiser page available after the stream ends.
- Explain your personal reason. A short, specific note on your page is more useful than a generic appeal. Tell people which hospital you selected and what you are doing to raise money.
- Promote ahead of time. Share the date, start time, game or activity, and donation link several days in advance through social posts, email, text, or Discord.
- Offer simple incentives. A hospital how-to from CoxHealth gives examples such as a $1 dice reroll, $5 to heal a D&D character, $10 for a power-up, or $20 to revive a character or restart a level. Treat those as illustrative ideas, not required price points.
- Use milestones or audience participation. A goal bar, poll, reward, or a guest appearance at a donation threshold can give viewers a reason to join in. A 2026 Shacknews stream, for example, used donation thresholds for guest perks; that is one event’s approach, not an official Extra Life schedule.
- Make the link persistent. Put it in your profile or channel panel, the stream description, a pinned message, and a bot command if you use one. Tiltify’s guidance suggests pinning the URL at the start, repeating a call to action every 10–15 minutes, thanking donors, and ending with a post-stream reminder.
- Thank people without pressuring them. Acknowledge small and large donations, while making clear that watching, sharing, or joining the team can also support the event.
Extra Life’s Live Streaming 101 guide reports that participants who set up a Facebook Fundraiser from the dashboard raise $300 USD more than those who do not. That is a figure from the guide, not a guaranteed result or a prediction for an individual campaign. Extra Life also points participants to its Facebook fundraising information.
Should you fundraise solo, with a team, or through a Guild?
Choose solo participation if you want to run your own page and schedule; join or create a team if you want a shared campaign; consider a Guild if you are looking for ongoing local community activity. Team donations roll up to the team, while participants can still promote their own pages.
Solo
A solo page is the simplest option when you have a personal challenge or an audience you can reach directly. Set a realistic goal, write a clear page description, and decide how many times you will ask for support.
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Team
Teams suit friends, families, workplaces, or gaming communities that want to fundraise together. Agree on a shared event plan and ask each person to share the team or personal page so supporters can find the right destination.
Guild
Local Extra Life Guilds organize community work, and the program describes their groups as meeting monthly. Find a local group through the Guild directory; participation in a Guild is separate from registering an individual fundraiser.
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Donation receipts and offline-gift handling vary by country and hospital. U.S. donors receive an emailed tax receipt, and Extra Life says copies can be requested through its contact form. For Canadian hospital donations, the hospital foundation sends a tax receipt in February of the following year.
If your employer matches charitable giving, ask the employer what documentation it needs. Extra Life’s FAQ provides supporting documents for tax ID, 501(c)(3) status, or a W-9 through its matching-gifts information; confirm the requirements with the employer before submitting a request.
For checks, Extra Life says to make them payable to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and put the participant’s name in the memo. Cash should be converted to a cashier’s check or money order with the participant’s name in the memo. Mail gifts to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, ATTN: Extra Life, 205 West 700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; processing takes about two weeks. Add an offline donation through your Extra Life dashboard so it appears with your fundraising activity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What rules or pitfalls should Extra Life participants avoid?
The most common avoidable problems are treating a registration fee as a donation, assuming a 24-hour marathon is required, using a retired Twitch extension, or selling branded merchandise without permission.
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- Do not count Platinum’s $19 fee as a donation. It is a registration charge and does not add to the campaign total.
- Do not assume you must stream or play for 24 hours. Streaming is optional, and shorter or non-streamed activities are allowed.
- Use a current Twitch extension. The old Extra Life Twitch extension is unavailable. Use DonorDrive Charity Fundraising for DonorDrive pages or Tiltify Fundraising for a Tiltify campaign.
- Do not sell Extra Life-logo merchandise without a license. Extra Life says merchandise using its logo requires an official license agreement from CMN Hospitals.
- Check platform rules separately. Extra Life has no stated age minimum, but says participants under 13 should check with a parent. Twitch and YouTube have their own age and community rules.
- Plan for healthy play. Extra Life promotes healthy and safe gaming. Schedule bathroom, food, hydration, stretch, and rest breaks rather than treating an extended stream as an endurance test.
Extra Life’s official Media Kit includes overlays and other brand assets. Its tools and resources page and FAQ can help with setup questions; the program also lists an official Discord for community advice.
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How should you pick between Twitch and YouTube?
Pick the platform your audience already watches and that fits your preferred stream setup. Twitch has documented panel extensions for DonorDrive and Tiltify fundraising, while YouTube relies on overlays and links in the description or chat rather than a YouTube charity panel extension identified in Extra Life’s materials.
| Consideration | Twitch | YouTube |
|---|---|---|
| Donation path | DonorDrive Charity Fundraising or Tiltify Fundraising panel extension, depending on the service hosting your campaign. | Overlay, video description, pinned comment, or chat link. |
| On-screen campaign info | Use a fundraising overlay; the DonorDrive extension can provide a thermometer overlay. | Add a DonorDrive or Tiltify overlay as a browser source in OBS. |
| Extra Life tag | Use extralife. |
Use #extralife. |
| Best fit | Useful if you want viewers to access a fundraising panel without leaving the broadcast. | Useful if your audience follows your YouTube channel and you are comfortable directing viewers to description, chat, and on-screen links. |
Neither platform is required by Extra Life. You can also fundraise without broadcasting, and a page link shared directly with friends, family, coworkers, or a gaming group can be the whole campaign.
How do you keep fundraising after the stream?
Keep the campaign open and share a brief follow-up with the final stream link, any progress toward your goal, and a reminder that supporters can still donate. Extra Life is a year-round program, so missing Game Day does not require waiting until the next event season to participate.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If you want to develop a longer-running community presence, use the Extra Life tools and resources, the Media Kit, or the Guild directory to find assets and local connections. Keep your page, overlays, and donation URLs consistent so people can recognize the campaign wherever you share it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join Extra Life if I live outside the United States or Canada?
Yes. Extra Life says people anywhere can register and stream, but its supported hospitals are in the United States and Canada. The program cannot list foreign hospitals or send checks abroad because of legal restrictions.
Does Extra Life have an age minimum?
Extra Life does not state an age minimum, but advises participants under 13 to check with a parent. Streaming platforms have separate age requirements and community rules, so check the rules of the platform you plan to use.
Can I use my Extra Life donations for an employer match?
Often, but the employer decides its own matching-gift rules. Ask what documentation is required; Extra Life provides tax ID, 501(c)(3), and W-9 materials for matching-gift requests.
Can I use the Extra Life logo on merchandise I sell?
Not without permission. Extra Life says selling items with its logo requires an official license agreement from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
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