Empowering Non-Profits Through Social Media
It’s the 21st century and the Internet has become a portal for everyone – non-profits included. Many non-profits have an active presence on social media sites like Facebook , Twitter and YouTube, where they are able to connect with members of their community. These companies are using these platforms to share information about events, pass along stories or news about their organization and hopefully help raise support and money for their cause.
Recently, JPMorgan Chase & Co. launched a social media campaign of its own that is just another great example of how social media can benefit non-profits. The company created the Chase Community Giving Program that utilized Facebook to let the public determine which charities would receive millions of dollars in grants. The competition began with 500,000 charities which was narrowed down in a first round of voting to the top 100. These top 100 each won $25,000 and had the chance to win $1 million. Chase’s Facebook fans then voted on which of the top 100 non-profits would win the grand prize. Invisible Children Inc, a non-profit that combats child related violence in Africa through documentary story telling, took home the top prize in the Chase Community Giving Program. There were also five runners-up, each receiving $100,000, and the Advisory Board selected 17 more charities to receive donations.
What does this mean for all non-profits? That social media outlets, like Facebook, are powerful platforms for raising awareness and donations for a non-profit organization. Through social media, people are empowered to not only become a fan of the non-profits that to they care about, but to also help support their non-profit of choice raise money by nominating them in contests such as the Chase Community Giving Program. And Chase isn’t the only corporation using their social media platforms for social good. Pepsi recently launched “good ideas that move communities forward,” a program involving social media that Pepsi plans on donating $20 million in grants through. In the end, all of these programs are a good example of how social networks can enable companies and organizations to grow, educate, and make a difference.
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uberVU - social comments - February 28, 2010
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by SanDiegoHospice: Non-Profits Using Social Media | The Caregiver’s Corner blog http://tinyurl.com/ye88pd8…
Hi
Great post! You hit it right on the head about how social media can help companies and organizations grow, educate and make a difference. Great case study as well. I speak a lot about social media, particularly from a hospice gatekeeper engagement strategy, if you get a sec check out gazoobot.com and let me know what you think. You guys do a great job!
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