Using the Internet to raise funds for worthy causes is not a new practice, nor is it inherently novel, but new platforms are emerging every day, and users are finding innovative ways of exploiting existing sites as well as social media to spread the charity message.
Come the end of every month, I usually have some money left over from my last pay cheque. Believing I am one of the fortunate who don't live pay cheque to pay cheque, I figure someone else could benefit from the last few rands in my wallet.
And then there are causes that don't cost me a cent, just a few minutes, nay seconds, of my time.
Free philanthropy
One such initiative is author and Land Rover brand ambassador Sarah Britten's #JoziTweetArt Twitter project, through which she will donate R1 for each tweet about Johannesburg including the hashtag to Home of Hope, an NGO that rescues girls in Hillbrow.
Britten produces artwork with different shades of lipsticks and explains that she often paints inspiring tweets into her canvases. “Putting two and two together”, Britten said she came up with the idea for #JoziTweetArt by chance, figuring it was a good way to promote the NGO and her art exhibition, which takes place this month.
“I started donating 10% of my proceeds as a way to balance out the fact that I paint the Hillbrow Tower - which felt wrong because we all know what goes on there. I'm a firm believer in including a social responsibility element in everything I do,” says Britten.
The reality is that lots of people giving small amounts can really add up.
Sandi Sher, the CHT's communications co-ordinator for marketing
Commenting on the effectiveness of leveraging social media to raise awareness and funds for charitable causes, Britten says: “I know from experience that getting people to do something other than the really easy stuff is a challenge. Social media can work really well, but it needs lots of energy and maintenance. People overcome inertia and take action because of social proof - so you need the numbers to get the numbers. It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation.
“Social media is also a great tool for raising awareness at relatively low cost,” adds Britten. “The social pressure to get involved is useful. But the 'slacktivist' label isn't entirely unfair. I find people like to forward things and re-tweet, but asking them to do more is often too much.”
Collective giving
For those who don't have a substantial social media following, and are hoping to get monetary donations from the public, a useful tool is the Groupon Grassroots platform.
Launched in Chicago in July 2010, Groupon CEO Dan Guasco explains that Groupon Grassroots is a philanthropic programme designed to get customers to collectively support project-specific fundraisers to benefit local communities.
“It enables Groupon followers to do a good deed, have fun and make a real impact in their communities. Groupon Grassroots uses collective action to gather support for worthwhile causes and produce tangible results for local organisations,” says Guasco.
The Groupon Grassroots model works the same as an ordinary Groupon deal, only Groupon does not take any commission. Charities receive all proceeds and there is no cost for participating, says Guasco. “We are simply looking for opportunities to connect organisations to supporters and provide a suitable platform for our subscribers to discover causes. All we ask is that our community partners help promote the campaigns and report back project results.”
He notes that while Grassroots campaigns are meant specifically for the “little league” organisations that are making a difference in their local communities, there are no limits to the size of the charity, as long as it has NGO/NPO status.
Reach for a Dream is one organisation that successfully leverages the Groupon Grassroots platform. Suzi van Es, the organisation's former national donor relations co-ordinator, notes that the campaign actually exceeded expectations. She adds that Groupon Grassroots enables people to contribute towards something that has a lifelong and significant impact - fulfilling the dream of a child fighting a life-threatening illness, and in doing so, inspiring hope.
“The Groupon platform turned the gift of giving into a national campaign - giving South Africans a chance to make a difference without putting too much strain on the purse strings.”
It is likely that social media will continue to evolve to become an increasingly important complement to traditional fundraising.
Keri Uys, Foodbank SA's national marketing and events manager
She continues: “The fundraising drive was incredibly successful. It exceeded our expectations and indeed our wildest dreams. We thought we may end up with funds to utilise to fulfil one or two dreams only, and could never have imagined the response we received.”
Van Es notes that traditional fundraising has changed, and like many other charitable organisations, Reach for a Dream has felt the pressure of the global economic crisis. There is uncapped potential in leveraging social media and the Internet, she adds.
The organisation is increasingly using these mediums to not only market its brand, but also to offer supporters easily accessible avenues to donate. “The power of social media is the power of our increasing target audience,” she says.
The Children's Hospital Trust (CHT) also ran a Groupon Grassroots campaign as it progressively uses new media to spread awareness and raise funds. Says Sandi Sher, the Trust's communications co-ordinator for marketing: “Groupon has a large subscriber base, and it is national, which is important for us, as the chronically ill children who are referred to the specialist Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, in Cape Town, come from all over SA (and even Africa), and we need national support.
“We are firm believers in the power of collective giving; many people don't have the resources to contribute large sums of money. However, the reality is that lots of people giving small amounts can really add up.”
Commenting on the campaign, which coincided with Mother's Day, Sher said the Trust had high expectations, aiming to raise R100 000, but realised this would potentially not be possible. “We used a multi-pronged marketing approach and supported the Groupon promotion with a targeted e-mailer to our own database with buttons linking our deal with a call to action. At the close of the deal, 505 R50 vouchers were sold, raising R25 250, which was a good chunk of our target, so we were very pleased.”
She notes the campaign had benefits beyond the funding raised, including creating awareness and a sense of goodwill for Groupon.
“CHT is active on Facebook and Twitter, and we can see how the world is moving into the digital arena, as that is where people are communicating. Social media is a boon for non-profits as it is cost-effective, has global reach and is the perfect way to disseminate information,” says Sher.
“The flipside is that, with the flood of commercial and non-profit information online, you need to stay relevant and compelling and find a voice that can be heard above the crowd, which is challenging. You also have little time to build relationships and social media is unforgiving; it takes a click to lose a supporter without good content and resources.”
She continues: “We still feel that traditional media and fundraising drives are important and actually work well when supported by social media, or vice versa. This being said, we do take cognisance of the fact that if you connect with people online they are more likely to answer a call to action on the same platform.”
In another success story, FoodBank SA raised enough money over a three-day Groupon campaign to distribute 47 000 meals to the hungry after attracting 3 976 pledges of R20 each.
Keri Uys, Foodbank SA's national marketing and events manager, notes that, traditionally, social media has not been an effective way to raise funds. She adds, however, that this is evolving.
“Social media is an increasingly important way to create awareness; this can be a low-cost route and it is likely that social media will continue to evolve to become an increasingly important complement to traditional fundraising.”
Owing to the success of its initial campaign, Foodbank SA is planning a repeat campaign this month.
Virtual bake sale
Groupon Grassroots is just one channel that charities can use to raise money. There are a number of local sites, such as Back a Buddy and Change SA, which host charities and serve as portals through which people can donate money. Groupon's expansive database is what makes it a particularly attractive platform - and the fact that the 'deal' is pushed directly to people's inboxes.
Whichever platform charities decide to use, it's clear that the Internet and, more importantly, social networking is a viable alternative to the traditional bake sale or fun day. The harsh reality is that people are busy. As much as many would like to, fitting in a visit to a fete on an already jam-packed Saturday is not realistic. Targeting them through the Internet means they can make a contribution, even if it's a sedentary one, with just a few mouse clicks.
Using virtual campaigns alongside 'real-world' ones gives charities the best of both - face time and an easy way to raise money.
So, where is your last R20 going this month?
Share