If you’re a non-profit, chances are you’ve got a Facebook page. You use that page to organize fundraisers and drive donations. Well, Facebook is recognizing this utility and taking it one step further. They recently launched fundraiser pages – think Facebook event page, but for raising cash – on a limited level.
So far, the fundraising page option is available to three non-profits: Mercy Corps, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and World Wildlife Fund.
The pages have surprisingly mixed results. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the World Wildlife Fund have managed to raise a combined $1700. Considering there are hundreds of blogs and websites covering this new product release – not to mention the exclusivity of their pages – one would expect their fundraising to be far greater.
The Mercy Corps page is performing better. It’s received over $35,000 in donations to date. But they’ve the advantage of fundraising for a hot-button issue in America right now: the Syrian Refugee Crisis. It’s a cause that lends itself to giving right now and would likely be succeeding regardless of the hosting page.
Facebook has simply created another way to crowdfund online. The product is similar to a GoFundMe page. It’s not groundbreaking, and I think that’s reflected in the relatively small donation totals across the three pages. It’s a game modifier, rather than a game changer.
Ultimately, I think Facebook will create an effective fundraising product. There is no downside to making it as easy as possible to raise funds for legitimate non-profits on social media. And if Facebook keeps their promise to run the pages at cost – taking break-even administrative fees only – the healthy competition should drive pricing down for the entire crowdfunding industry.
And that means more money for the causes. Sounds good to me.
Image shown supplied by Facebook.
