Facebook now enables users start fundraising pages for nonprofits

Expanding its focus on charitable giving, Facebook is now letting users start standalone Pages where they can raise money for charity. The new feature, launched Thursday, lets ordinary people collect donations for the US-based 501(c)3 nonprofit of their choice, set fundraising goals, and let their friends and followers know why they should give.

“Fundraisers allow nonprofit supporters to set up a dedicated page to share their story, tell others about a nonprofit’s mission, and rally around a fundraising goal,” reads the announcement post on the Nonprofits on Facebook page.

FACEBOOK LAUNCHED PAGES FOR NONPROFITS LAST FALL

Facebook launched Pages for nonprofits last fall, letting organizations like Mercy Corps and the World Wildlife Fund raise money directly from the News Feed. The move let the company deploy the Donate button, which debuted in 2013, for causes around the world as the social network attracts more global users. 

Facebook would certainly like to be seen as a force for good, and empowering those using the network everyday to support charities seems to be the next logical step toward that goal. Now it’s just a matter of people using the tool for the right causes.