Charities have been using Facebook since brands first started using the platform and have been using it well over many years to raise awareness of the work they do. However, charities have been restricted in how they could use the platform to its full extent, including raising funds and running campaigns through the platform. That could all be about to change, as Facebook recently published a new landing page to its site – Charitable Giving on Facebook – that lays out its future plans for working more closely with charities on the platform: “We’re committed to helping nonprofits raise funds and awareness. Organizations already use Facebook to gain support for the causes they care about. Soon, to make it easier for you and your community, we’ll be giving you new ways to connect and collect contributions directly on Facebook.” Information about the new features are available at donations.fb.com. facebook donations What is Charitable Giving on Facebook? Facebook already offer a Donate Now call-to-action on Pages and link ads that can be used to redirect people to a charity’s website, but two new features are being rolled out that are more in line with how charities use digital tools for fund and awareness raising elsewhere: Fundraisers: A fundraiser is a dedicated place to raise funds from your Page for a specific campaign. You’ll be able to get the word out, rally supporters and collect donations directly on Facebook. Plus, you can show progress toward your goals for things like year-end drives, disaster relief and themed campaigns. Donate Button: The Donate button is a quick way for people to donate to your organization directly. You’ll be able to add the button to your Page and posts, making it easy for supporters to contribute through a one-page form on Facebook. There are plenty of benefits listed on the website and more details about the programme’s features. Facebook have said that charities can use the programme to: Reach more people who care Share fundraisers with Page followers Invite key supporters to join Anyone can share a fundraiser and invite friends Engage your supporters Add photos and video to tell your story Start a discussion and encourage others to post Provide updates and let supporters know when you reach a goal Increase donations People can donate in a few taps, without leaving Facebook Customize donation amounts and collect funds from all around the world Donors can share that they’ve donated, and all shared posts have a Donate button The programme also looks slick on mobile, as shown by these mockups that show the programme’s features in action: facebook donations on mobile Who can use Charitable Giving on Facebook? Charitable Giving on Facebook is being tested with 37 partner organizations including Mercy Corps, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and World Wildlife Fund. These tools will be available to other US-based 501c3 nonprofits soon, but no news of when the service will be available to charities outside of the US. The full list of partner organisations testing Charitable Giving on Facebook are: Alzheimer’s Association American Cancer Society American Diabetes Association American Heart Association American Red Cross ASPCA Blue Star Families Boys and Girls Clubs of America charity: water DonorsChoose.org Family Online Safety Institute Girls Inc. International Medical Corps IAVA Malaria No More Mercy Corps The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children National Network to End Domestic Violence National Council of La Raza National MS Society NOH8 Campaign Oxfam America (RED) RAINN Safe Kids Worldwide Save the Children The Humane Society of the United States The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Nature Conservancy U.S. Fund for UNICEF Water.org We Day World Food Program USA World Vision USA World Wildlife Fund Wounded Warrior Project There’s no further insight into how or when Charitable Giving on Facebook will be rolled out, but it’s worth taking a look at the landing page on Facebook for more details and to register your interest in the programme.
