When it comes to raising money via social media, it’s a very intimate matter. “They give because it is their personal motivation. When you give the tools to make the ask for you, it is much more powerful,” said Holly Ross, executive director of the nonprofit technology organization NTEN in Portland, Ore.

And while there is engagement via this medium, whether that activity has produced actual cash is another matter. According to the 2010 National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC) Program Survey, 98 percent of member religious organizations had some sort of Facebook presence with 95 percent using an additional platform (Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or Flickr). There was no designation on how much money was made through these channels.

Social media and garnering young supporters was again an important part of the conversation at the most recent NCDC conference, held in Orlando, Fla. Ross was a presenter on the topic: “Building and Sustaining Relationships with The Next Generation.”

As the sector continues to search for a cash return on investment from social media, persistence can help spur action in the physical space. James Mantz, director of marketing at Mercy Homes for Boys & Girls in Chicago Ill., said he uses online interaction to facilitate offline action.

“We are like a lot organizations that have depended on direct mail and now have a very old database,” said Mantz. “We knew we needed to grow in reaching younger donors. Social networking helps us recruit donors, volunteers and general supporters.”

One of its efforts is the Junior Board. After a $35 annual contribution, young people work together by attending quarterly meetings and planning fundraisers. The most recent fundraiser, Have Mercy!, at the Trump International Hotel in New York City raised $65,000. The board is currently comprised of 50 members.

“They really can just sign up as long as they will be active members,” said Mantz. “We are always happy to accept new members. Some of those folks find us through social media. We also have a member of our staff working with them.”

Mercy Homes for Boys & Girls has more than 4,450 Facebook “friends” but only 282 people following the organization on Twitter, Mantz is convinced in-roads have been made. It just means producing content to be commented on.

During St. Patrick’s Day this past March the organization recruited college and high school students around the city to seek Shamrock Pins throughout the Chicago area. After the event, organizers posted the photographs taken of volunteers on the Facebook page, increasing engagement with their online audience.

“It’s critical for your content to be interesting,” said Mantz, “but it does not have to be professional looking. We can track how many people like a post and photographs are always the ones getting the most amount of clicks. It doesn’t even matter if it was taken with a cell phone camera.”

The other thing that has helped secure online engagement is posting contests Mercy Homes can win through a majority vote. Contests, such as one with Chicago Sun-Times, have been a validation of the group focusing on social media. Their audience came out on their behalf, voting in voluminous numbers.

An initial foray into social media for MAP International did not go well when it was spearheaded by an outside agency, said Scott Walters, chief development officer. “I think we needed to make strong effort in our communication style,” said Walters. “A number of months ago we decided to go in-house and make our social media outreach person someone in their 20s, so they can talk peer-to-peer. This helped because they were able to speak on their level.”

More recently the organization, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., had a college intern update the website and other social media channels. “The look and feel is more of a young person as opposed to an agency,” said Walters.

Reaching slightly more online eyeballs than Mercy Homes for Boys & Girls with 710 Twitter followers and but fewer Facebook “Likes” at 1,600 MAP International has used online participation to fuel their virtual buzz.

For its program “On A Mission,” organizers asked college students around the country to submit videos of a project they wanted to complete, asking online viewers to vote for the best one. “There is something about voting and wanting other people to vote with you,” said Walters. “We found that our online audience encouraged their friends and social groups to help their project. It ended up going viral. Through a partnership we were able to secure $1 per vote. It ended up going over 1,000,000 hits and 1,000,000 votes. The art of taking an interest and doing something from their desktop and that adds some appeal.”

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