As the recession continues to handicap individuals across the nation, non-profits are increasingly seeing the crippling affects of donors feeling that they are unable to make charitable contributions. Traditional means of fund raising and donor solicitation are not enough, forcing non-profits to find new ways to obtain donations. More and more nonprofits are attempting to integrate social networking and social media tools into their fund raising toolbox while they simultaneously introduce communications strategies to encourage “micro-giving” and engage a younger generation.

Non-profits are beginning to creatively use platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to help fill in the gaps where traditional giving is now falling through. Social media provides non-profits the ability to garner attention for their cause, develop community relationships and have conversations in ways that traditional marketing never could – or at least not in a way that doesn’t potentially eat up an entire year’s marketing budget. Social media tools can enable nonprofits to increase their donor base, particularly among a younger demographic that may have not donated to charities otherwise. Instead of targeting solely wealthier benefactors, nonprofits can utilize social media to reach more people who are able to give smaller donations.

In order to capitalize on the benefits of social platforms, nonprofits should heed a few basic guidelines:

Set goals :  It is important to determine what you want to achieve with social media. Is your primary goal to raise awareness for the cause, reach more donors, target a new demographic? Without a clearly defined objective, it is difficult to optimize the benefits of social media.

Commit :  Many nonprofits sign-up for social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, but do not commit to investing the time needed to make a real impact. Assigning this responsibility to a specific staff person and creating a realistic timeline help tremendously.

Be Creative :  Start with the best story you have that depicts the real needs of your organization. Remember to match your campaign cause to the demographic of your donor and never overload your “followers” across the social media platforms with too many different campaigns.

Report on progress : Do not forget about your donors after they give money. Many nonprofits request money through social media outlets and then never reconnect with their donors until they need something else. If you keep your “friends” up-to-date on what their money is being used for or on the achievements of the organization, they will become much more involved in the cause and will be more apt to spread the word to their friends – which is ultimately the point of utilizing social media tools.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help :  Many nonprofits are afraid of social media because they are not quite sure how to use these tools. It is perfectly acceptable, and probably even a good idea, to turn to a Gen Y-er for assistance. They can teach you all of the tricks of the trade.

As the recession continues to devastate many businesses (both for profit and not-for-profit), involving the next generation in social causes is critically important to the future of philanthropy. Communications has always been at the cornerstone of fundraising and with the power of social media tools, nonprofits can now connect with more people, faster than ever before and contribute to the online revolution for social good.

About Author :  Cathy Lanyard is the Executive Director of American Friends of ALYN Hospital – one of the world’s leading non-profit pediatric centers that specializes in physical rehabilitation of children.