Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Successful Facebook Community Engagement
Introduction
Norfolk Botanical Garden recently secured a $125,000 grant from the Chase Community Giving philanthropic program. The Garden achieved this by listening to its Facebook community and acting based on their input. This success highlights the power of social media in driving charitable efforts and shows how organizations can use online platforms to build strong, engaged communities.
Chase Community Giving Program
Chase, the retail banking division of JPMorgan Chase, runs the Chase Community Giving program. This initiative combines philanthropy and social media to support charities. For three years, the program has awarded $10 million to charities with operating budgets between one and ten million. Facebook users vote for their favorite charities by “liking” the Chase Community Giving page, which determines the recipients of the grants.
Norfolk Botanical Garden ranked in the top ten nationally in both rounds of voting, earning $125,000. If a panel of experts favors its proposal for using the additional funds, the garden could receive another half-million dollars.
Building the Facebook Community
Norfolk Botanical Garden spent over a year cultivating its Facebook community. As a result, more than 6,000 people “liked” the Garden’s official Facebook page. Another 6,000 “likes” came from the Eaglecam page, dedicated to the Garden’s eagle nest project.
The Garden staff discovered the Chase Community Giving program when they noticed community members discussing it on Facebook. After verifying the program’s legitimacy, they quickly mobilized support. They encouraged voting through social media posts, emails, and word of mouth.
Expanding the Voting Effort
As the voting rounds continued, Norfolk Botanical Garden reached even more people. Teachers involved with the Garden and the Eaglecam project shared the campaign with colleagues and students. Global eagle enthusiasts were also encouraged to vote, and local media outlets and businesses with Facebook pages got involved.
In the end, the Garden secured over 12,000 votes, significantly boosting its online presence and support worldwide.
The Power of Social Media for Charities and Businesses
This initiative has energized Norfolk Botanical Garden’s staff and supporters. It also offers important lessons for other charities and businesses. It shows how social media can help raise funds and engage with a community.
Businesses should take note of this success. Before the rise of social media, philanthropic efforts lacked such visibility and community engagement. Chase Community Giving reached nearly three million users who allowed Chase to place its logo on their personal Facebook pages. Using social media, Chase accessed millions of users and valuable data. These connections can build lasting engagement and foster customer loyalty.
Summary
Norfolk Botanical Garden’s success with Chase Community Giving proves the power of social media in charitable efforts. The Garden secured vital funding and global support by engaging its Facebook community. This case demonstrates that social media can be pivotal in philanthropy and business growth. Organizations looking to raise funds or build relationships can learn from this approach.