How to Fundraise with YouTube Giving

Let’s look at the numbers. There are over 2+ billion users on YouTube, which is a whopping one-third of all users on the internet. Additionally, YouTube reaches more people aged 18-34 than any TV Network out there, and one billion hours of Youtube are watched DAILY. Have we convinced you to get your nonprofit on YouTube yet? Not only is this a great platform to share your video content with your community, but youtube fundraising can help get donations!

What Is YouTube Giving?

According to Google, “YouTube Giving is a fundraising tool that helps creators raise money for eligible nonprofit organizations directly from their videos and live streams.” YouTube noticed a trend amongst the creator community of urging viewers to support certain causes that they felt most passionate about, so YouTube decided to create YouTube Giving. Now eligible creators can add a donate button to their videos to encourage viewers to give while staying on the YouTube platform.

Eligibility

To be eligible to fundraise using YouTube Giving, the creator/nonprofit must reside in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada, have at least 10k subscribers, be a part of the YouTube Partner Program, and be a channel that is not designated for children. Although that may sound limiting, YouTube does plan to expand the eligibility of this program in the future. 

To be eligible to receive money from a YouTube Giving fundraiser, a nonprofit must be a registered 501(c)(3) Public Charity, be opted into online fundraising via GuideStar, and follow YouTube’s community guidelines regarding monetization. YouTube actually covers all transaction fees, so the nonprofit receiving the donation will get 100% of the funds.

How To Donate Via YouTube Giving

Learning how to set up youtube giving is the first step to adding youtube fundraising to your marketing strategy. Creators will have a donate button displayed next to their videos or on their live streams. Viewers simply need to click on the button and they will be prompted to select the donation amount and payment method. An additional way a viewer can donate is via Live Chat Donations. This feature has replaced “Super Chat for Good,” which was the first feature to extend charitable donations to causes.

During a live stream, a creator can activate live chat, which will allow viewers to see a donate button in the chat that looks like heart-shaped hands. To donate, all the viewer needs to do is select the icon, select their donation amount and choose a payment method. These types of donations have the option to be public or anonymous so others in the chat will be able to see who donated.

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How To Fundraise On YouTube

There are a couple of different ways a nonprofit itself can raise money and implement youtube fundraising. Let’s dive in! 

Fundraise on Your Own Channel

If your nonprofit is eligible, you can add the Donate button to your videos and live streams. Not eligible? Don’t worry. 

If you are not eligible for YouTube Giving, your nonprofit can utilize end screens as a call to action with a link to an external donation page. End screens can be added to the last 5-20 seconds of your video. 

Donate to Yourself

Another way to fundraise is to become the creator yourself and produce strong engaging content that your audience will love. From there, donate the money you earn from views and ads. Be transparent with your audience that you plan on doing so, but be sure not to encourage them to click on more ads as this could violate YouTube’s policies that prevent fake engagement. 

How To Set Up A YouTube Giving Fundraiser

First, make sure your channel meets the eligibility requirements mentioned previously. Next, sign in to YouTube Studio, and choose “Monetization” from the menu on the left. From there, select “Giving,” then “Get Started,” and finally “Create a Fundraiser.” Select your nonprofit as the one you’d like to support, and follow the instructions to add more details about your fundraiser such as title, description, duration, and any goals you have. Lastly, you’ll want to post videos that will feature the Donate button and you can even plan on scheduling a live stream to encourage gifts.

Fundraiser Best Practices

Video content is incredibly effective at communicating your mission and evoking emotions. Use this to your advantage and create compelling videos to be shown as part of your YouTube Giving fundraiser. Types of videos you can create could be centered around awareness, education, impact, and/or appreciation. If you’re looking for ideas or inspiration for youtube videos to enhance fundraising, check out Charity Water, UNICEF, or Save the Children on YouTube. 

Tap into your network or consider influencer marketing strategies. If someone in your community has a large following on YouTube, consider partnering with them to support your nonprofit. If you don’t have anyone in your community as a potential partner, looking into influencer marketing could work for you. Reach out to creators that you feel embody the same values as your nonprofit, or one with the same audience you are looking to target. 

Let’s keep the momentum going, Happy Fundraising!

Karen Vela