Web platforms to get in front of small donors?
August 7, 2024 9:10 AM
I know of someone who collects small donations, and then uses them to make bulk purchases to benefit others. (A classic mutual aid move.)
In the past they used Twitter for outreach during an annual "campaign" to maximize their buying power -- but Twitter is no longer popular with the kind of people who are sympathetic to the recipients.
Are there good alternatives for reaching givers, to replace Twitter?
This person has a friend, to whom donors directly send donations via PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp. The friend then sends the pooled funds to our "shopper," who uses them to buy useful stuff. (Yes, it relies on trust, but that hasn't been a barrier in the past for people who understand the principle of mutual aid.)
They used to do this once a year before Black Friday, and buy tons of stuff for their beneficiaries. Now, with fewer donors, they can't do this "big bang" and so just help out one or two families a month.
It would be great to find a new way to get visibility for these efforts.
(ObDisc: I have no connection to this person besides having sent them money in the past, and wanting to help them do good.)
This person has a friend, to whom donors directly send donations via PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp. The friend then sends the pooled funds to our "shopper," who uses them to buy useful stuff. (Yes, it relies on trust, but that hasn't been a barrier in the past for people who understand the principle of mutual aid.)
They used to do this once a year before Black Friday, and buy tons of stuff for their beneficiaries. Now, with fewer donors, they can't do this "big bang" and so just help out one or two families a month.
It would be great to find a new way to get visibility for these efforts.
(ObDisc: I have no connection to this person besides having sent them money in the past, and wanting to help them do good.)
An earlier direct-ish replacement to Twitter was Mastodon. It's still relatively popular for non-Twitter/Facebook/Instagram social media. It peaked during the boycott Twitter days just after Elon bought it (2022).
...but Twitter is no longer popular with the kind of people who are sympathetic to the recipients.
Can you give us some of idea of what "kind of people" you mean? I get the presumable assumption of left-leaning, but anything else? What kind of demographic besides politics? Age for example? I'm likely in a demographic that's generally sympathetic and donation-giving (I've donated on GoFundMe more than a handful of times, both for people I know and people I don't know). But I'm also approaching 50 and Ask MeFi is about it for social media for me, other than fighting with an occasional company on Twitter. So where would you find me? Um... email, I guess? I have a reddit account, but don't really participate, same with Facebook and Twitter (except the aforementioned when a company messes up my order/account). I'm also on Mastodon, I think, but I haven't used it in almost a year?
By the way, feel free to MeFi Mail me, I'd love to try to help out.
posted by Meldanthral at 10:29 AM on August 7
...but Twitter is no longer popular with the kind of people who are sympathetic to the recipients.
Can you give us some of idea of what "kind of people" you mean? I get the presumable assumption of left-leaning, but anything else? What kind of demographic besides politics? Age for example? I'm likely in a demographic that's generally sympathetic and donation-giving (I've donated on GoFundMe more than a handful of times, both for people I know and people I don't know). But I'm also approaching 50 and Ask MeFi is about it for social media for me, other than fighting with an occasional company on Twitter. So where would you find me? Um... email, I guess? I have a reddit account, but don't really participate, same with Facebook and Twitter (except the aforementioned when a company messes up my order/account). I'm also on Mastodon, I think, but I haven't used it in almost a year?
By the way, feel free to MeFi Mail me, I'd love to try to help out.
posted by Meldanthral at 10:29 AM on August 7
Can you give us some of idea of what "kind of people" you mean?
I mean compassionate, generous people -- as opposed to the Nazi, racist trash that comprises 90% of Twitter users in 2024.
The recipients are Native Americans in a depressed area. They are victims of systemic injustice, and not all people are sympathetic to that idea. *shrug* It's almost a litmus test.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:55 AM on August 7
I mean compassionate, generous people -- as opposed to the Nazi, racist trash that comprises 90% of Twitter users in 2024.
The recipients are Native Americans in a depressed area. They are victims of systemic injustice, and not all people are sympathetic to that idea. *shrug* It's almost a litmus test.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:55 AM on August 7
After seeing your follow-up: this kind of thing can work well on Instagram if someone already has an established account and reputation. I just donated to something similar-ish to this, based on a request that came through someone I already followed.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:21 AM on August 7
posted by bluedaisy at 11:21 AM on August 7
Tumblr
posted by Jacqueline at 7:56 PM on August 7
posted by Jacqueline at 7:56 PM on August 7
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posted by bluedaisy at 10:00 AM on August 7