Looking for more ways to support friends and strangers through these tough times? Instagram is testing a new method of raising money—for yourself or others—through personal fundraisers. Parent company Facebook introduced a similar system in 2017, and is now rolling out a trial to select Android Instagram users in the US, UK, and Ireland.
Since January, folks across the world have raised millions of dollars online for COVID-19 relief and racial justice events; in the last 30 days, donations on Instagram doubled in the US. "People are eager to mobilize around causes they care about," a company blog post said. "Now, we're making it easier to create fundraisers directly on Instagram that benefit such personal causes."
Those with early access to the feature can visit Edit Profile > Add Fundraiser > Raise Money to get started. Choose a photo, select a category, and add details that help tell your story and encourage others to get involved. Once you've entered your payment information, send the appeal off for review—a process to ensure all fundraisers are for "eligible causes."
Each campaign lasts an initial 30 days, but can be extended more than once for an additional 30 days, at the end of which the funds are transferred to your designated bank account. And while benefactors may choose to remain publicly anonymous, you will always be able to see their name and donation amount.
"We're continuing to look at new ways to help our community raise money for both charitable and personal causes in times of need," according to Instagram, which aims to expand the feature to more users (including those running iOS) and improve sharing via Feed and Stories.
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