While the majority of nonprofit organizations have a social media presence, only 45% of foundations use social media. The Foundation Center surveyed over 1,000 foundations across the U.S. to dig deeper into what’s trending with foundations and social media. My firm Rad Campaign had an opportunity to dig into the survey data and team up with the Foundation Center to produce an infographic that reveals some interesting trends. Check out the highlights below.
Which Types Of Foundations Are Using Social Media?
- 88% of community foundations
- 55% of corporate foundations
- 34% of family and independent foundations
What Social Media Channels Are Foundations Using?
Foundations that use social media prefer these channels:
- 65% use Facebook
- 40% use Twitter
- 32% use YouTube
71% of Foundations Have No Formal Social Media Strategy
Yes, you read that right – very few foundations have actually taken the time to develop a formal social media strategy. I found this statistic quite surprising and alarming because foundations are increasingly requiring grantees to use social media to raise awareness about their nonprofit organization and foster community. But how can foundations properly evaluate nonprofit’s social media usage, if the majority of foundations aren’t using social media themselves or don’t have a formal social media strategy?
Majority of Foundations Using Social Media Say It’s Useful
On a more positive note, 61% of the foundations using social media said that it’s been very useful or somewhat useful in furthering their work. And 74% said that social media is useful in furthering philanthropy.
The infographic also highlights foundations that are using social media effectively, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Woods Charitable Fund. Be sure and also check out the social media staffing survey data.
You can view the full infographic below or on Glasspockets.org.
Allyson Kapin