Media ManagementVolunteer Management

Social media key to garnering online donations

Every ministry should have active fundraising software management in place for connecting with donors online. This includes social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Social media recently helped Catholic Charities of Buffalo exceed its fundraising goal through mail, phone and online donations. As reported in the Buffalo News, the organization raised more than $11 million, which is $200,000 beyond the initial $10.8 million goal .

Bishop Richard Malone spoke with the Niagara Gazette about the variety of methods he and the organization used in the final two months of fundraising. With Facebook, Twitter, phone-a-thons and meetings in person with prospective donors, the Catholic Charities of Buffalo was able to not only meet, but surpass its donation goal.

This latest example of donor and member interaction highlights the big difference a little online communication can render. Media coverage, Malone said, allowed the call for funding to reach a wider audience, especially in the last weeks of the appeal when the organization was “going right down to the wire.”

Facebook, Twitter and Online Donations
The key ingredient to this recipe for success is consistent interaction with donors on social media platforms. Both Facebook and Twitter are excellent ways for contributors to easily ask questions about events or fundraisers. Organizations can quickly reply as well. This attention not only improves communication between ministries and their contributors, but it also reinforces future relationships.

Donating becomes incredibly simple with social media. Posting a link to an online donation page on Facebook and Twitter gives donors swift access to giving funds. However, with online donations increasing in popularity and ease, it is important to use a reliable donor management software platform to handle new and existing donor information.

Your ministry’s Facebook followers may already be listed as donors in your records, but donations through your online fundraising page could be completely new. You’ll want an effective means of retaining this information so that the next time your organization is looking for funding, contacting previous donors will be completely painless.