Nonprofits Success Stories

Raise awareness for charity: water

CHALLENGE

Spread the word about an important issue: the world’s clean water shortage

SOLUTION

Engage Twitter followers in an innovative fashion to raise funds and drive the conversation about a good cause

RESULTS

  • charity: water’s founder, Scott Harrison (@scottharrison), used a September birthday campaign to raise an extraordinary $965,000 for clean water efforts
  • By highlighting the campaign on Twitter, it went viral, and the organization was selected as the first recipient of the Global Twestival. As a result, Twitter users raised another $250,000 to dig clean-water wells in Ethiopia, Uganda and India
  • In just over three years, charity: water raised more than $15 million, enough to bring clean, safe drinking water to more than 1 million people

Objective

Build awareness about the lack of clean drinking water in many areas of the world.

Strategy

Scott Harrison, who was inspired to found the organization charity: water after a life-changing trip to Liberia in West Africa, emerged onto the Twitter scene in 2008. His catchy videos that featured upper-crust Manhattanites filling bottles with filthy water from Central Park quickly captured the public’s attention and showcased his vision: Getting drinking water to people who live in areas without access to a clean supply. Now the account has more than 1.4 million followers.

Charity: water (@charitywater) employs a creative strategy around their campaigns to attract Twitter followers and build a network of clean water activists and supporters:

Many of their Tweets feature links to sites where followers can donate, with photos that emphasize the personal nature of their cause:

They also personalize their Tweets with beautiful and iconic pictures of the work they do to bring clean water to remote areas. A photo of the day reminds their followers of the charity’s important goals:

Most importantly, charity: water personalizes the Twitter experience for their followers:

And finally, a thank-you to their followers, who are instrumental in meeting the organization’s goals and bringing clean drinking water to the people:

Key takeaways

  1. Nonprofits can use Twitter to bond with followers and increase awareness for global issues with photos and videos
  2. Promote your fundraising campaigns on Twitter and enable followers to spread the word about your important cause