Social Networks Prove to Be Valuable Fundraising Tool

Years ago, before social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, blogging and even e-mail were around, fundraising relied on old-fashion footwork, phone calls and flyers.

That's not the case today obviously, and the proof is nowhere clearer than in the Pleasanton Unified School District in California. The short story is familiar: budget cuts due to economics would impact educational programming big time and ultimately affect the students' experience. There was also a short time frame to take action due to fiscal calendar requirements with school district money.

So a group of parents went to the Web in a big way, creating Facebook pages, Web sites and an e-mail campaign that resulted in $463,000 being raised that was used to hire back reading teachers and fund an elementary band program.

As Andrew Ballenthin writes in his Community Marketing Blog , what took place is a great example of "social media collaboration."

From Ballenthin's note on his LinkedIn account about the effort, writer David Prior, at Social Magnet, then picked up on it and told the story and the power of social connectivity continued.

As Prior noted, the word "inspirational" doesn't do justice to what the parents did in a short time, or how Facebook can have the power to change lives and enhance lives.

Photo courtesy of Social Magnet