Social Media Fundraising Tools

Boards, executive directors, and development directors can achieve income goals by using online social media tools.If you are a nonprofit leader and you want to widen your fundraising net, weave new features into your web site. Here are online tools that are easy to launch and manage:

• Causes: You can promote volunteer opportunities and seek donations through Causes, an entity that is perhaps best known for triggering donations through Facebook connections. One clever Causes mechanism is a customizable feature that lets individuals ask friends to donate to a favorite organization as a birthday gift.

• ChipIn: You can specify a fundraising goal and insert a thermometer-style graph onto your web site. The thermometer level rises as donations roll in, so you can show the cumulative progress toward your goal. The thermometer advances automatically; after a little setup work, you can relax and watch your progress!

• Pifworld: This group encourages people who have experienced generosity from others to “pay it forward” by donating to pressing social issues. Pifworld provides profiles of organizations, incorporating text descriptions and videos, so small nonprofits can get massive exposure on an economical budget.

• Changing the Present or Razoo: If you have a clear and tangible need, post it on either of these sites. You can publicize the need for classroom materials, video equipment, or other items; specify a desired dollar amount for each item; and promote your requests in social media sites such as Facebook. Individuals who care about the causes you address can search through Changing the Present’s database or Razoo’s database, find your organization, and submit a donation.

• Universal Giving: This site posts donation and volunteer opportunities on behalf of nonprofits. Universal Giving applies quality control features to ensure donations will go towards well-managed groups that efficiently channel money directly to the social issues those groups address.

Social media-based fundraising sites are becoming ever more prevalent, expansive, and convenient. Many charge a small setup fee or commission, while others are completely free!