Riders in the 2019 Pan-Mass Challenge are increasingly using Facebook's peer-to-peer fundraising ... [+]
Having raised more than $654 million for cancer research since its inception in 1980, the Pan-Mass Challenge is described as the nation's single most successful athletic fundraiser — but this year, social media is bringing the annual ride through Massachusetts to an entirely new donor base.
In 2018, PMC riders were able to use Facebook's peer-to-peer fundraising tools for the first time, raising $51,000. But in 2019, improvements to the Facebook integration have led to a dramatic uptick in peer-to-peer donations: more than $1.2 million and counting, an increase of more than 2,300%.
“Since starting the PMC in 1980, we’ve worked to be innovative and lead on fundraising trends,” said Billy Starr, PMC Founder and Executive Director. “We were a pioneer of athletic fundraising and one of the first nonprofits to implement online peer-to-peer giving in 2000, but we continue to look for new ways to raise the bar as we grow."
"Our 100 percent pass-through rate is incredibly important to us and our community, which means each year we need to proactively reach new donors to ensure we’re able to maintain it," Starr added. "As we approach our 40th ride, integrating further with Facebook was a natural progression and it has paid off in dividends – nearly 50% of the 16,000+ Facebook donors are giving to the PMC for the first time.”
To make it easier for people and communities to raise money on Facebook, Facebook's free tools to help people collect donations and enable supporters to fundraise for nonprofits. Through Donate buttons on Pages, posts, and videos to nonprofit and birthday fundraisers, and the Fundraiser API, people can directly support the organizations they are passionate about.
Nonprofits using Facebook’s payment platform to process donations pay no fee — 100% of the donations go to the charity.
The 40th Annual Pan-Mass Challenge will take place on Aug. 3 & 4 in Massachusetts.
“The PMC is made up of a tight-knit group of 10,000+ riders and volunteers from around the world that have become family and return year after year to fundraise. When you’re looking to raise $60 million for cancer research through a single event, connections are key,” said Bill Alfano, PMC Director of Marketing and Sponsorship. “Facebook’s Fundraiser API allows our riders to reach friends, family, even acquaintances that they may not have otherwise asked for support. It allows for easy sharing across networks and exponentially increases their ability to solicit donations.”
Facebook itself points to PMC as a leader in its vision to increase peer-to-peer fundraising around the world.
“Our Fundraiser API tool is designed to make giving easy and efficient. The Pan-Mass Challenge case is a perfect example of the tool’s potential – it’s incredible to see an already thriving athletic fundraiser be taken to new heights by simply providing their community a streamlined way to raise money,” said Kendra Sinclair, Strategic Partner Manager on Facebook’s Social Impact team. “The success is remarkable – in just over one month, the PMC has not only dramatically increased its fundraising for cancer through Facebook compared to past years, but more importantly, they are reaching new donors that may not have otherwise given to the cause.”
According to PMC, athletic fundraisers overall experienced a 2.7% decline in donations in 2018. But PMC has seen the opposite effect, crediting their forward-thinking approach to social media over the years.
“Social media fundraising has endless potential for an organization like ours that is full of passionate, dedicated people looking to increase their impact,” said David Hellman, SVP Operations for PMC. “It’s been incredible to see how, by simply integrating with Facebook’s Fundraiser API, we’ve been able to dramatically increase the amount of money we’re raising through the channel – from $51,000 in all of 2018, to more than $1.2 million since the end of May and counting. It’s exciting to know we’re well on our way to reaching our $60 million goal in this milestone 40th year.”
The 40th Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a 192-mile bike-a-thon, will take place on Aug. 3 and 4. The PMC donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. More than 6,700 cyclists from 43 states and 10 countries ride each year, and there are over 4,000 volunteers.
Registration to either ride in, or volunteer at, the Pan-Mass Challenge closes on Monday, July 15.
