Facebook Groups for Nonprofits: How to Master Them

Many nonprofits understand that they have to promote on Facebook. As a result, there's a lot that Facebook offers charitable groups, including great groups that can help you share and learn information. Facebook groups are an opportunity for nonprofit leaders to understand and learn about what's happening in the industry. For instance, many groups hire consultants to help them with their marketing or fundraising, and that's because experts in the field have a broad wealth of knowledge to share. However, at times when money's especially tight, and fundraising is uncertain, there's a lot you can learn from joining and engaging in a few critical Facebook nonprofits.

Facebook groups for nonprofits also serve another purpose. They’re an excellent chance for your organization to share information with others in case you decide to build a community by starting your own Facebook group. Later in this article, you’ll learn some of the key ways you can grow and engage others using Facebook groups to help you expand the awareness for your brand.

Share Your Expertise in Leading Facebook Groups

One of the great things about the social sector is that people want to do good. Because of it, there's a lot of sharing that happens between nonprofits. And with social media, especially with Facebook groups, you can engage other professionals to help you think through issues or to share something that worked for you or didn’t. So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the top Facebook groups you want to make sure you join as a nonprofit leader or fundraiser:

1. Nonprofit Communications Professionals. With over 13,000 members, this Facebook group is great to join if you want to share and learn about nonprofit communications and marketing.
2. Nonprofit Happy Hour. With more than 45,000 members, this group is one of the largest ones on Facebook. It's also one of the most active groups where people in the sector share a lot of what's working for them, but also what hasn’t.
3. Non-Profits on Facebook. This Facebook group for nonprofits has more than 11,000 members. If you’re someone who is looking to improve how you do your social media and marketing, then this group is one for you. 
4. Fundraising Chat. As a Facebook group, this one has nearly 13,000 members. Sometimes fundraisers can run into a wall. So, if you're looking for unique fundraising ideas, tips or suggestions, then check out this group.
5. Remote Nonprofits. As we know, many people have had to work remotely, and this is something we’ll be seeing more of going forward. This group, with nearly 10,000 members, provides ideas and strategies for successful remote nonprofit work. 

There are many more Facebook groups that you might want to join, and Wild Apricot put out a good list that you can check out. Of course, you can also search on Facebook and see what more you can find that suits you.

Pro Tips for Making the Most of Facebook Groups

Once you join one or more Facebook groups, it's time to engage. But, there's generally one rule you want to make sure to follow, and that's to share relevant and valuable information. Unfortunately, on occasion, you see nonprofits that spam groups with information about their organization. Depending on the rules of each group, it could get you expelled from the group or at least warned.

The idea of any Facebook group is to build a community and share relevant information. And, while a share about a win for your nonprofit can be of value, depending on how it’s positioned, sharing your next fundraiser is not usually what you should be doing on Facebook groups. Therefore, with that said, the following are a few pro tips to keep in mind as a nonprofit marketer if you decide to create your own Facebook group to build a community.

Pro Tip 1

This one should go without saying, but often this pro tip is ignored. The reason why some nonprofits increase their brand awareness is that they take the time to build relationships. So, if you decide to create a Facebook group or join one, you have to take the time to build relationships. The people and organizations that get the most out of Facebook groups are those that take the time to engage. I know we're all busy, but taking a few quick minutes at the start and end of the business day will pay dividends.

Pro Tip 2

Unfortunately, one of the things all Facebook groups face is trolls. One of the best ways to make sure you keep trolls out of your Facebook groups is to make it private. When you do it, you have to accept the people who join, and if you wish, you can even get some information by asking questions from people who want to join, such as their interest in your mission. Promote your Facebook group, but make the group private, so you minimize disruption.

Pro Tip 3

When you create a Facebook group, you want to build a community. And to do that, you have to have people share with others. There are several tips and tricks to get people to engage with each other. For example, you can ask a question related to your mission in a post and ask people to share their thoughts. You can also create polls and surveys whereby your followers have an opportunity to tell you, and each other, what they think about a specific topic.

In conclusion, Facebook groups are an excellent place for nonprofit leaders to share their ideas and learn. Also, if you want to build a strong community around your nonprofit brand, creating a Facebook group and nurturing those relationships will get more people to know you. That, in turn, will positively impact your nonprofit fundraising.