How Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney maximized fundraising to run a cost-effective pilot Facebook Challenge that raised over AU$235,000

New to Facebook fundraising, but keen to fill a gap in their events calendar, Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney launched their first ever Facebook Challenge in August 2022 with Marathon in a Month.

Key results

Driving impact, making a difference

We spoke with Michaela Britt, the nonprofit’s Fundraising Manager, to find out how they encouraged supporters to raise an incredible AU$235,071.

Set the scene

Who is Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney?

Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing vital programs for families with seriously ill children. Based in Westmead, their house provides a safe space to stay for around 2,000 families per year but as Michaela notes, “the need is so great, oftentimes families are coming from 100km or more away to benefit from our services”.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a key focus for Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS’s fundraising portfolio – running national campaigns such as Dance for Sick Kids and Earn Your Stripes. Despite this, the team had not considered Facebook fundraising a viable channel for income until learning of other charities’ success with Facebook Challenges. 

They knew that in order to give their supporters a great experience and manage their Facebook Challenge effectively, they needed a tool to help. Enter GivePanel and their pilot Challenge of Marathon in a Month.ct. With a bustling events calendar, including owned events, third-party, and virtual, they embrace a multifaceted approach to generating support for their cause. 

The challenge

Marathon in a Month

A A Facebook Challenge is a virtual event that runs solely on Facebook. It leverages the power of social networking through ads, groups, and fundraisers. This means:

• Lower acquisition costs
• More fundraisers
• A chance to meet supporters where they already are!

Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS chose to trial Facebook Challenges. They recognized an opportunity to broaden their supporter base and try something new. With an agile team of three, a part-time staff member supporting fulfillment, and agency Elevate Fundraising managing acquisition ads, they launched Marathon in a Month in August 2022.

Despite targeting limits in New South Wales, the pilot Challenge was extremely cost-effective. Here are five things the team did to maximize fundraising and return:

Maintained Alternative Channels: They ensured their website and other donation channels remained active. This provided alternatives for supporters who preferred not to fundraise via Facebook.

Prioritized Group Moderation: They dedicated staff time to actively manage the Facebook Group. This fostered a strong community environment and kept participants motivated.

Used Simple Incentives: They offered a clear, appealing incentive (like a branded item). This drove sign-ups and participant activation.

Leveraged Partnership Tools: They used GivePanel’s platform to handle the core data and stewardship. This freed the small internal team to focus on direct community interaction.

Tested Ad Creative: They continuously tested different ad creatives to keep the Cost Per Lead (CPL) low and maximize ad spend efficiency.

1. Incentives

Known for their stripey socks, the team used these as their Facebook Challenge incentive. Existing stock was used, which meant a low upfront cost, and their size ensured minimal costs for postage and packaging. 

2. Competitions

The team ran weekly competitions during the Challenge month, making use of existing stock to encourage fundraising and engagement. Various goals included reaching the default Fundraiser total, receiving one or more donations on their Fundraiser, submitting photos with their incentive, and filling out a post-Challenge survey. After each competition, the team saw an uplift in fundraising whilst also generating engagement and content in the Facebook Group. 

3. Fundraiser Default Target

On average, it costs Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS AU$160 to accommodate a family for one night in their House in Westmead. To connect their mission with Marathon in a Month and provide their supporters with a tangible ask, the team chose to set their default Fundraiser target at AU$320, or the cost of a two-night stay. 

4. Importance of Supporter Touch Points

Throughout their Facebook Challenge, the team utilized GivePanel’s email tool and on-page messaging for various points in the supporter journey and the Facebook Group – ensuring they reacted or replied to every post. Michaela also noted their additional touch points, including personalized fundraising posters with individual QR codes and profile photos with the nonprofit’s Challenge frame. This provided more opportunities for one-on-one conversations with supporters and encouraged fundraising throughout the campaign. 

5. GivePanel’s 1-Click Registration with Fundraiser Activation

Halfway through Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS’s acquisition month for Marathon in a Month, here at GivePanel, we launched our new Registration Form with 1-Click Fundraiser Activation, allowing supporters to register for an incentive and set up a Fundraiser in one step rather than two. Michaela notes that this addition to their supporter journey significantly increased Fundraiser activation and supported their fundraising efforts. 

The team initially targeted a stretch goal of raising AU$150,000 from Marathon in a Month. By the end of the Facebook Challenge, their supporters had raised a total of $AU235,071, smashing the original goal and cementing Facebook Challenges as a viable income stream for the nonprofit.y to engage fresh audiences.

The GivePanel difference

Meeting supporters where they are

Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS joined GivePanel for one sole purpose: running a Facebook Challenge. They recognized the difficulties of managing such an event through the Facebook platform alone. Because of our partnership with creative agency Elevate Fundraising, the non-profit trusted GivePanel to support their efforts.

Michaela noted two key areas of the GivePanel platform that the team found invaluable during their Marathon in a Month campaign:

• Communication: The ease of communicating with supporters was “fantastic.” Michaela believes they couldn’t have managed this using Facebook alone.
• Reporting: The reporting functions allowed the team to stay up-to-date and reactive throughout the entire campaign.

When asked if they would recommend Facebook Challenges, Michaela replied: “I certainly would, and I have… if you’re willing to put the time into stewarding those fundraisers and have the right platforms, you can really see some amazing returns.”great results.”

Final thoughts

Top tips from Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS

Having run a successful Facebook Challenge pilot, the Ronald McDonald House Charities GWS team is planning to continue with the social media income stream and have another two Challenges planned for 2023.

We asked them what their 3 top tips are for introducing Facebook Challenges to your nonprofit: 

1. Do your research into the current market and understand what other charities are doing through channels such as GivePanel webinars. 
2. Have a working knowledge of Facebook and make sure your Giving Tools are turned on.
3. Get the buy-in from your team and stress the importance of those small touch points that make all the difference to your supporter experience.