How mothers2mothers Combines DonateNow with Social Media

mothers2mothers International, a nonprofit that helps HIV-positive mothers in sub-Saharan Africa give birth to healthy babies, harnesses the power of social media and Network for Good’s DonateNow tool to raise funds for its mission. They share powerful success stories on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to show fans how their funds will make a difference. Once people are inspired, m2m makes giving easy with a DonateNow button that links directly their fundraising page. Development and operations assistant Lily Johnson loves how easy it is to incorporate NFG’s fundraising tools into their campaigns and feels that, compared with straight credit card processors, NFG really understands what nonprofits need.

m2m Shares Amazing Stories

mothers2mothers International works to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, keep mothers healthy, and empower women in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011, more than 240,000 pregnant women and new mothers were enrolled in m2m’s programs. A huge mission like this requires a lot of communication and resources, so m2m integrates social media with Network for Good’s online fundraising tools. Lily Johnson, the group’s development and operations assistant, shared a few of their strategies for connecting with donors.

Many of the moms that m2m serves have amazing personal stories. Johnson says that becoming adept at sharing those stories in different ways helps their online campaigns succeed. Their Facebook page, YouTube videos, and email newsletters engage donors with success stories about women who came to m2m for help and improved their lives. Once people are drawn in, a DonateNow button or link to the donation page makes it easy for them to contribute right away.

Combining social media with ease of giving are key elements in m2m’s fundraising method. The group is active on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. New Facebook and Twitter posts appear at least once a week, typically photos and success stories about healthy babies and mothers, links to articles relevant to the group’s mission, and new videos on their YouTube channel. YouTube is where m2m gives donors a deeper view into their mission with live speeches and lectures, inspiring stories from Mentor Mothers who are HIV-positive mothers, and talks with m2m’s co-founders and staff. All of these elements serve to connect with people and show them what their donations can accomplish.

Building Rapport with Supporters

Overt fundraising pitches on social media are minimal. Instead, the focus is on creating rapport with followers. To make giving simple, m2m always includes a link to the donation page on their Facebook page and in mass communications. For example, m2m’s Facebook page includes a DonateNow link at the top so followers can give anytime they feel inspired.

To encourage repeat giving, m2m connects with donors every month and sends quarterly newsletters and occasional personal emails from the co-founders. Communications share success stories or news articles about the organization — and always include a direct link to the donation page.

Johnson’s experience using DonateNow versus other online payment services showed her that NFG provides better overall support, online fundraising tips, and a helpful online community. She appreciates how simple it is to create DonateNow buttons that can be tagged with a tracking code so she knows which campaigns are giving the best results. Johnson also likes that NFG has real humans at other end, adding that NFG is simply a better fit than straight credit card processing companies because they understand what nonprofits need.

Online Fundraising Tips

• Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are ideal for sharing success stories that can inspire followers to become donors. Update them regularly to increase engagement and spark dialogue.
• Always include an easy way for people to donate on your website, social media pages, and direct communications — a link to your donation page or a DonateNow button, for example.
• Take advantage of the tracking code feature in DonateNow to help you learn which campaigns are the most successful.