Let’s be honest: social media for fundraising can feel like shouting into the void.
You post about your amazing community event. You share heartwarming stories. You ask people to donate or sign up. And then… crickets. A handful of likes from your mum and a colleague who feels obliged.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing: social media absolutely can work for community fundraising. But not the way most charities are doing it right now.
The platforms have changed. The algorithms have changed. And what worked even two years ago just doesn’t cut it anymore.
So let’s talk about what’s actually working coming into 2026 for community fundraisers who are getting real results from social media.
The Landscape Has Shifted (Again)
If you’re still approaching social media the way you did in 2022 or 2023, you’re missing opportunities.
Here’s what’s changed:
Video is king. Not just any video – short-form, authentic, personality-driven video. The days of polished charity promo videos getting organic reach? Long gone.
Communities trump broadcasting. People don’t want to be talked at. They want to be part of something. The charities winning on social media are building communities, not audiences.
Authenticity beats perfection. Your followers can spot corporate content a mile away. The stuff that performs? Real people, real stories, rough edges included.
Platform culture matters more than ever. What works on Instagram flops on TikTok. What resonates on Facebook gets ignored on LinkedIn. You need to understand each platform’s native language.
What’s Actually Working Right Now
Let’s get practical. Here’s what community fundraisers are doing on social media that’s generating real engagement, sign-ups, and donations.
Behind-the-Scenes Content (Everywhere)
People don’t just want to know about your community fundraising event. They want to see how it comes together.
Show the planning meetings. Share the chaos of setting up on the day. Post the bloopers when things go wrong. Document the volunteer team having a laugh while stuffing fundraising packs.
This content performs because it’s real. It’s relatable. And it makes people feel connected to your cause before they’ve even signed up.
Where it works: Instagram Stories and Reels, TikTok, Facebook
Fundraiser Takeovers (Instagram & TikTok)
Let your community fundraisers tell their own stories in their own words on your channels.
Give them access to your Instagram Stories for a day. Let them create a TikTok about why they’re fundraising. Ask them to go live on Facebook during their training or event prep.
This works because their networks see it, engage with it, and often join in. One fundraiser’s takeover can introduce your charity to hundreds of new people who actually care.
Pro tip: Make this easy. Send them a simple brief, some suggested prompts, and reassure them that perfection doesn’t matter.
Short-Form Video Education (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts)
Quick tips, fundraising hacks, training advice, and “did you know?” content performs brilliantly when it’s genuinely helpful.
Think: “3 things I wish I’d known before my first charity run,” or “How to smash your fundraising target without annoying your friends,” or “The WhatsApp message template that doubled my donations.”
Make it snappy (under 60 seconds), get to the point fast, and make people feel smarter for watching.
Why it works: The algorithm loves educational content. People save and share helpful tips. And you position your charity as the expert that actually helps fundraisers succeed.
Community Challenges (Everywhere)
Create simple, shareable challenges that your community can participate in.
Not big, complicated campaigns. Think small and achievable: “Post a photo of where you trained today,” “Share your fundraising ‘why’ in one sentence,” “Tag someone who inspires you.”
When people participate, share their posts (with permission). Celebrate them. Make them the hero of your content.
Why it works: People love being featured. Their friends see it. More people join in. Your reach expands organically.
Real-Time Event Content (Instagram Stories, TikTok)
When your community event is happening, your social media should feel alive.
Go live from the event. Post to Stories constantly. Share snippets of the atmosphere, the participants, the volunteers, the impact.
Don’t wait until after to create a polished recap video. Give people FOMO in the moment.
Why it works: Real-time content creates urgency and excitement. People who see it want to be part of it next time.
Donor/Fundraiser Spotlights (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram)
Stop just asking for money. Start celebrating the people who make your community fundraising possible.
Feature a fundraiser each week. Share why they’re doing it, what they’ve achieved, what it means to them. Let donors see the faces behind the giving pages.
Make it personal. Make it emotional. Make people care about the human, not just the cause.
Why it works: Stories about people connect with people. Every spotlight reaches that person’s network. And it encourages others to step up because they want to be celebrated too.
Platform-Specific Strategies That Work
Different platforms need different approaches. Here’s what’s working on each major platform right now.
Facebook: Still Powerful for Community Building
Don’t write Facebook off. For community fundraising, it’s still incredibly valuable – but not for what you think.
What works:
- Facebook Groups for your fundraisers – Create a private space where your community fundraisers can support each other, ask questions, and share victories
- Facebook Events – Still the best way to organise and promote community fundraising events
- Facebook Fundraisers – Make it ridiculously easy for supporters to create birthday fundraisers for you
- Local community targeting – Facebook’s targeting is unmatched for reaching people in specific geographic areas
What doesn’t work: Posting links that take people off Facebook (the algorithm hates it), overly corporate content, asking for money too often
Instagram: Visual Storytelling Wins
Instagram is where your community fundraising needs to look good and feel authentic.
What works:
- Reels showing real people – Your fundraisers training, event highlights, volunteer moments
- Stories for daily updates – Behind-the-scenes, countdown to events, quick thank yous
- Carousel posts – Before/after, step-by-step guides, multiple fundraiser spotlights in one post
- User-generated content – Repost (with credit) content from your fundraisers
What doesn’t work: Stock photos, text-heavy graphics, posting the same content that’s on every other platform
TikTok: Authentic, Fast, and Engaging
If your community fundraisers are under 40, they’re probably on TikTok. And you should be too.
What works:
- “Get ready with me” style content – Fundraisers preparing for events, volunteers setting up
- Trending sounds – Use popular audio but make it relevant to fundraising
- Educational quick tips – 15-30 second fundraising hacks
- Real, unpolished moments – The algorithm rewards authenticity over production value
What doesn’t work: Trying too hard to be trendy, overly promotional content, anything that feels like an advert
LinkedIn: Don’t Ignore It for Community Fundraising
LinkedIn might seem like an odd platform for community fundraising, but hear us out.
What works:
- Corporate partnership opportunities – Reach companies whose employees might want to fundraise
- Fundraiser success stories – Especially if they tie to professional development or team building
- Volunteer recruitment – LinkedIn users are often looking for ways to give back
- Impact data – LinkedIn audiences love results and metrics
What doesn’t work: Overly casual content, too-frequent posting, asking for personal donations
WhatsApp: The Secret Weapon
WhatsApp isn’t technically social media, but it’s where your fundraisers actually communicate.
What works:
- WhatsApp groups for event participants – Keep everyone connected, motivated, and informed
- Broadcast lists for updates – Share training tips, fundraising milestones, event info
- One-to-one support – Be available for fundraisers who need help or encouragement
Why it works: It’s personal, immediate, and where people actually read messages (unlike email)
The Content That Converts
Creating content is one thing. Creating content that actually drives action is another.
Here’s what makes people sign up for your events, create fundraising pages, and donate:
Social Proof Works
Show people that others are doing it. Share numbers: “127 people have already signed up,” “£18,000 raised so far,” “Meet Sarah, who’s just smashed her target.”
People want to be part of something that’s already successful. Give them evidence that others are involved.
Emotion Beats Information
Facts about your cause are important. But emotion is what makes people act.
Show the person whose life changed. Share the fundraiser who’s overcome something difficult. Capture the moment when someone achieves their goal.
Make people feel something, and they’ll do something.
Clear Calls to Action
Don’t assume people know what to do next. Tell them.
“Sign up for our sponsored walk – link in bio,” “Create your fundraising page today – takes 5 minutes,” “Share this with someone who’d smash this challenge.”
Make the next step obvious and easy.
Timing Matters
Post when your audience is actually online. For most community fundraisers, that’s:
- Early morning (6-8am) – People checking phones before work
- Lunchtime (12-1pm) – Quick social media scroll
- Evening (7-9pm) – Peak scrolling time
Test different times and track what works for your audience.
What to Stop Doing
Just as important as what to do is what to stop wasting time on.
Stop Posting Links to Donate
Yes, really. Most social media algorithms suppress posts with external links. Your reach tanks the moment you add that donation link.
Instead, drive people to the link in your bio, or use platform-native giving tools (like Facebook Fundraisers or Instagram donation stickers).
Stop Making Everything Look Perfect
Polished, professional content is fine for your website. On social media, it makes you look disconnected and corporate.
People engage with real, authentic, slightly rough-around-the-edges content. Perfect is boring. Real is engaging.
Stop Posting the Same Thing Everywhere
Each platform has its own culture, format, and audience expectations. A LinkedIn post transplanted to TikTok will flop.
Create content for each platform, or don’t bother being on that platform at all.
Stop Talking Only About Yourself
If every post is about your charity, your events, your needs, you’re doing it wrong.
Share other people’s content. Celebrate your fundraisers. Post about relevant topics in your sector. Be a good community member, not just a broadcaster.
Making It Sustainable
Here’s the hard truth: social media takes time. And most community fundraising teams are already stretched thin.
So how do you make this sustainable without burning out?
Batch create content. Spend one afternoon a month filming multiple pieces of content. Schedule them. Done.
Empower your community. Your fundraisers have phones and stories. Let them create content for you (with guidance and permission).
Focus on what works. Track which content drives sign-ups and donations. Do more of that, less of everything else.
Don’t try to be everywhere. Pick 2-3 platforms and do them well rather than being mediocre on six platforms.
Use scheduling tools. Meta Business Suite, Later, Buffer – they’re free or cheap and save hours.
The Bottom Line
Social media for community fundraising works when you remember one thing: it’s called social media for a reason.
It’s not a billboard. It’s not a fundraising ask. It’s not a place to just broadcast your message.
It’s a place to build relationships, create community, share stories, and make people feel part of something bigger than themselves.
The charities winning on social media in 2026 aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets or the slickest content. They’re the ones being real, being helpful, being human, and making their community fundraisers the heroes of every story.
Want more strategies to grow your community fundraising? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Community Fundraising for everything you need to build, grow, and sustain a thriving community fundraising programme.
Or explore what community fundraising is and why it matters to understand the fundamentals before diving deeper into tactics.