I smile when I recall back in 2010, most of my professional colleagues balked at the idea that major gift donors and prospects were active on social media. I gave a presentation that spring during the annual NTC: Nonprofit Technology Network conference on that very topic. A few members of my packed audience agreed, but the majority argued with me.
Today, my assertion and personal experiences in this regard have been born out. Major gift donors and professional advisors routinely monitor the social media of nonprofit organizations, and they gain insights into how professional those nonprofits function, and how successful they are at accomplishing their missions. Would they be a good candidate for a donation, including a five-, six-, or seven-figure charitable gift? How nonprofits present themselves online makes a world of difference when it comes to this kind of decision-making.
I have been impressed by the number of major gift campaigns being conducted online. Facebook has become a powerhouse when it comes to running fundraising campaigns. Today, 18% of all donations online are given through Facebook. I suspect that percentage will grow over time. And if you haven’t signed up for the PayPal Giving Fund, consider doing that pronto.
As I conduct research in the back-end of my personal Facebook page today, I note that 80% of a $1 million campaign in support of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund has been secured already through Facebook. Support Team Aidan O’Neil for the 2024 Overnight Walk in Boston has exceeded its $200,000 goal on Facebook. Purplestride Los Angeles 2024 has also exceeded its $75,000 goal in support of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
The definition of “major gift” varies with the nonprofit. To some larger nonprofit organizations, a $1 million campaign might be relatively small. But to other nonprofits – perhaps the majority – that would be a substantial sum to raise.
In fact, most nonprofits are small in both budget size and numbers of employees. While large, well known nonprofits, such as the Red Cross, have high visibility, those nonprofits are actually not representative of the charitable nonprofit community as a whole. 92 percent of all reporting public charities had annual revenue of under one million dollars.
National Council of Nonprofits, “Myths About Nonprofits”
I enjoyed an article that Candid referenced recently by Susan Laborde for TechReport, “60+ Key Nonprofit Statistics: Essential Insights for 2024” (June 4). A few statistics I enjoyed regarding volunteers and charitable giving – about which I have written myself – include the following.
Volunteers within nonprofits tend to be twice as inclined to contribute financially compared to non-volunteers. Additionally, when nonprofits actively seek support through advertising and appeals, they secure monetary donations and attract more individuals willing to offer their assistance voluntarily. Most of the donations, about one-third, made through online platforms come from mobile phones. In the U.S., people around 64 are usually the highest donors and about a quarter prefer to gift assets like property or stocks instead of cash donations.
The lesson from this research leads me to believe we must be mindful that major gift fundraising can be done online, albeit with careful advance preparation and a receptive audience.
Statista finds, “As of April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 67.1 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.07 billion, or 62.6 percent of the world’s population, were social media users.” In terms of platforms, Facebook is the top most-used platform today, followed by YouTube and Instagram. And TechReport does find that, “in nearly 79% of cases, online videos are crucial in convincing donors to contribute.”
I have shared the idea with TechSoup that more educational programming about using social media effectively, including video creation platforms, might be something to consider. Be sure to check out the TechSoup YouTube channel for a variety of insightful videos that are already posted. I find their programs to be cutting edge and very helpful. #TechSoupAmbasador | Join TechSoup today!
Below you will find a few in-depth discussions on Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog that might prove helpful with this blog post in mind. If you need more in-depth and personalized help, follow the link to learn about my speaking, teaching and coaching activities.
Happy summer!
Baby Boomers, Seniors and Digital Media
Volunteering and Charitable Giving
Carolyn's Nonprofit Blog 
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