What are the Facebook Fundraising Tools?
You can donate to an organization quickly and easily on Facebook now through a system that integrates your Facebook page and posts with your organization’s bank account. The functionality enables 2-tap giving and no longer requires users to leave Facebook to make a donation. Essentially, Facebook uses saved payment information that users have in their Facebook account settings to improve the donation experience. The users are are able to click a Donate Now button on a page or a post, which will take them to a donation window where they can make a contribution that’s immediately paid to the organization. There is great potential in this system because of the ability to possibly pay through other digital payment systems, like Apple Pay and Google Wallet, in the future.
Additionally, you’re not only giving your audience the option to donate when they feel inspired, you’re providing a tool for your supporters to fundraise on your behalf, empowering your current donors and discovering potential new donors through your expanded reach.
What You Need to Know About Using the Tools
- Your non-profit must be registered in the United States. It must be a 501(c)3. The validation process is based on the Guidestar database. It’s highly recommended that you update your Guidestar page for your non-profit because it’s featured through Facebook Fundraisers that are set up by your donors and also included in the receipt email. You’ll need to follow the Facebook application to sign your non-profit up for the tools and get verified.
Application
- The next step is to add the Donate Button to your page. This new button is special because it allows you to contribute to the organization in a 2-tap process. Want your users to make a donation? They can do so in an instant, especially if they have their credit card information saved in their Account settings. You can also add Donate Now as a call-to-action on your paid posts when using Facebook Ads. This is a more direct way for supporters to contribute to your cause because they do not need to leave Facebook to donate. When they’re inspired, they can give immediately.
- Once the Donate Button is added, there are more tools to explore. Your non-profit can raise funds for general or special campaigns and set up fundraisers, which include a thermometer. This is useful because of the reach that Facebook provides. Donors can invite their friends to donate to these campaigns, too. Inviting friends to Join a Fundraiser is one way in which you can reach beyond the donors already in your database. By collecting these untapped donors, you can invite them to join your email list (their mailing address is not shared), attend your events and become more involved in your organization. Donors can also share their individual donation with friends. The value is in the data you collect.
- Your donors can create personal fundraisers and raise funds for your non-profit. They can ask their friends to donate through their dedicated personal fundraising page to support the cause. Birthdays, holidays and special events, like walk-a-thons, are excellent opportunities to take advantage of this feature.
- The Donation Experience is improved because the fundraisers are easy to find on Facebook. Whether your fundraiser is for a general or special campaign, or if it’s a personal fundraising page, you can find it on your non-profit’s page.
- Donors can opt-in to your non-profit’s email list and receive updates from your organization. You’ll be able to thank your donors and send donation receipts, along with incorporating these donors’ email addresses into your mailing list, if they choose to subscribe. A contribution history is recorded and available under the donor’s settings in the Payment section.
- Every two weeks, the funds that are raised through Facebook’s Fundraising Tools can be wired into your non-profit’s bank account. There is a 5% processing fee involved to cover security and operational needs.
