Supported by {g}grants from Jungle Lasers
There’s this skewed idea in philanthropy that once a grantmaker signs a check their job is done. If that’s your outlook as a grantmaker, I can assure you that your efforts are being outshined by other community givers, and I strongly suggest you keep reading.
Numbers don’t lie.
A survey of 1,000 foundations across the United States conducted by The Foundation Center found that only 45% of foundations use social media. The same study concluded that 74% of the engaged group agreed that social media involvement is useful in furthering philanthropy.
Social media has become a critical tool for grantmakers and other philanthropic entities to communicate their community involvement and connect with stakeholders. If a grantmaker is not engaged on social media, it can be difficult for grantees and other interested parties to familiarize themselves with its purpose and identify.
What are you waiting for?
Phil Buchanan, President of Center for Effective Philanthropy, said in an interview, “It’s not enough to simply be online. You need to be intentional about what you are trying to achieve with social media. As in any philanthropic endeavor, making a difference requires clear goals, the right strategy to achieve those goals, and measures of progress.”
If we haven’t convinced you to be more engaged yet, here are some thoughts to consider:
You are what you fund.
You’ve probably heard this before, and we can’t stress this idea enough. Funder-grantee relationships should be considered professional partnerships. When you provide funds to a nonprofit’s project, the outcomes reflect your organization too. Dive right into social media, and use these platforms as a means to get to know your grantees. You can share your insights, remain updated on projects, and even thank your grantees for their hard work on projects in a more approachable atmosphere. You have an opportunity to share content from your grantees to your networks which will in turn expand their networks. If your grantees are posting about their success on social media, don’t be shy to share the success and credit for the project’s outcome.
Announce important dates.
Encourage those interested in applying for grants to follow your pages in order to prevent missing any new giving announcements and important deadlines. You can facilitate a more informal method of communication with past, current, and prospective grantees that will make your organization feel more approachable. A grantmaker’s presence on social media can act as an additional source for grant seekers to understand who they are seeking funds from and tailor their applications appropriately.
Work with platforms that work best for you.
Every social platform has something to offer its users and comes with its own set of benefits. Your organization doesn’t need to be on every platform so long as the ones you do decide to use are effectively engaging your audience.
This is the platform that everyone utilizes. Family, friends, businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations are all here, so you have to be too! If you want your content and information shared, Facebook is where to post. The app makes liking, saving, and sharing extremely easy. The platform even includes a live video feature which can be great for broadcasting fundraising events and announcements where you can interact with your audience in real-time.
LinkedIn is a networking platform geared to connect professionals with each other. The platform is easy to navigate and your profile acts as a real-time resume. Grantmakers and nonprofit organizations can create a business page and connect with their employees and grantees. LinkedIn also facilitates professional groups where members in similar fields can share ideas and field experience in discussions on important topics. LinkedIn is a great start to developing your overall social media presence.
If you are new to social media, Twitter might not be where to start. The platform is great, but to drive real results, it is encouraged that users post an average of five times per day. This platform is best used to send out short, immediate messages in the event of a news alert or crisis situation. Grantmakers can implement hashtags in “tweets” in order to group posts together by particular topics.
For example, Jungle Lasers likes to use #junglelasers when posting valuable content that could be useful for our clients. The hashtag makes our posts easy to find when we want to refer back to something we have posted in the past. Go ahead, search it for yourself!
In conclusion…
We are living in the days of information on-demand. There is no better way to show off the great strides your foundation is making in philanthropy than to be present on social media.
Additional Sources:
https://glasspockets.org/glasspockets-gallery/foundations-and-social-media-infographic
http://www.care2services.com/care2blog/infographic-how-foundations-use-social-media
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