Practical ways to turn your social presence into a powerful fundraising channel that drives real donations

It’s hard for nonprofits to imagine life before social media. It’s become an effective way to reach supporters, raise awareness for your cause, and create vocal advocates. 

It’s also a great place to ask for donations. While it is a relatively new fundraising channel (accounting for five percent of online donations in 2025), 37% of nonprofits said they expect social media fundraisers to drive income growth in 2026. It’s why a third of nonprofits say they want to develop their social media strategy in the next 12 months.

To make social media fundraising a success, it’s all about perfecting the ask. Social media management and intelligence company Hootsuite has created a helpful guide for nonprofits on how to sensitively ask for donations on social media, with practical tips and real examples of effective fundraising tactics. 

With its new AI-first social operating system, Hootsuite helps nonprofits understand their audience, create meaningful content, engage supporters, and measure the impact of their social efforts — all so they can build momentum across social channels while creating a clearer picture of their mission and impact.

Eligible nonprofit organizations can access Hootsuite at a considerable discount, saving up to 60% on its Standard, Professional, and Advanced plans.  Discover how Hootsuite can support your social fundraising goals.

Below, we explore three of Hootsuite’s key tips for asking for donations on social media.

Three key tips to fundraise on social media

Make it easy to donate

Social media channels are busy. It’s not easy for nonprofits to attract potential supporters’ attention and convince them to donate. 

For example, Hootsuite notes that people tend to check out after the third post of an Instagram Story – so nonprofits should try to get their fundraising ask across quickly, in as few posts as possible, to avoid losing the interest of their audience.

When supporters do choose to donate, it is important that the process is quick and easy to help ensure they don’t abandon their donation. 

According to Hootsuite, you should take every opportunity to leave a link directly to your donation page, whether that’s in your social media profile or as a sticker on your Story.

Nonprofits should also make sure their donation form is mobile-friendly and only asks for the most essential information. If people are donating through social media, it will most likely be via their phone – long, complicated forms will become a barrier to donating that many won’t be inclined to overcome.

“Donate” buttons can be added to Instagram and Facebook pages, allowing donors to give directly through those platforms. Just set them up through Fundraise with Facebook (Meta owns both platforms so they share functionalities). 

Communicate urgency

Specificity is key when it comes to fundraising on social media. Asking for donations for a specific purpose can help combat giving fatigue. It essentially breaks fundraising down into achievable goals, rather than an endless request for funds. Specificity also gives charities the chance to reach different donors who may have different motivations for giving. 

Nonprofits should be clear about what they are asking for and what impact the donation will have. They should also consider creating appeals within specific time periods to compel donors to give now. 

Communicating specific fundraising goals (e.g. “We want to raise X in X months”) establishes urgency around your cause and gives donors a tangible goal to contribute to. 

Putting actions off is easy without a deadline, advises Hootsuite. Giving the request a time limit, inspires supporters to donate before it’s too late. 

Share impact 

Data shows that one of the most researched elements of a nonprofit is its philanthropic impact. In short, people want to know where their donation is going and how it helps. 

Stats that illustrate the people your nonprofit has helped, the services you’ve delivered, and the projects you’ve undertaken can be just as effective at telling your nonprofit’s story through case studies. 

On social media, where messages need to be communicated at a glance, these numbers can be incredibly impactful, eye-catching, and demonstrative of the real-world impact a donation can have. 

Hootsuite points to the example of Canadian charity The Writers Exchange that posted its annual report statistics on Facebook using bold graphics that make it impossible to ignore the great work they’ve done over the year. 

Telling your story through data in this way helps to mix up your fundraising content and drive home the difference each donation makes. It acts as a thank you to existing supporters and a call to action for new ones. 

You can find out more about how to drive donations on social media in Hootsuite’s full guide here. To access the Hootsuite discount for nonprofits, click below.

Hootsuite is the AI-first operating system for everything social. By bringing together social intelligence, publishing, engagement, advocacy, and analytics, Social OS helps charities understand their communities, engage supporters, and turn social activity into meaningful impact — as easy as chat.