Facebook launches fundraising tools to allow you to raise money for non-profits organizations

Facebook is making it easier than ever to create fundraising campaigns on its platform. The social network has launched a set of tools that allow you to raise money from your Facebook friends to donate to a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity of your choice.

Facebook announced the news in a video that contained example campaigns for popular charities including the World Wildlife Fund, and World Food Program.

Starting Thursday, a selection of Facebook users will be able to create campaign pages that contain a personal story, a fundraising goal, and a donate button that lets others contribute with a few clicks. Unlike in the past, when users were forced to post links to external websites or crowdfunding platforms, the new tools allow all the actions to be performed on Facebook. Additionally, each time someone donates, they will be prompted to share the campaign or invite others to join. The donate button will be integrated into each new status and reshare that is posted on the platform.

“Fundraisers allow nonprofit supporters to set up a dedicated page to share their story, tell others about a nonprofit’s mission, and rally around a fundraising goal,” the post announcing the feature reads. “We can’t wait to see how people support the causes they care about most.”

Organizations can raise money directly from the News Feed and use the Donate button. Facebook’s new tool now lets ordinary users create pages to collect donations for a nonprofit they choose and set fundraising goals.

“Giving is really personal,” Naomi Gleit, Facebook’s vice president of product management for social good, told USA Today. “It’s one thing for American Red Cross to raise money for [itself]. It’s another for a friend to raise money on behalf of American Red Cross. We tend to give to people that we care about.”

Currently only 1 percent of users have access to it, according to Mashable, though over the next few weeks, it will roll out to all users nationwide. 

Once it rolls out, only U.S. users will be able to start a fundraiser, but people from 39 countries around the world will be able to contribute, reports USA Today.

Any benefitting organizations will have to be verified by Facebook, according to Mashable. For the initial launch, only 100 nonprofits will be eligible for fundraising, including the Nature Conservancy, Alzheimer’s Association and Oxfam.