(University of Oregon, 2010-06) Laird, Monica, 1987-
Social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter have revolutionized how
Americans communicate with businesses and organizations around the world. These sites
are allowing nonprofit organizations throughout the nation to join a movement in "equal
opportunity activism" by virtually accessing potential donors from even the youngest
generations. Despite the recent obsession with Facebook causes and "Tweet" campaigns,
most organizations have yet to see a financial return on their investments in these
seemingly inexpensive fundraising methods. This case study of nonprofit organizations in
Oregon examines the return on fundraising expenditure for social media sites being used
as fundraising tools in comparison to more traditional methods of fundraising. I also
answer underlying questions about whether social media fundraising may be more
appropriate for organizations of a certain size. In the end, I will look at the planning process for social media use and provide an evaluation of the future potential for these
tools.
