How to Raise $1 Million for Charity on Facebook: 5 Case Studies

While social networks are shaping up to be the next best thing in charity fundraising, it’s not as simple as setting up a Facebook page and watching the money trickle in. Non-profits and corporations alike are using Facebook to raise or distribute money for charity, but the strategies for this fundraising are as diverse as the organizations themselves. Here’s a list of five organizations – from an international bank to an international relief organization – that are each using Facebook to donate $1 million or more to worthy causes.

American Express and Take Part – $1 Million for Charity

The International Medical Corps is using the power of Facebook to get voters to boost their charity up to the top spot for a chance to win up to $1 million from American Express. The Members Project from American Express allows anyone to sign up and vote for their favorite charity each week, tallying up the votes every three months and giving the five winners their share of $1 million. Rather than use word of mouth or advertising, the International Medical Corps is hoping the get supporters to vote for them on the million dollar Members Project using Facebook. Their app is simple, and highlights both how to vote and the relief work that the International medical Corps has done in Haiti and around the world.

Causes – $22 Million for Charity

Launched in 2007, Causes has helped nearly 400,000 organizations raise over $22 million for charity. It uses Facebook to spread the word and provides a low-cost platform for individuals and organizations to recruit friends, raise funds, and support the causes they believe in. Its success comes, in part, due to its simplicity. Your fundraising, recruiting, awareness, advocacy, and karma totals are displayed on your causes home page, so you can watch them increase and share them with friends. You can search for and join the causes you want to support, and even donate directly within Facebook.

Chase Community Giving – $5 Million for Charity

Chase Community Giving, the charitable initiative from Chase bank, lets Facebook users vote for their favorite charities and divides up $5 million between the winners. This summer marks the second round of votes for a second $5 million from Chase. The app makes it easy for voters to search for charities, vote, and share with friends. The summer 2010 edition of Chase Community Giving ends in two weeks, so get out there and vote!

Zynga – $3 Million for Charity

One of the most high-profile Facebook-oriented charity fundraisers, at least in social media circles, is Zynga. The first charity campaign from Zynga was sparked by the earthquake in Haiti this January. Zynga partnered with the World Food Program and released virtual goods in Farmville and other games whose proceeds would go to a earthquake relief fund. Thus far, the company has raised over $3 million for several different charities, and shows no signs of stopping.

Target – $3 Million for Charity

Target consistently gives a portion of its weekly profits to charity, but in an innovative move to promote charity while improving its brand image, it created a Facebook app in May, 2009, that allowed users to vote to allocate the funds to the charities of their choice. And we aren’t talking a few thousand dollars here – the 5% of its weekly revenue that Target donates added up to $3 million. While this was a one-time campaign and is no longer running, it illustrates how Facebook can be used to promote a charitable cause.

Facebook is a great way for charities to connect to people, spread awareness, and ultimately raise funds for a good cause. While there may be some problems with Facebook activism, these five organizations have shown that not only is it possible to make a large impact for good using Facebook, but that Facebook might just be the ideal way to combine brand awareness, ease-of-use, and mass audience reach for charitable causes.

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.