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Facebook is a wildly effective fundraising tool. It can be used to generate donations for almost any charitable cause ranging from an individual wanting to volunteer abroad, a club hoping to expand their community outreach, or an NGO trying to provide services in a new country.
Using Facebook for fundraising is all about writing an effective note and driving traffic to that note. Once you know how to do this you will be able to quickly reach hundreds of people, and encourage them to donate money.
To illustrate how to write an effective fundraising note, I have created an example of an Alternate Spring Break Club that is fundraising for a trip to Haiti. The example text is in italics.
The first step is to introduce your association with the cause.
"As many of you know, I a member of the Alt Spring Break Club at my school, and this spring we have decided to volunteer in Haiti."
Next, help your readers connect to the cause you are championing. This is done by blending stories about the people you are helping, with the hard, cold facts of the situation. For example:
"I was recently moved by the tragic story of Darly, an eight year old Haitian boy trapped beneath the rubble of the earthquake for five days. When Darly was finally rescued by a volunteer, he was completely alone. His parents and siblings were either missing - or dead. Unfortunately, Darly's story is not unique to him; suffering and desperation like his is currently being endured by millions of Haitians.”
Now explain the specific work you will be doing.
"My club members and I are giving up our spring break, a week traditionally dedicated to relaxing and partying; in place of a spring break dedicated to recreation we want to create orphanages for the thousands of children like Darly, who lost their family in the quake."
When you ask for a donation, it is helpful to ask for a specific amount. It also helps to discuss the effect of the donation. This makes the letter more persuasive. Be sure to include a link to a website where you can collect donations. If your organization does not have a website, you can use a dedicated PayPal account.
"Housing these orphans, and this entire trip, is only possible with your support. I want to raise $1,000 for this project. Please donate $10-$50, or whatever you feel is appropriate, to the cause. You can donate now by clicking the link below. Though $10 is barely enough to buy dinner in America, in Haiti, $10 will provide nutritious food for an orphan for several days. Please donate now."
End by thanking your reader for their donation and offering a note of hope.
"Thank you for your help! I believe that recovery and stability in Haiti is possible, but that we can only achieve this by working together in the small ways available to us. On behalf of myself, the Alternate Spring Break Club, and most importantly, the Haitian orphans you are helping, thank you for your donation!"
Once you have written a draft of the note, take it to a professor or TA in both the business and psychology departments of your school and ask them to edit it. They will help you maximize your letter’s potential to draw donations.
After the editing is complete, you're ready to post your Facebook note! Give it an attention grabbing title like "Helping the Orphans in Haiti." If you have photos of the work you will be doing or of the people you will be helping, add these to your note too. Once everything is in place, post your note and change your status to say, "Please read my note 'Helping the Orphans in Haiti' it will only take you a moment."
Donations will begin to flow in! You can maximize the effect of your Facebook fundraiser by using your status to individually thank donors, to declare your progress, and to remind people to donate. This will keep the fundraiser on your friends’ minds as well as increase the number of people who view your note.
Good luck!
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