Facebook Launches Site to Boost Nonprofits’ Use of Its Tools

Facebook unveiled a new website Thursday designed to help charities use its promotional tools, part of an ongoing effort by the social-media site to expand its integration into the nonprofit world.

The site, nonprofits.fb.com, guides users through the process of establishing a presence on Facebook, attracting users’ attention, and soliciting their support. It also showcases examples of how nonprofits have used Facebook to accomplish their goals. These charities include Breakthrough, a sexual-assault prevention nonprofit that used the social network to spread its message to college students, and Keep a Child Alive, an anti-AIDS charity that promoted its annual gala on Facebook.

Although the site does not introduce any new tools, it marks “the first time we’re launching this kind of website geared specifically to nonprofits,” said Chelsea Kohler, communications manager for Facebook.

The launch is the latest step Facebook has taken in its recent effort to expand charities’ use of its site. It comes on the heels of a November 2015 announcement about a new Facebook donate button and a new fundraising tool that allows nonprofits to promote their campaigns and track money raised.

In September 2015, Facebook announced the creation of its Social Good team, which supports users’ efforts to use the platform to do charitable work. The company said in a news release that it is “committed to building tools and products to better equip this community to do even more good on our platform.”