Mike Morris
November 9, 2023

How to plan the perfect Facebook Challenge in 2024

The Facebook Challenge format became a fundraising sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic. People sought new ways to connect and support causes. However, the pandemic’s grip loosens, and non-profits face a different landscape. You might wonder about the future of Challenges. Should you still include them in your peer-to-peer strategy?

In this guide, we dive into the Challenge format. We evaluate if it’s right for your organization in 2024. We examine the current landscape and ace the strategic planning required. While Challenge results may not reach pandemic heights, you can still achieve substantial success. Invest in the fundamentals and follow best practices.

Already familiar with the format? Use the links below to jump to the relevant content and find out what a difference a year makes!

• Who is this guide for?
• What’s new in Facebook fundraising?
• What is a Facebook Challenge?
• Is the cost of living crisis having an impact on Facebook Challenges?
• What about competition?
• What’s working for Facebook Challenges right now?
• We’ve already done some Facebook Challenges – what can we do to innovate?
• We’re very interested but not sure we have the capacity. Can we still do a Facebook Challenge?
• How do we get started?
• Take our quiz

🎯 Who This Guide Is For

Before we go any further, let’s check who this guide is designed for (we think it might be you)!

This guide is for you if you are a fundraising lead or manager. It assists you in deciding your 2024 campaign suite. You learn how to plan and scope Challenges. Furthermore, you learn how to pitch the idea to your $\text{CEO}$ and board. We also cover planning amid the cost of living crisis.

The guide is also useful if you are a digital lead in a charity. Use it to innovate with your digital fundraising. Collaborate with your fundraising team. Together, you can test this highly effective format.

And, of course, this is for those in community or event fundraising. We provide implementation details. You know exactly what these social fundraising Challenges mean for your budgets and work plans.

🆕 What’s New in Facebook Fundraising for 2024

A lot has changed in just a year. Let’s kick things off with a whistle-stop tour of 2023’s top Facebook fundraising developments.

Key Platform Updates

• Nonprofit Payments Switch to PayPal Giving Fund: Meta’s big change in 2023 was its exclusive partnership with PayPal Giving Fund ($\text{PPGF}$). This was for processing donations in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Consequently, Meta no longer handles donations via its own payment entities. As Facebook’s exclusive payment processor, $\text{PPGF}$ streamlines the process. This allows non-profits to raise funds and deliver a user-friendly experience.
• GivePanel Launches a JustGiving Integration: This year, we introduced a new JustGiving integration. It has undoubtedly been a game-changer. GivePanel customers raised over $\mathbf{£1.3}$ million in shared events in September and October $\text{2023}$ alone. The $\text{1}$-Click JustGiving flow improves the supporter experience. It boosts fundraiser activations. Furthermore, it allows you to expand beyond Facebook to platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
• More Tools, to Boot: We also released Segmented Email Journeys and real-time donations for $\text{1}$-Click Fundraisers. The former uses personalized email, allowing you to tailor content to individual needs. Conversely, the latter ensures you wave goodbye to the two-day data delay. This lets you steward supporters in real time.
• Meta Switches Off Recurring Donations: In November 2022, Meta released new tools, including US recurring donations. However, while other updates remained available, recurring donations were short-lived. Meta turned them off toward the end of 2023. You can read more about this update via their help article.

What is a Facebook Challenge?

A Facebook Challenge is an online fundraising event. It happens within the Facebook ecosystem. It uses multiple features to sign up participants. Also, it provides an online community. This makes fundraising easy. Challenges provide a seamless and enjoyable supporter experience worldwide.

📈 Challenges in the Current Economic Climate

Cost of Living Crisis Impact

It’s a complicated question! Charitable income falls in some parts of the world. But on the other hand, we see overall income from Facebook Challenges continue to grow yearly.

In fact, the cost of living crisis presents an opportunity. Non-profits can invest where other charities are divesting. Crises make looking at new fundraising models vital. Focus on ones proven to work. Conversely, avoid completely experimental approaches. To decide if a Challenge fits, analyze its metrics against your portfolio. Remember that Challenges are an amazing acquisition model. They bring in a huge batch of new supporters for deeper ongoing support.

Expert Perspectives on Tough Times

• Jill O’Herlihy, GivePanel: “Many charities have overcome the anxiety of the early stages of the cost of living crisis and are fundraising well in this environment. The landscape is different, and you can’t expect to replicate the Facebook Challenges you did in $\text{2020}$ or $\text{2021}$.”
• Cameron Cortazzo, GivePanel: “I recommend setting up a minimum fundraising goal and a stretch goal. The minimum will aim to cover costs and test the format, while the stretch goal is about being ready to ramp up if performance is strong. By doing so, you’ll be set up with some realistic expectations.”
• Marco Kuntze, Relishing Digital: “One of the most significant impacts of the cost of living crisis is on the fundraisers themselves. They can feel awkward about asking or anxious about not raising enough. Charities can alleviate this by having good comms that support, reassure and empower their fundraisers.”

Competition in the Market

Competition in fundraising is normal, natural, and inevitable. This holds true no matter what format you use! We see competition in the Challenge space. However, there is still so much potential. You can achieve a strong combination of cause, concept, and message. This activates a new audience who has never done a Challenge before.

The fundamentals are more important than ever. Therefore, invest in training your team. They must plan and deliver the Challenge effectively. Also, know your audience: design your Challenge with them in mind. Ensure the messaging connects with them.

The GivePanel Academy provides the training, resources, coaching, and peer support your organization needs to run a high-performing Challenge.

✅ What’s Working Right Now (2024)

The GivePanel team constantly monitors Challenge results. Here’s what delivers great results for non-profits:

• Engagement: Group engagement remains the magic ingredient. Research proves group engagement directly correlates with income. The type of content you encourage impacts the bottom line.
• Incentives: Charities that develop a strong brand for their Challenge see a real difference. The Challenge needs its own visual identity, not just generic merchandise. While non-profits worry about costs, good quality merchandise is worth the investment. It’s a battle worth fighting!
• Mascots: Some charities supercharged their visual identity with mascots. Australian charity, Canteen, used a staff member’s dog as their mascot. He appeared in all communications for their dog walking Challenge.
• Focus: Charities that pick a fundraising moment and put all their energy behind it see the best ROI. Don’t run a Challenge in the background while running four or five other asks. That exhausts your audience. Meta’s broad targeting is effective, but audiences are not infinite. Do not compete with yourself.
• Ad Targeting: Each audience group you target drives a certain type of positive engagement. You need incentive-focused, challenge-focused, and cause-focused people. When they are all engaged, it creates a vibrant community. Consider separating your ads into different ad sets based on messaging themes. Swot up on best practices for ad targeting.
• Group Content: We’ve seen great results with content innovations like Facebook Live and group polls. Innovative content is one element. But remember, the original funnel and process still work beautifully if implemented correctly.

Challenge Model Performance by Market

• North America: The US market offers a huge opportunity. The Challenges performing best placed their events carefully. They ensured they cleared calendar space and did not compete against themselves. Physical Challenges, like the “62 Miles in August” event by American Cancer Society, perform extremely well. Non-physical Challenges also succeed when connected properly to the mission.
• Australia: The Challenge model is still relatively new here. Exercise Challenges, such as planks or squats, take first spot for low Cost per Lead ($\text{CPL}$). For example, PA Research Foundation’s “100 Squats a Day in April” achieved a CPL of only $\mathbf{AU\$2.23}$. The Challenge went on to raise an incredible $\mathbf{AU\$143,756}$.
• UK & Ireland: Challenges started here. While many do not perform to the same heights as $\text{2020/21}$, the model remains highly popular and profitable. Health charities see the best returns. Non-profits now invest in building a Challenge program as a key pillar. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity has scaled Challenges to raise over $\mathbf{£5.7}$ million collectively. Stroke Association evolved their Challenge, achieving an impressive $\mathbf{6:1}$ ROI in $\text{2023}$.

💡 Innovate and Increase Capacity

Innovating Beyond the Concept

Adrian O’Flynn of Get Your Stories Straight advises charities to hold space for new things. Have a separate budget line for testing. Treat this differently from your main budgets. Set a lower target for ROI and income for unproven concepts. Test them small-scale to see how they perform.

If you don’t do this, you imprison yourself in working only within tried and tested formats. O’Flynn recommends putting one small Challenge in your $\text{2024}$ calendar. Use it to try a completely new concept with a low budget. Need inspiration? Watch our webinar on coming up with your next killer Challenge concept.

You can also explore other ways to innovate: GivePanel customers see great success by adding JustGiving as a payment platform. They also use SMS for communications with participants.

Outsourcing and Resource Solutions

Challenges are labor-intensive, but we can help you with resourcing if your team is overstretched:

• GivePanel’s Managed Services: Our experts manage the setup and stewardship strategy for your participants. Supporter care is crucial. Our research shows that posting on-page thank you messages can uplift the average raised by up to $\mathbf{25\%}$!
• Utilize the Playbook: The GivePanel Playbook gives you all the information to plan, implement, and optimize your Challenge. We provide guidance on everything from content to tracking your $\text{KPIs}$.
• Partner with Experts: Our Customer Success and Support teams are here to help. We also have a network of specially selected partner organizations. They support the delivery of your campaigns, from ads to moderation. Speak with your Customer Success Manager or contact us.

➡️ How Do We Get Started?

1. Download our free planning calculator tool and start crunching the numbers.
2. Review your calendar and find a space for a month-long Challenge. You need to factor in one month for planning and one month for acquisition. Look ahead and give yourself enough time.
3. Make the case to senior management. Get the buy-in, resources, and budget. Book a call with GivePanel to explore ways we can help you run winning Challenges.

Take Our Quiz

Is the Facebook Challenge model right for your charity in 2024? Do you have the right resources and a suitable cause? Take our quiz and find out whether your non-profit is a suitable match.

🔗 Resources and Links

• Download the free Challenge Calculator Tool: Access the Calculator Tool (Link from form completion)
• Book a Demo: https://givepanel.com/demo/
• Take Our Quiz: Quiz: Is your nonprofit the right fit for a Facebook Challenge?
• Unlocking Success with GivePanel’s Facebook Challenge Playbook: https://givepanel.com/blog/unlocking-success-with-givepanels-facebook-challenge-playbook/
• 10 Reasons Why Your Challenge Isn’t Performing (Fix It!): https://givepanel.com/blog/10-reasons-why-your-facebook-challenge-isnt-performing-and-how-to-fix-it/