As we start a new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what will impact P2P fundraisers the most in 2019.
And I keep coming back to one thing: Facebook.
While Facebook has been allowing individuals to raise money on the platform for about three years, it has only recently been stepping up its efforts to partner directly with charities and fundraising platforms.
The social networking site said in November that it has raised more than $1 billion for charities and personal causes — with roughly $300 million coming through DIY-style birthday fundraisers hosted on the platform.
Facebook’s huge user base clearly offers huge opportunities for nonprofits that manage P2P programs — and organizations such as the National Kidney Foundation, March of Dimes, and Susan G. Women for the Cure have already been integrating Facebook into their existing programs.
But partnering with Facebook also has drawbacks — namely that it requires nonprofits to give up access to donor data. As more nonprofits undoubtedly jump on board in 2019, it will be interesting to see whether they are able to successfully build relationships with the new donors who contribute through the platform.
To help you wrestle with how — and whether — to integrate Facebook into your program, we’ve put together some interactive sessions at our annual conference in New Orleans on Feb. 27-28.
During the course of this year’s event, you’ll have a chance to hear from Facebook’s Kendra Sinclair, P2P fundraising professionals from the National Kidney Foundation and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and experts from Blackbaud.