How to use Facebook Fundraising

Tapping into Facebook’s 2.9 billion active users is challenging. But don’t fret yet – it isn’t as complicated as it sounds and it is more than worth it for charities.  

 

According to UK Fundraising, over 7 million Britons donated to a fundraiser on the platform. Across the Atlantic, over $5 billion (approximately £3.85 billion at today’s exchange rate) has been raised across Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram.  

 

Clearly getting familiar with fundraising on Facebook is a must. Check out our how-to, tips, and best practices to get the most out of Facebook Fundraising.  

 

 

1. Set up a non-profit or charity account 

 

First, charity digital managers should ensure that the Facebook page has the right settings. To enrol as a charity or non-profit, administrators need to select the appropriate business category.  

 

Choosing ‘Non-profit organisation’ or ‘Charity Organisation’ should do it. Next, enter basic details including the name, address, and logo of your charity. Facebook then verifies the account for publication.  

 

 

2. Have your basic details to hand 

 

Once your page is set up, you’ll need the charity’s legal details. These include VAT registration, Charity Commission number, and bank accounts. Facebook needs the information to process donations.  

 

 

3. Ensure your region is eligible for Facebook Payments 

 

You’ll need to check that the back-end of your payment processing works. Facebook includes a list of countries where the functionality can be set up. For UK-based charities, donations are received through PayPal.  

 

Our top tip here is to be aware of the what the conditions are. Facebook Payment includes different pay out times and reporting based on geography. For those in the UK, monies are paid out between 15 and 90 days depending on enrolment.  

 

 

4. Check out the fundraising tools 

 

There are two main ways that Facebook can help you raise funds. The first is by attaching a ‘donate’ button onto your page. This ensures that everyone who visits has an opportunity to support the cause.  

 

To add this feature:  

• Select ‘Add button’ on your header 
• Choose ‘Donate Through Facebook’  
• Click ‘Finish’ 

Remember, for charities already with a call-to-action button, you can amend this for donations. 

 

The second way to drive donations is to add a donate option to your posts. Begin by:  

• Creating a post from your charity’s landing page
• Select the button labelled with ‘Feel/Activity/Sticker’
• Access the ‘Supporting’ feature by selecting ‘Activity’
• Choose your organisation
• Publish the post. 

 To maximise both opportunities, make sure to add the donate functionality to both the page and posts. 

 

 

5. Encourage others to fundraise for you 

 

Use Facebook to go viral. Called supporter fundraisers, individuals from Facebook ask for donations personally.  

 

The beauty here is that people can add their own stories to the cause and ask for support in place of a birthday, occasion, or event. Supporters simply create a post, click the ‘…’ function, and select ‘Raise money.’ From there, a population of charities are listed to select from.  

 

 

6. Drive engagement during your campaign 

 

While the fundraising tools can do a lot of the heavy lifting, charity digital managers still need to drive the action.  

 

Best practice for generating momentum includes:  

• Thanking your supporters when donations are made
• Adding remarkable events, comments, and fundraising totals to your page
• Showcasing fundraising milestones
• Liking, tagging, and sharing posts from individual fundraisers 

Hootsuite recommends replying and making connections between users. The approach helps to launch posts to the top of the news feed. By sharing stories and milestones during your campaign, activity levels increase and your cause becomes more visible. 

 

 

7. Schedule a live event 

 

Another way to maximise the opportunity on Facebook Fundraising is to schedule live video events. Livestreaming generates excitement and authenticity for the cause. Start by planning what you’ll be showcasing, and add in a ‘big reveal’ moment. Surprises tend to encourage supporters to watch until the conclusion.  

 

Gear up your live event by making announcements prior to the date. You’ll want to make sure that audiences are aware and looking forward to hearing from you.  

 

Remember, despite being live, charity digital managers can prepare and practice. Ensure you get the best results by checking out what professionals use.  At a minimum, use a mobile phone tripod and good lighting. Afterwards, remember to circulate the video. 

 

 

8. Use Facebook’s Fundraiser Insights Dashboard for analytics 

 

No matter how successful the campaign, next year’s goals are ever loftier. To make sure that you leverage your charity’s experiences, use the analytics platform. At the most basic level, charities can examine how supporters donated and under what circumstances.  

 

As an example, the dashboard reveals how many supporters used the post donate buttons or whether they included personal occasions to fundraise for. Together, along with CRM data, charities can take learnings into the next goal setting period.