Social media is a powerful way to bring people together, and we know Instagram is a key platform for powerful visual storytelling. With 2+ billion monthly active users, Instagram is a clear place for nonprofits and individuals to share their stories, connect with supporters, and raise money for what’s important to them. Interestingly, as per Nonprofit Tech for Good’s 2025 Online Fundraising Statistics for Nonprofits, 12% of online donors have donated to a nonprofit through Instagram, and of those, 83% say they will do so again
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to use Instagram for fundraising, from setting up the basics to crafting effective strategies and tapping into the latest features.
- Engage your Instagram followers by starting a fundraising campaign today!
Table of Contents
What Is Instagram Fundraising?
As the name suggests, Instagram fundraising is the process of raising money for your organisation/cause via Instagram. This excellent feature allows you to compel your online audience to contribute to a good cause. Nonprofit organisations can add Instagram’s donate button to their profile and even to their reels. They can also enable this feature on their Instagram Live.
However, nonprofits must be eligible to enable this feature for fundraising on Instagram. They must enrol and get approved to use Meta’s charitable tools. Another thing to keep in mind is that you must have an Instagram business account to access this feature.
Instagram stories can be utilised by nonprofits to initiate campaigns and keep their supporters updated on the progress of ongoing campaigns. Expressing gratitude to donors and volunteers through post-tagging or thank-you letters is another effective strategy that enhances social proof.
Create a Fundraiser for Free – Use Instagram to tell your story.
Instagram Fundraising Best Practices for Nonprofits
Setting up Instagram fundraising requires a few initial steps:
1. Have a Facebook Page for Your Cause
Instagram fundraising is managed via Meta. You’ll need to link your Instagram to a verified Facebook page for your nonprofit or personal fundraiser.
2. Switch to a Business or Creator Account
This includes Instagram Insights and the ability to promote. It also enables features such as contact buttons, advanced analytics, and donation integration.
3. Sign Up for Meta’s Charitable Giving Tools
Nonprofits that are eligible must be registered and approved by Meta to be able to access donation tools. Once approved, your organization will be displayed as a verified nonprofit when people search to donate directly on the Instagram Stories and Live fundraising sticker.
4. Add a Donation Sticker to Your Instagram Stories
Once approved, you can then use donation stickers in your Stories. These interactive stickers enable your followers to back your fundraiser without leaving the app.
5. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Peer-to-peer fundraising has helped millions of people not only raise more funds but also increase their donor network. Peer-to-peer fundraising acts as a chain or network that enables you to reach more people individually. You can use Instagram fundraising ideas for the same. You can simply share your fundraiser with people you know and also ask them to share the same on their stories, or just send it to their friends and family.
Optimize Your Instagram Bio for Fundraising
If you already have a charity fundraiser, add it to your Instagram bio and let everyone visit. This can be a great way to have more people see your online fundraiser and donate.:
- A compelling CTA (e.g., “Support our mission – Donate now!”)
- A trackable link to your WhyDonate campaign or a Linktree
- Highlight sections like “Fundraisers,” “Our Work,” or “Impact”
Branded profile photo and story covers for a professional appearance
Fundraising Compliance on Instagram
Prior to creating any Instagram fundraising for nonprofits, it’s critical that you remain compliant with Meta’s policies for long-term success and to ensure that you retain supporters’ trust.
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Check Your Eligibility with Meta Charitable Giving Tools
You have to be an approved nonprofit in a supported country to have access to Instagram’s donation feature. Please make sure you have a legally registered organization and meet the location requirements.
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Make Sure Your Content Follows Meta’s Fundraising Guidelines
Avoid misleading statements, prohibited content, or unverified claims. Review Meta’s guidelines carefully to prevent your campaign from being restricted or removed.
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Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Account Security
This protects your nonprofit’s Instagram account from unauthorized access or hacking.
It’s a simple yet crucial step to safeguard your followers’ trust and your data.
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Be Transparent with Fund Usage to Build Trust
Clearly state how donations will be used in your posts, bio, or Stories. Transparency fosters credibility and increases the likelihood of repeat donations.
Instagram Fundraising Tools & Features
Instagram has a number of features to help you fundraise for non-profits simply and effectively. All of these tools empower nonprofits to gain visibility, connect on an emotional level with donors, and simplify the donation process.
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Donation Stickers
Add Donation Stickers to Instagram Stories so that followers can contribute without leaving the app. Add your own fundraising message to these stickers! They work particularly well for timely campaigns or awareness days.
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Instagram Live Fundraisers
As per Source: For nonprofits, livestream fundraising is booming, with platforms (including Instagram) seeing year-over-year growth rates of 54% for fundraising events.
Host live sessions and receive real-time donations. You can use this feature to showcase your work in action, interview beneficiaries or donors, and engage with followers in a personal and authentic way.
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Collaborative Posts
Work with other creators or allies to help spread your message. These shared updates show up in both feeds, which means you can reach a larger audience. It also helps attract new followers to your campaign, especially if you partner with influencers or local ambassadors.
If your nonprofit sells merchandise, you can link it directly. Revenue can be directed to your cause with each purchase, and you can tag products in either posts or Stories for a smooth user experience.
Use Instagram Reels for Awareness
Instagram Reels provide a highly visible way to share short, fun content. Leverage trending audio, behind-the-scenes footage, or impact testimonials to catch the eye.
With their wide reach and algorithmic boost, reels can help bring the cause to people who don’t already follow you. They are great for emotional storytelling, campaign teasers, or progress updates.
Build a Strategic Instagram Fundraising Plan
Don’t just post randomly, develop a clear strategy:
- Establish your fundraising objectives (awareness, conversion, donations over time)
- Plan out stories, posts, and reels. Create a schedule for what story or post will go up on what day.
- Alternate between emotional storytelling, updates, and donor appreciation
- Include CTAs in every post (e.g., “Donate via link in bio”)
Use Instagram Insights to Measure Performance
Instagram Insights provides essential information you need to monitor the success of your Instagram fundraiser. You can then refine this process and ensure it’s engaging the audience more effectively over time by monitoring the performance of your content.
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Engagement (likes, shares, comments)
This reveals how well your content resonates with your audience. High engagement indicates a strong emotional connection and increases your content’s visibility through the algorithm.
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Profile Visits and Website Clicks
These metrics reveal the number of people who take action after seeing your posts. Thousands of profile visits or link clicks can signal great CTAs or high-performing campaigns.
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Story Performance and Sticker Taps
Keep tabs on the number of views, exits, and interactions for your Stories and donation stickers. If you have a lot of users tapping these donation stickers, your Story design and messaging are effective.
Optimize your Content Strategy – Build upon what’s working – Concentrate on copying/adjusting or outright deleting what’s not doing the job.
Partner With Influencers and Ambassadors
Influencer partnerships help you reach new audiences. You can:
- Work with micro-influencers who are passionate about your cause.
- Ask them to host Lives or tag your organization in Stories
- Offer fundraising challenges or giveaways to encourage shares
This builds credibility and multiplies reach.
Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)
Allow your community to be your voice. This trust is born from user-generated content sharing, which enables you to expand reach and adds authenticity to your Instagram fundraising campaigns.
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Create Branded Hashtags for Your Campaign
This helps organize all related posts and makes it easier for new supporters to join in. Branded hashtags also increase discoverability and give your campaign a recognizable identity.
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Encourage Donors to Share Stories and Tag Your Account
Request your supporters to post why they donated or how they are connected to the cause. This adds much-needed emotional gravity and also gets the other donors on board.
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Repost Supporter Content to Build Momentum and Social Proof
Sharing real voices and testimonials strengthens your credibility. It also makes donors feel appreciated and that they will be more likely to continue to support your mission.
Start Fundraising On Instagram With WhyDonate
WhyDonate makes it easy to create a fundraising campaign that you can link directly in your bio or stories. Start Your Fundraising Campaign today and start reaching donors through Instagram’s vast audience.
FAQs related to Instagram Fundraising
Q. How to start a fundraiser on Instagram?
A. To start a fundraiser on Instagram, follow these steps:
- Tap the “+” icon at the top right of your screen and select “Post”. Choose an image that represents your cause and tap “Next”.
- Under your image, tap “Add Fundraiser”.
- Search for and select the nonprofit organization you want to support.
- Fill in the required details such as title, description, and fundraising goal. Tap “Done” when finished.
- Finally, tap “Share” to publish your fundraiser on your feed. It will also be available in your bio for 30 days, with an option to extend it.
Q. How to add a fundraiser to Instagram bio?
A. To add a fundraiser to your Instagram bio, follow these steps:
- Tap the “+” at the top-right corner of the screen and select “Fundraiser.”
- Choose a charity from the search bar.
- Fill out your fundraiser details.
- Craft a compelling description that tells your story.
- Tap “Share Fundraiser” to add your fundraiser to your bio and grid and share it with your followers’ feed.
Q. How to remove fundraiser from Instagram bio?
A. To remove a fundraiser from your Instagram bio, follow these steps:
- On your profile page, tap on “Edit Profile.”
- Scroll down to the “Public Business Information” section.
- Tap on the fundraiser you want to remove.
- Tap the three-dot menu icon (⋮) on the fundraiser’s details page in the top-right corner.
- From the options that appear, select “Remove Fundraiser.”
Q. Does Instagram take a percentage of fundraisers?
A. Instagram covers all the processing fees associated with the transaction. This ensures that the total donation amount goes directly to the designated nonprofit.
Q. Can you share a Facebook fundraiser on Instagram?
A. You can add a link to your Facebook fundraiser to your Instagram bio.
