Online Fundraising

Don’t be silly ... I’m not talking about my posts registering on the BS meter. But are you using words that register? Are you using a bunch of industry jargon instead of just saying things more clearly?

Chances are you've seen an Omaze video, although you may not have realized what company was behind it. The Santa Monica, California-based startup blew up tanks with Arnold Schwarzenegger, hung out with Iron Man, and handed out a cameo appearance for one lucky fan in the new Star Wars film. These experiences racked up millions…

As you know, Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon and outfielder Bryce Harper got into an altercation in the dugout Sunday, apparently because Harper didn't run out a pop-up. It was an ugly scene. Nationals fans are not too happy Papelbon literally choked their franchise player (weirdly, non-Nationals fans seem to be on Papelbon's side) so much…

All the world's a stage, especially on social media. Last year gave us the Ice Bucket Challenge, and now celebrities and others on social media are doing something decidedly classier to raise money for charity. These master thespians are putting their acting skills to the test by reciting the lyrics to hit songs, but with…

If you thought Deflategate was dead because a judge threw out Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, an Indianapolis nonprofit has other ideas. Brackets for Good, which has raised more than $1.3 million for Indianapolis nonprofits by hosting a tournament of giving during the NCAA’s March Madness, wants to pump up awareness of the deflated football controversy…

Twitter and Square launched a new donation system on Tuesday morning, allowing users to send donations to U.S. politicians through a tweet. The system only will be available to those in the U.S. Announced one day before the second Republican debate, the program allows any active candidate to accept tweeted donations. The campaigns are verified…

Criminals are using poorly protected charity websites to test the validity of stolen credit-card numbers, costing some groups thousands of dollars, cybersecurity experts said this week. Simplified online donation pages make it easy for people to give—but also serve as prime testing ground for credit-card thieves. "There’s a giant target painted on the industry’s back…

Facebook may still be a few years away from giving aggrieved users a sought-after “dislike” button, but if you think its updated charitable addition will smooth the waters until then, think again. Continuing right alongside the growing online-giving movement, the social media juggernaut has extended the availability of the “Donate Now” button to all nonprofit…

When I heard about Jerry Seinfeld’s roadside lemonade fundraiser run-in with the East Hamptons Town Police Department, I was excited. Why? Because I love when nonprofits and stand-up comedy come together. (Police involvement or not). As someone who spent years in the stand-up world, I think there’s about a hundred things that nonprofits can learn from stand-up comedians, particularly about their online experience. So in honor of Jerry’s lemonade uproar and the ultimate rule of comedy, here are three of them...

While a strong social following on Facebook is already an immense advantage for nonprofits, those fans are about to become even more valuable. Thanks to the introduction of Facebook's "Donate Now" button, it's easier than ever for nonprofits to turn online engagement into meaningful monetary contributions. The titan of social media has always been a…