Facebook Fundraising is transforming digital fundraising; it’s
activating new donors and I’m hearing that it’s bringing in higher
average gifts than the platforms like JustGiving. Facebook’s familiar
UX and constant nudges to people to donate are bringing about fantastic
results for charities and individuals that are doing it well.
Digital fundraiser Adrian O’Flynn is currently running an extremely original and effective Facebook fundraiser for his own favourite cause: his local GAA club.
Adrian has undertaken the following challenge: he is swimming outdoors
every day in January, for a minimum of 60 seconds. For every extra euro
donated, he is adding a second to his swim.
Some highlights from his fundraiser so far:
- Day 1: 60 seconds in a lake, started sharing the fundraiser
- Day 2: 5 minutes 11 seconds in the same lake
- Day 13: Twelve minute swim in the Irish Sea. TWELVE MINUTES.
- Original target: €250
- Amount raised (at time of writing this): €4,207
There is lots about this fundraiser that is really clever – the challenge element, the way the ask plays on people’s altruism and cruelty,
the daily videos that capture Adrian’s freezing dips. What I really
like about it is its ‘stickiness’ – by changing the challenge every day
depending on the amount donated, there’s a great incentive for people to
check back in regularly and see how it’s going. Adrian is keeping this
appetite well fed with lots of content: daily videos, bringing other
people into the water with him, swimming in different places, setting
new targets within the campaign (e.g., two players from the GAA club
said they’d join a swim if the fundraiser reached €3.5k).
Due to this, Adrian is seeing repeat donations, people that he hasn’t
seen for years stepping up with donations, and people messaging him to
explain why they’re not donating – without even being directly asked.
The social proof that Facebook Fundraisers offer is fantastic, as you
can see at a glance which of your friends have given to the donation.
A few other Facebook Fundraisers that have caught my eye recently:
- Mater Foundation Oncology/Haematology Day Ward fundraiser – this one was set up by nurses who work on the Cancer Day Ward at the Mater, bringing priceless credibility to the ask
- Abortion Support Network Donate a Pint this Christmas – this fundraiser cleverly used the time when Ireland was waiting on abortion legislation and the gap in services was getting a lot of media attention
- Deirdre’s 12 Mountain’s Challenge fundraiser for The Mater Foundation – a former patient of the Mater has set herself a challenge of climbing a mountain every month in 2019; she raised over €3k in 2 days
There’s lots more out there – if you spot one, share it in the comments below…
Adrian’s fundraiser is continuing till the end of January by the way, so there’s still time to donate. And check out his digital fundraising work at Get Your Stories Straight.