Let’s talk about scale: 37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes. That’s about 1 in 10 Americans. And with an estimated 71.43% of internet users in the US using Facebook regularly, the ADA knew the impact the platform could have if used intentionally.
But despite the prevalence of the disease, the ADA found it challenging to gain ground with Facebook fundraising because of limited access to resources and meaningful data.
What they wanted: a long-term, full-picture fundraising solution that is repeatable and scalable.
The American Diabetes Association partnered with GoodUnited to host a Walk With Your Pet Challenge on Facebook—a virtual month-long event encouraging participants to fundraise through activity logging, support/tips, milestones, and Group conversations. Within two weeks, they surpassed initial revenue expectations; so when GoodUnited suggested investing more, ADA said, “Let’s do it.”
An increase in spend resulted in a significant ROI, as well as more leads, more donations, more revenue, and more data. And not just any “data.” A treasure trove of data—over 100 data fields of loot that allows the ADA to segment and personalize experiences for their supporters with the ultimate goal of driving repeat action.
Because of the success they saw with this Challenge, ADA committed to more. And while the numbers look different for their second go-round, success is defined differently as well: “With each challenge, we build up another group of committed social media supporters and donors for us. So while the immediate return may not be as significant as the first, it will help build up our capabilities for future Challenges.” (Erik Anderson, Managing Director, Individual Fundraising)
Funds raised from their social strategy help to provide:
Free insulin for those who need it
More diabetes prevention programs
Ongoing advocacy (hats off to ADA for helping to pass the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, implementing a copay cap on insulin)
All of this represents lives made better through data science + human judgment.
The American Diabetes Association’s mission is simple: to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all those affected. It is the world’s largest organization dedicated to this cause, and it leads the fight by:
Funding research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes
Delivering services to hundreds of communities
Providing objective and credible information
Giving voice to those who experience medical discrimination
