Extra Life Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for answers? We've compiled our most frequently asked questions below. Don't see your question listed? Search the Knowledge Library or fill out our Contact Us form.

The Basics

This sounds cool, but what exactly is Extra Life?
Playing games can help my hospital? How does it work?
Where does the money go?
What if I can't commit to that date or the entire time?
What kinds of games qualify for the Extra Life Marathon?
What do I do on my dedicated day of play?
Can I continue to fundraise even after national Game Day or Tabletop Appreciation Weekend?
What is Children's Miracle Network Hospitals?
Is there an age requirement to participate?
24 hours of gaming? That sounds unhealthy!

Signing Up

Count me in! How do I sign up?
Do I have to use my real name on my profile?
What should I set my fundraising goal to?
What if I don't reach my fundraising goal?

Donations

I made a donation and need a tax receipt!
I need to stop my recurring donation
My donor made a cash (or check) donation to support my Extra Life efforts. What should I do to ensure it shows up on my fundraising total?

Platinum Registration

What do I get if I fork over the $19 USD and sign up as a Platinum participant?
I paid my Platinum registration fee but it's still not showing on my account. What gives?
I'm a platinum participant and raised enough for platinum only incentives. Where's my shirt or medal?

Level Up

Do you have any hi-res logos, social media banners, printed materials, or backgrounds that I could use to further spread the awesomeness that is Extra Life?
Can I make some shirts with the Extra Life logo and sell them, with profits going to my fundraising page?
Do you accept matching donations?
I want to do more for my local hospital - who can I contact?
I want to get in touch with Extra Lifers in my area - how can I do this?
I have some ideas for you - who can I tell?

Live Streaming

How do I stream my gameplay to Twitch, Mixer, YouTube or other platforms?
Do I have to stream my gameplay?
Does Extra Life provide graphics, images and videos to help promote my stream?

JSON Code

Is there documentation on using JSON to help me create applications to track my donations?

International

I do not live in the US or Canada and would like to support my local children's hospital

Guilds

What is a Guild and how can I find one in my area?
Where can I find out more about Guilds?


The Basics

This sounds cool, but what exactly is Extra Life?

Extra Life is gamers doing what they do best to help sick and injured children at their chosen Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Simply sign up, commit to play games on any day of your choosing (or over a few days), and ask your family and friends to support your efforts!

Playing games can help my hospital? How does it work?

Great question! You can get started by registering right here!  Once you complete registration, you’ll get an online fundraising page that you can customize by choosing which hospital you want to support, setting a fundraising goal and sharing your personal reason for why you’re participating in Extra Life.  You’re able to unlock digital content and rewards by asking your family and friends to donate towards your efforts.

Where does the money go?

The money that you raise through Extra Life will go directly to your chosen Children’s Miracle Network Hospital as ‘unrestricted funds’.  This means that the hospital decides where and how to spend the money to ensure the dollars you raise make the biggest impact in the lives of the kids they treat.  For example, the money you raise will go to fund research and training, purchase life-saving equipment and pay for uncompensated care. Our hospitals treat every patient that comes through their doors, regardless of the family's ability to pay. Our mission is to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible and the funds you raise make it possible for our hospitals to do that! You can view our organization's financial documents here.

What if I can’t commit to that date or the entire time?

No problem! Don’t let a commitment on the official Game Day stop you from joining. You can put in your game time whenever it works for you.

What kinds of games qualify for the Extra Life Marathon?

All games! From PS4 to poker on your phone, from classic board games to playing H-O-R-S-E in your driveway, the important thing is that you’re having fun and helping the kids!

What do I do on Game Day?

It’s totally up to you! You can game from the comfort of your own couch, at your friend’s house, at a rec center—anywhere is fair game (Pun intended. Eyerolls permitted)! Lots of Extra Lifers organize big group events for the occasion and just as many pull out the sweatpants and snacks for a chill day at home. It’s your fundraiser—do it your way!

Can I continue to fundraise even after national Game Day or Tabletop Appreciation Weekend?

Totally! You can continue to play games to heal kids all year round!

What is Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals?

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. The hospitals, in turn, are able to use the money where it is needed the most. You can read more about our history and some of our amazing miracle kids at: http://www.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org

Is there an age requirement to participate?

Nope! If you are under thirteen, we ask that you check with your parents before registering. But there’s nothing greater than kids helping other kids, so join us!

24 hours of gaming? That sounds unhealthy!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to participate for 24 hours straight! Extra Lifers are heroes but they’re still human! Don’t forget meals, bathroom breaks, and to take plenty of opportunities to stretch. If you’re feeling tired, put your game down and go take a nap! Make sure you get plenty of sleep in the week leading up to your marathon. Click here to read up on more of our safety tips. Remeber, you play what you want, when you want and how you want!


Signing Up

Count me in! How do I sign up?

Awesome—so glad to have you on board! Registering for Extra Life is easy and painless. Simply click the ‘Join’ button, answer a few questions for us and voilà! You will have your own Extra Life fundraising page where you can start getting to work to save kids’ lives.

Do I have to use my real name on my profile?

Nope! If all your followers know you by your handle or you want to maintain some privacy online, feel free to use your streamer name.

What should I set my fundraising goal to?

While the default goal amount is $100 USD for Classic participants and $200 USD for Platinum, we encourage you to find a goal amount that means something to you. Jeromy Adams (the founder of Extra Life) set his goal back in 2011 for $5,415 USD: the total of $5 USD for every day his friend Tori spent fighting leukemia before she passed away. It was an ambitious goal and one that made him nervous, but it meant something to him. It turned out that it meant something to his donors, too—they helped him almost DOUBLE his goal!

If you hit your goal, remember that can you always change your goal to something higher!

What if I don’t reach my fundraising goal?


No worries – we won’t hold it against you. We DO, however, have a bunch of fundraising tips and tricks to help make sure you do. Check them out in the Best Practices section or ask for help from your fellow Extra Lifers in the #best-practices channel of the official Extra Life Discord.

I have some ideas for you – who can I tell?

We thrive off of ideas from the community. Let us know over on our Discord!
 

Donations

I made a donation and need a tax receipt!

A receipt should have been emailed to you after your donation was made. If you need a copy of your receipt, please contact our support team through the Contact Form. NOTE: If you are making a donation to an Extra Life participant who is playing in support of a hospital in Canada, that hospital’s Foundation will send you a tax receipt in February of the following year.

I need to stop my recurring donation

We understand! Please let us know through the Contact Form with your full name and we will take care of that right away.

I received a cash (or a check) donation to support my Extra Life efforts. What should I do to ensure it shows up in my fundraising total?

If your donor is writing a check, have them make it out to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals with your name in the memo line. If your donor is giving you cash, please get a Cashier’s Check or Money Order and put your name in the memo line (we don’t want any cash to get lost in the mail!). Then send it over to us for deposit:

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
ATTN: Extra Life
205 West 700 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Our awesome accounting department will deposit your check when it gets to our office. As long as your name as listed on your Extra Life account is mentioned on the check and noted that the funds are for Extra Life, they will be sure to allocate the funds to your Extra Life page. Because of mailing and processing times, please allow about two weeks for those offline donations to be reflected on your fundraising page.

If you want BONUS POINTS: To help our accounting department rapidly process your cash or check donation, you can Add an Offline Donation from your Extra Life dashboard. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to add an offline donation.
 

Platinum Registration

What do I get if I fork over the $19 USD and sign up as a Platinum Participant?

First of all, you’ll get a sweet achievement badge for your Extra Life page! At different fundraising levels, you’ll also get to unlock Platinum-only incentives like the official Platinum t-shirt, medals, and other goodies. Please note that the $19 USD platinum registration fee does not count as a donation to your fundraising page.

I paid my Platinum Registration fee but it’s still not showing on my account. What gives?

You can ask about the status of your account by emailing support@extra-life.org or by using the chat support button on the bottom-right of this page.  

I'm a platinum participant and raised enough for platinum only incentives. Where's my shirt or medal?

First off, YOU ROCK! Congrats on unlocking your sweet incentives! You’ll be sent an email with a redemption code and instructions on how to redeem your t-shirt and/or medal once they become available for shipment.

Level Up

Do you have any hi-res logos, social media banners, or backgrounds that I could use to further spread the awesomeness that is Extra Life?

As a matter of fact, we do! Check out our Media Kit and Brand Guidelines page here.

Can I make some shirts with the Extra Life logo and sell them, with profits going to my fundraising page?

Unfortunately not. If you would like to sell anything with the Extra Life logo on it, you will need an official License Agreement from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Do you accept matching donations?

You can power-up your donation by asking your employer about your company's matching gift program. A lot of organizations sponsor programs that match charitable contributions made by their employees. You may be surprised to find out your company has a matching gift program, too! The HR department is a great place to start. If they ask, you can download our TAX ID, 501(c)(3) status, or W-9 form here.

I want to do more for my local hospital – who can I contact?

First off – high five for wanting to do even more For The Kids! Feel free to find your local CMN Hospital here and contact the Program Director listed on the hospital’s page. In Canada? Find your local Children’s Miracle Network Foundation here.

I want to get in touch with Extra Lifers in my area – how can I do this?

Sweet! Feel free to hop in our official Extra Life Discord server and/or the official Extra Life Facebook Groups and find other Extra Lifers in your area. 

Live Streaming

How do I stream my gameplay to Twitch, Mixer, YouTube or other platforms?

There are many ways to stream your gameplay to the internet! Some modern consoles allow you to connect to a virtual audience through applications on the system. If you are using a PC, you'll want to check out OBS, XSplit or other broadcasting software to assist you. Once you're up and running, have a look at our Streaming 101 best practices guide.

Do I have to stream my gameplay?

Not at all! Streaming is 100% optional! Many Extra Lifers DO find satisfaction and success in streaming, so don't be shy, let your voice be heard!

Does Extra Life provide graphics, images and videos to help promote my stream?

We do! Each year you can find overlays, graphics, logos, videos and more in our media kit!

Json Code

Is there documentation on using JSON to help me create applications to track my donations?

Visit DonorDrive's Public API documentation page to learn more about using JSON to build applications to track your donations! Let us know what you create in our Discord!

International

I do not live in the US or Canada and would like to support my local Children’s Hospital. What should I do?

Absolutely!

Due to legal restrictions on raising money that vary country-by-country and those imposed by domestic governments here in North America, we simply can't list hospitals, take money, issue receipts, and send checks to foreign hospitals.

With that said, anyone can register for Extra Life, regardless of where you live. If you wish to raise money to help kids outside of the United States and Canada, many of our hospitals have significant international outreach programs and reach. A few we would highlight are:

  • Boston Children's - in Boston, Mass
  • SickKids - in Toronto, Ontario
  • Children's National Medical Center - in Washington, D.C.


Guilds

What is a Guild and how can I find one in my area?

An Extra Life Guild is a group of passionate Extra Lifers who want to get more involved and help strengthen the Extra Life community on a local level. The Guild is expected to meet once a month to find ways to help grow the Extra Life movement. Guild members will have the opportunity to attend local gaming industry events and conferences, chat with other elite members of the Extra Life community and meet some of the kiddos that are treated at their local children’s hospital! Find a Guild in your area by checking out our official Facebook Groups, Discord or the Official Guild Directory.

Where can I find out more about Guilds?

Check out the Guild FAQFacebook Groups, or Discord!