Every day, people tap into their networks on Facebook and Instagram to inspire generosity and support causes they care about. From funding medical research to donating school supplies to kids in need or supporting the fight for racial justice, we can all do more together. And every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference.
People have now raised over $5 billion for nonprofits and personal causes through fundraisers on Facebook and Instagram.
Why People Give:
- Refuge (England): Since March 2020, Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline has seen a record increase in calls and contacts from women, their loved ones, and professionals in the sector. The increase in contacts peaked during the first lockdown in April, but remained high all year, increasing again during the November lockdown. Refuge has built an inspiring group of supporters on Facebook who take on fundraising challenges, which raise vital funds to help continue to provide their life saving and life changing services.
- Oggie Doyle for Pieta, Preventing Suicide and Self Harm (Ireland): In March 2020, Oggie Doyle learned that one of his friends lost her battle to mental health. He set a goal of raising €500 for Pieta, a suicide and self-harm support line, and thanks to friends on Facebook, he ended up raising almost €24,000. The money raised will help Pieta continue to provide life-saving support to people in crisis as well as those who have lost someone to suicide.
- Yuriko Tse for 13th Street Cat Rescue(Bay Area): In 2016, Yuriko Tse adopted Frank, a senior cat in need of a home, through her local shelter 13th Street Cat Rescue. Since then, she’s dedicated her birthday every year to raise money for the volunteer-run organization. Hundreds of people from around the world have donated to the cat rescue cause, raising more than $65,000 for medical care, shelter and supplies.
- Students Against Period Poverty: (Bay Area, CA) When Tvisha Nepani learned that girls and women in her local community in the Bay Area were using tissues, socks and other items for menstrual care because they couldn’t afford pads and tampons, she was determined to help. So the summer before starting high school she created a fundraiser on Facebook to support Students Against Period Poverty. She set out to fund packages of menstrual care products to deliver to women in need. Through the fundraiser Tvisha raised over $2,000 and helped deliver over 11,000 menstrual products to 275 women and girls in the Bay Area.
“The impact of the pandemic on our fundraising could have been signficant; however we pivoted into digtial fundraising and Facebook was essential in our stategy to share stories of amazing surviours. Refuge delivered four virtal challenges – from our 100 squats a day – to running a 100 miles in a month. We have used Facebook as an advertising space and have rasied over £3 million to help us work towards our vision where domestic abuse and violence against women and girls is not tolerated.” – Louise Firth, Refuge
“I run fundraisers on Facebook because all of my friends are on there. It’s the easiest way for me to seamlessly bring awareness and raise funds for a cause that is near and dear to my heart. And when I run a fundraiser on Facebook, my friends are inspired to run their own fundraisers, and in turn, I’m motivated to support the causes that matter to them.” – Yuriko Tse
What It Means to Nonprofits and Small Businesses
- Sending lifesaving soap to schools (Nepal): Eco-Soap Bank employs disabled and economically disadvantaged women to recycle soap and distribute it to schools around the world. Thanks to money raised through Facebook Fundraisers over the past two years, Eco-Soap Bank has been able to distribute 4 million bars of soap and gainfully employ 154 women, most of whom are mothers providing for young children. Their work has become even more crucial during the pandemic because many schools in Nepal and Cambodia could not have reopened without the soap produced and supplied by Eco-Soap Bank.
- Donate Satay Noodle House meals to families in need (New Zealand): With lockdowns in New Zealand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant-owner Bun Leng had to get creative and think of ways to generate income. He also knew people in his local community were struggling, so he started a fundraiser on Facebook hoping to raise a few hundred dollars. In just a few days, over 100 members of the community had come together, raising NZ$5,000 to purchase meals from Bun’s business Satay Noodle House, which he used to feed people in need.
- RAICES (Texas): RAICES provides legal and social services to immigrant children, families and refugees. To help reunite immigrant parents with their children, Charlotte and Dave Willner started a fundraiser for the organization. Over 530,000 people chipped in, raising over $20 million to ensure legal representation for separated families in Texas’ immigration courts and provide psychological care.
Tips for a Successful Fundraiser [the tips are accompanied by corresponding illustrations]
- Make It Personal: Share your personal connection to the cause in the fundraiser description and let people know why it’s important to you.
- Drive Action: Explain what you hope to accomplish and get specific on the impact donations will have. Attach your fundraiser to Live videos and stories to make it easy for people to give.
- Make It Visual: Add a cover photo to capture attention and post images of how the funds are being used.
- Say Thanks: As you receive donations, thank donors and encourage them to share the cause with their friends.
