10 Helpful Facebook & LinkedIn Groups for Nonprofits
Do you want to go beyond Google’s top search results and learn the latest trends and conversations while making educated decisions for your nonprofit? Nonprofit groups on Facebook and LinkedIn have become the go-to place for professionals seeking to engage with nonprofits who they look up to. These groups offer a space where you can speak to people on a wide array of topics, recruit volunteers, find authentic donors, and raise funds. Many well-known nonprofits have employed social media tactics to network and achieve marketing and fundraising goals.
In this blog, we will cover:
- Differences between LinkedIn and Facebook nonprofit groups
- Highlight 5 Facebook and LinkedIn groups you must know
- Share best practices to boost engagement in nonprofit groups
Are you ready to join these groups and leverage them to further your nonprofit’s mission? Let’s start.
Understanding the difference between LinkedIn and Facebook nonprofit groups
Facebook and LinkedIn offer different value propositions for nonprofits. Understanding these differences and comparing your needs and expectations against their features are essential exercises you need to cover.
Here is the comparison between the scope of Facebook and LinkedIn for nonprofits.
- Professional network vs. community network: LinkedIn is a professional networking site that connects professionals in a given industry, whereas Facebook is a more broad social networking site that caters to people of all backgrounds. This implies that nonprofit organizations trying to engage with industry experts may find LinkedIn more useful, but those looking to establish a more diversified group of supporters may prefer Facebook.
- Purpose: Nonprofit organizations often use LinkedIn to connect with other professionals, create partnerships, and recruit volunteers with certain skill sets, but Facebook is more generally used for community building and supporting social concerns. For example, LinkedIn may be more beneficial for a nonprofit seeking to work with corporations or businesses, but Facebook may be a better platform for spreading awareness and connecting with a larger audience.
- Content: LinkedIn groups tend to be more focused on exchanging industry-specific news, research, and job ads. Nonprofits may use LinkedIn to distribute articles on industry trends, best practices, and their own organization's news and activities. Facebook groups are increasingly diverse, with NGOs utilizing them to share stories, updates, and personal tales in order to foster a feeling of community and engage their supporters.
- Engagement: Professional networking and discussions are common forms of engagement on LinkedIn nonprofit groups. Members of these groups may ask questions or offer thoughts on specialized topics. In contrast, activity on Facebook nonprofit groups can take on a more informal and social tone, with supporters contributing images, videos, and personal stories relevant to the cause.
- Visibility: While both platforms allow NGOs to interact with potential supporters and sponsors, LinkedIn is more typically used by professionals and companies, whereas Facebook is utilized by a larger population. Nonprofits wanting to create alliances or communicate with professionals in their industry may find LinkedIn more effective, but those seeking to promote awareness and attract a larger spectrum of supporters may find Facebook more valuable.
Here’s a helpful comparison to understand the difference between LinkedIn and Facebook groups;
Top 5 nonprofit Facebook groups you must join
These groups are free, private, and active. They have nonprofit professionals from around the world helping peers with technical and management bottlenecks. Let’s take a look at some of the top Facebook groups you must join as a nonprofit professional.
- Nonprofit Communications Professionals
This group is specifically helpful for nonprofit communication professionals who want to explore new aspects of communication and technology and learn more about marketing techniques.
About the Administrator: This group is administered by Caroline Sanchez Avakian, Director of Strategic Communications, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.
- Karma Community for Nonprofits.
An exclusive community for philanthropic leaders who need access to free informational resources related to nonprofits, weekly Q&A sessions on volunteering, expert-led webinars, and much more.
About the Administrator: This group is administered by Goodera, the world’s leading employee volunteering platform. Goodera enables nonprofits to create a sustainable impact by providing access to global corporate volunteers, corporate donations, and knowledge resources.
- Your Thriving Nonprofit
Your Thriving features relevant conversations on a range of topics that are helpful for new as well as established nonprofits. You can learn about general management strategies and best practices on how to boost fundraising techniques and attract a wider audience.
About the Administrator: This group is administered by Joan Garry, Founder of Nonprofit Leadership Lab – an online program crafted and curated for nonprofit leaders who want to expand their knowledge, gain professional skills, and lead a thriving nonprofit.
- Nonprofit for Newbies
This nonprofit group is specifically designed for new nonprofits looking for knowledge and resources to expand and communicate their vision to the world. You will get to ask all your questions in a judgment-free zone where your peers will be ready to help and support you.
About the Administrator: This group is administered by Gloria (Gigi) Lawrence, Founder of Nonprofit for Newbies – a consultancy that helps nonprofits start their journey and develop through guidance and support.
- Nonprofits Happy Hour
Happy Hour is governed by Nonprofit AF, the most active international nonprofit community. This group offers a professional forum for individuals to learn about the best practices in nonprofit management and thrive on peer engagement.
About the Administrator: This group is administered by Vu Le, Founder, and Blogger at Nonprofit AF – a blog page that covers topics relevant to the nonprofit community. Vu is known for his great sense of humor.
Top 5 nonprofit LinkedIn groups you must join
Through LinkedIn groups, you can engage with leaders working in philanthropy to think through issues or discuss strategies. Before spending more time searching for new groups or filtering through discussions, check out 5 nonprofit LinkedIn groups that we swear by;
- The Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Chronicle of Philanthropy group is helpful for individuals who want to connect with nonprofit professionals, learn about new job openings in the nonprofit community and keep themselves updated with the latest conversations in this field.
About the Administrator: This group is owned by Joshua Hatch, Director of Digital Platforms and Audience at The Chronicle of Higher Education – an online magazine that publishes information and job opportunities relevant to people involved in academia.
- Non-Profit Marketing
Non-Profit Marketing is dedicated to sharing marketing services that are helpful for nonprofits. You will find frequent discussions on topics related to social media promotion, direct marketing, digital engagement, public relations, etc.
About the Administrator: This group is owned by Carrie Ward (Montagna), Senior Manager, Campaign Strategy and Management, at Change Healthcare. She has over two decades of experience in B2B, B2C, and nonprofit marketing and communications and believes in helping purpose-driven organizations.
- Development and Fundraising Professionals
This group is administered by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and covers topics on fundraising and donation. The members of Development and Fundraising Professionals include philanthropists and nonprofit professionals who are keen on sharing and discussing ideas related to fundraising.
About the Administrator: This group is run by Joshua Hatch, Director of Digital Platforms and Audience at The Chronicle of Higher Education – an online magazine that publishes information and job opportunities relevant to people involved in academia.
- Nonprofit & Philanthropy Jobs, Powered by ImpactFlow
Nonprofit & Philanthropy Jobs is administered by ImpactFlow and offers a strong community to individuals who are either seeking a job in the nonprofit or philanthropy sector or looking to recruit in the same.
About the Administrator: This group is owned by Tyler Foreman, Founder and CEO at ImpactFlow – an online platform that supports event management, ticketing, and promotion through an inbuilt marketplace.
- Nonprofit Governance
Nonprofit Governance is hosted by BoardSource, a national organization devoted to nonprofit board leadership. The group aims to increase engagement among peers in the nonprofit community and develop new ideas and goals in the field of nonprofit governance.
About the Administrator: This group is run by Liz Y., Director of Digital Marketing and Communications, and Andrew Davis, Associate Vice President of Education and Outreach at BoardSource – a nonprofit management organization that runs on the vision of creating future-ready leaders for nonprofit governance and board membership.
Wait, there’s more!
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Talk to our team and learn how Goodera and its extensive volunteer base can help empower your beneficiaries.
