How a small team made a big impact through a skipping Facebook fundraising Challenge

Stroke Association, a prominent charity in the UK dedicated to supporting stroke survivors and advocating for quality care, took their fundraising efforts to new heights with their Skip for Stroke Facebook Challenge in February 2023.

Key results

Driving impact, making a difference

As a small team, they faced challenges both internally and externally but their dedication to innovation and community building resulted in an incredible amount raised. We caught up with Emily Higgins, New Product Development Manager for Stroke Association, to find out how they make Facebook Challenges work for them.

Set the scene

Who is Stroke Association?

Stroke Association is a prominent charity in the UK that provides comprehensive support to stroke survivors, advocating for quality care and investing in crucial research to help those affected rebuild their lives and access the best possible support.  

The team joined GivePanel in 2021 and keen to waste no time in their efforts to build a fundraising revenue stream, launched their first Facebook Challenge the following day. 

As a medium-sized charity with limited resources for digital fundraising, the Stroke Association had been primarily focused on in-person physical events. However, they had been trialing Facebook fundraising tests for about two years, gaining momentum internally to allocate more budget for digital fundraising. When it came to light (through using the GivePanel platform) that organic birthday fundraisers were raising approximately £100k annually, the team had a strong case for the platform to become a viable income stream.

Having run a number of successful Facebook Challenges since 2021, including two previous Skip for Stroke campaigns, and feeling confident that there was still appetite for a skipping Challenge in their audience, the team were ready to launch a new campaign and put their learnings to the test. 

The challenge

Skip for Stroke 2023

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

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

This case study highlights a successful iteration of a long-running event, demonstrating adaptation to market pressures. I will rewrite this summary, focusing on concise sentences and clear strategic takeaways, as well as including an appropriate continuation of the narrative.

🧠 Stroke Association: $\mathbf{5}$ Key Takeaways from the $\text{2023}$ Skip for Stroke Challenge

Stroke Association wanted to continue their successful skipping-based Facebook Challenges. They welcomed a new digital officer who brought fresh ideas to their advertising strategy. They were ready to launch Skip for Stroke 2023.

Here are five things you need to know about their strategic Challenge execution:

1. Cost of Living & Strategy

Stroke Association acknowledged the potential recruitment challenges posed by the cost of living crisis in the U.K. To combat this, the team managed internal expectations carefully. Crucially, they devised a new advertising strategy. This approach focused heavily on community building rather than simply asking for funds.

2. Strategic Timing

The team chose a February start date. This capitalized on New Year’s Resolution thinking. It also tapped into the nostalgia of the festive season, which ties well to skipping. A key success was their decision to begin advertising at the end of December. They saw a marked increase in leads joining the group immediately.

3. Advertising & Creative Testing

For their Facebook ads, Stroke Association used incentive-led imagery and cause-led copy. They found that a standard image of shoes alongside the skipping rope incentive performed best. In addition, they tested removing their logo from all creative, which resulted in better performing ads. The change from high to broad targeting resulted in similar demographics joining the Challenge.

4. Group Engagement & Moderation

The Association partnered with group moderation experts, Alderson Fundraising. This partnership helped them build a strong community. The community was dedicated to both participation and fundraising. Participant feedback responses doubled compared to the previous year. Emily credits Alderson Fundraising with this success, noting their ability to increase engagement and form close supporter relationships.

5. Incentives That Drive Action

The team provided every registration with a skipping rope as an incentive. This directly reduced barriers to participation (though they admit they ran out of ropes early!). In addition to the registration incentive, Stroke Association rewarded fundraisers who reached a certain target with a medal. They announced these rewards halfway through the Challenge. As a result, the team noticed a visible increase in fundraising as supporters aimed for the medal target.

Stroke Association’s Skip for Stroke Challenge in 2023 successfully incorporated innovative tests and new strategies. They optimized their resources and prioritized community engagement.

The GivePanel difference

Meeting supporters where they are

Stroke Association utilized GivePanel to transform their Facebook fundraising efforts and achieve remarkable results. By leveraging GivePanel’s features, Stroke Association were able to enhance their data capture and fundraising strategies, helping to position Facebook as a positive revenue income stream for the charity. 

One of the major achievements Stroke Association experienced with GivePanel was a significant increase in consent sign-ups through Facebook birthday fundraising. Previously, their consent sign-ups were at a modest 3% however, with GivePanel’s data capture capabilities, this number skyrocketed to an impressive 35%. This allowed Stroke Association to gather valuable data and engage with supporters in a more targeted and personalized manner, gaining approximately 3000 new supporters that wouldn’t have otherwise been reached. 

When it came to their Skip for Stroke Facebook Challenge, the team utilized a number of GivePanel features including: 

• Email journeys 
• Registration forms with 1-click Fundraiser Activation
• Data capture to claim Gift Aid and build their supporter database 
• On-page messaging templates and labeling 

By using GivePanel, the small team have been able to effectively resource a Facebook Challenge, as Emily notes:

And if that wasn’t enough, the team recently celebrated raising over one million pounds through Facebook fundraising since joining GivePanel. The significant milestone is testament to their success with Facebook Challenges, including Skip for Stroke 2023.

Final thoughts

Testing in the Facebook fundraising world

Unsurprisingly, Stroke Association is continuing with Facebook fundraising and Challenges and the team are excited to explore new opportunities for innovation. Their plans for testing new ideas and features include:

• The JustGiving integration for Facebook Challenges
• SMS as an additional communication channel 
• New Challenge activities including running and hula-hooping
• The inclusion of an achievement certificate for every Fundraiser 

And when asked if charities should invest in Facebook Challenges, Emily responds: 

In just two years, the fundraising team at Stroke Association has transformed a social media platform into a viable income stream for the nonprofit. Their dedication to innovation and supporter engagement means that they can continue to test, grow their community and raise vital funds for the organization.