How To Add A Fundraiser To An Instagram Reel

If there's one thing social media platforms are great for, it's putting eyes on things that are important to you. Whether it's your business, your daily life, or your other interests, the best way to reach a wide audience is by regularly posting photos, videos, and stories online. These days, one of the most popular platforms to do all that on is Instagram.

One of the media-sharing platform's biggest draws to date is its Reels features. In the summer of 2022, Instagram announced that it will turn any video post into a Reel, giving users access to a wider editing suite and allowing them to unleash their creativity through their clips. On top of that, Instagram users with a penchant for philanthropy and engaging in charitable work were also given a way to pay it forward easily by adding the ability to create fundraisers and share them through an Instagram Reel.

A myriad of non-profit organizations have been vetted and approved by Meta — Instagram's parent company — to use its in-house tools and payment services to initiate fundraisers. Those who support these non-profits can personally raise money through Instagram on the group's behalf, provided that the organization they are choosing to support is based in a country or region that's allowed to utilize Instagram's fundraising tools. Meta will cover all processing fees for any donations the non-profits receive through your fundraising pursuits.

Any fundraiser you create to support your chosen cause will be active through your Instagram profile for 30 days, during which you should have the ability to share it through all types of Instagram posts, including Reels. Instagram users were previously allowed to raise money for a personal cause, like themselves or acquaintances in financial need. However, to date, that feature is no longer available. You can only solicit donations for verified non-profit groups of your choosing.

The ability to initiate a fundraiser on an Instagram Reel is not available through the desktop platform. To add one, you must first create a post to attach it to, through the Instagram app. After you create the reel, make all your desired edits to it, hit Next to get to the "Write a caption" page, and follow these steps:

1. Add your desired caption.
2. Tap "Add fundraiser."
3. Select a non-profit you'd like to support. You can use the search bar to look one up by name or sort by category.
4. The "Add fundraiser" field should be replaced with "Edit fundraiser" once you select a group. Tap it again to set fundraising goals.

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This should bring you to the Fundraiser Details page, where you can do things like specify a title or description for your fundraising effort as well as a goal amount in your chosen currency. You also have the option to invite collaborators to join you in your donation drive. They will need to accept the invite to be linked to your fundraiser, and you should be notified through the app if they do.

When you're satisfied with any changes you've made, tap Done to go back to your Reel's editing page. Here, you can apply additional information to your Instagram reel by tagging people, adding topics, and specifying a location, to name some. Once everything looks good, hit Share. You can still make changes to a live fundraiser at a later time. Also, note that your fundraiser's visibility will rely on your Instagram settings and whether you have your profile set to private or public.

You can start a fundraising effort by creating any type of Instagram post and attaching one to it via the editing page. When you navigate to your profile page and tap the "+" icon in the top-right corner, you can also directly start one by hitting "Fundraiser" and following onscreen prompts to finalize the project. Once a fundraiser is live, you can share it in various parts of the platform. Here's how you can do it via an Instagram Reel:

1. Create your Reel.
2. Apply your desired edits and effects.
3. Tap Next until you get to the "Write a caption" page.
4. Type out your desired caption in the text field.

Once you're on the caption page, you should be able to find your fundraiser as a location. Simply tap "Add location" and look for the fundraiser you want to share. When you find it, tap the toggle next to the fundraiser title and hit Share. The ability to share a fundraiser on an Instagram Reel is only available through the iPhone or Android Instagram app.

The default duration of any Instagram fundraiser is set at 30 days. However, you have the option of ending it early or extending it beyond 30 days on top of making any modifications to your fundraiser's details. Here's how to do it via the Instagram mobile app:

1. Go to your profile page.
2. Tap the hamburger icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select "Settings and privacy."
4. Scroll down to the "Your orders and fundraisers" section and tap Fundraisers.
5. Select the fundraiser you'd like to modify.
6. Hit the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.

On this page, you can do a variety of changes, such as editing your fundraiser's info and making changes to your goal amount. Make sure you hit Save to confirm any modifications. As well, you can select "Extend for 30 days" to make your fundraiser active for a longer time period or tap "End fundraiser early" to finalize your solicitations before the 30 days are up. 

You can also choose "Delete fundraiser" at any time. When you confirm the action by tapping "Delete fundraiser" again, your chosen non-profit should receive all donations that have been received, but future donations will no longer go through. Like the option to end a fundraiser early, deleting one is an irreversible action.

You will need to view the Instagram Reel featuring the fundraiser you'd like to support through the mobile app. Here's how you can donate to a cause shared through an Instagram Reel:

1. Open the Reel associated with the fundraiser you'd like to support. You can do so by tapping on the Reel in your main feed or by searching for the user and opening the Reel through their profile page.
2. Hit the fundraiser name or Donate.
3. Tap donate again.
4. Enter the monetary amount you'd like to contribute.

You have the option of modifying the visibility of your donation to the fundraiser. Choose Hidden so only the fundraiser creator and the non-profit can see your donation. Select "Username only" if you want only your handle to be visible and only your followers to know that you supported the cause in question. Finally, you can opt for "Username and amount" to show both. Note that only your followers will see your donation. Once you're ready, tap Donate to finalize your contribution.