Monday Buzz: The Value of Facebook for Nonprofits

As Facebook’s membership base has grown, so has its complexity, particularly for membership organizations using it as a valuable communications hub. Every interface or algorithm brings a new set of complications, but to help nonprofits keep up with new changes and longstanding fundamentals, the social giant has launched a new resource.

Titled Facebook for Nonprofits  (opens in a new tab), the site is a repository of guides and how-tos, broken up into four sections that should be familiar to all nonprofit pros:

• Getting started
• Raising awareness
• Activating supporters
• Raising funds

Beyond those broad categories are more specific guides for each action a nonprofit may want to take on Facebook. In the supporter activation section  (opens in a new tab), for example, organizations can learn how to use Facebook to encourage turnout at events or inspire their most passionate members to assume leadership positions.

That said, some in the nonprofit community aren’t exactly applauding Facebook’s new site.

“Consider Microsoft’s recent donation of software valued at $1 billion to nonprofits and universities, or Google for Nonprofits, which grants 501(c)(3) organizations free access to valuable tools like the Google Grants Program and YouTube for Nonprofits,” Nonprofit Quarterly digital publishing coordinator Aine Creedon wrote  (opens in a new tab). “Is this all Facebook is willing to provide for the nonprofit sector? We’re not impressed.”

Idea of the Day

It doesn’t matter where you work. https://t.co/ZIaYBSS6f9  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/ZjGzfdhQXd  (opens in a new tab)

— Crew (@crewlabs) February 22, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

Instead of bolstering creativity and incubating brilliance, could your office’s cozy comforts be doing the exact opposite? In a post on Medium  (opens in a new tab), Joe Bagel tackles that question and trumpets the importance of great minds sharing great ideas.

Other Good Reads

There are few better ways to build event excitement and attendance than positive word-of-mouth. But how do you get the ambassadors needed to build that hype? Christina Green breaks it down in this Event Manager Blog post  (opens in a new tab).

Polls have their uses, but as association and nonprofit expert Steve Drake writes in his latest post  (opens in a new tab), they must always be viewed with caution and in context.

If you’re tired of being disorganized, consider adopting the “Big to Small” rule  (opens in a new tab), as explained by Element  (opens in a new tab) founder Johnny Schillereff.

(Facebook)