What are the Facebook Fundraising Tools?

You can now donate to an organization quickly and easily on Facebook through a Facebook Fundraising Tools system that integrates your Facebook page and posts your organization’s bank account. The functionality enables 2-tap giving and no longer requires users to leave Facebook to make a successful donation.

Essentially, Facebook uses saved payment information that users have stored in their Facebook Account Settings to simplify and improve their donation experience through Facebook Fundraising Tools. The users are able to click a “Donate Now” button on a page or a post, which will redirect them to a donation window where they can make a contribution which is immediately sent to the organization. There is great potential in this system because of the ability to pay through digital payment systems such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet.

Additionally, you are not only giving your audience the option to donate when they feel inspired, but you are also providing a tool for your supporters and donors 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 Facebook Fundraising Tools

1. Your non-profit organization must be registered in the United States. It must be a 501(c)3. The validation process is based on the Guidestar database. It is highly recommended that you update your Guidestar page for your non-profit because it is featured through Facebook Fundraisers that are set up by your donors and also included in the receipt email. You need to follow the Facebook application to sign your non-profit up for the Facebook Fundraising Tools and get verified.

GuideStar

Application

• The next step is to add the “Donate Now” button to your page. This new button is special since it allows users to contribute to the organization in a simple 2-tap process. Do you 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 the “Donate Now” button as a call-to-action on your paid posts when using Facebook Ads. This is a direct way for supporters to contribute to your cause because they do not need to leave Facebook to donate. When the users are inspired, they can give immediately.

• Once the “Donate Now” 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 to the public), 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 through the Facebook Fundraising Tools. They can ask their friends to donate through their dedicated personal fundraising page to support the cause. Birthdays, holidays and special events, such as walk-a-thons, are excellent opportunities to take advantage of this feature.

• The donation experience is improved because fundraisers are easy to find on Facebook. Whether your fundraiser is for a general or special campaign, or if it is a personal fundraising page, you can find it on your non-profit organization’s page.

• Donors can opt-in to your non-profit’s email list and receive updates from your organization. You will 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 are wired to your non-profit organization’s bank account. There is a 5% processing fee involved to cover security and operational needs.