Facebook fundraisers have become an incredibly popular way for individuals and organizations to raise money for causes they care about. With the massive reach of the Facebook platform, fundraisers can quickly spread awareness and attract donations from friends, family, and broader networks. However, one common question for those organizing or donating to Facebook fundraisers is: how long does it take to actually get the money that is raised?
The Basics of Facebook Fundraisers
First, it’s helpful to understand the basic process of how Facebook fundraisers work:
- An individual or organization creates a fundraiser through their Facebook account, selecting a nonprofit to receive the funds.
- They set a fundraising goal amount and end date for their campaign.
- The fundraiser creator can spread the word to their network, sharing the fundraiser link to encourage donations.
- Friends and connections can donate directly through Facebook, with the funds going to the selected nonprofit.
- Facebook does not charge any fees for donations to nonprofits through fundraisers.
Once the end date passes or the goal is met, the fundraiser moves into a completion phase for processing the funds.
How Long Does it Take to Get Funds from a Facebook Fundraiser?
In general, most fundraisers can expect to see the money deposited within 5-10 business days after the campaign ends. However, the exact timeline can vary for a few reasons:
- The withdrawal method chosen – Direct bank transfer is fastest at 5-7 days, while check can take 10-15 days after campaign completion.
- Payment processing time – Dependent on the nonprofit’s payment settings and provider.
- Issues verifying the nonprofit – Facebook conducts a review process to verify valid 501(c)(3) status.
For bank transfers, it takes about 5-7 business days for the funds to process from Facebook to the nonprofit and then deposit into the organization’s bank account. Checks can take longer, as Facebook must mail the check to the nonprofit, which then needs to process and deposit it. Direct deposit into a verified bank account is generally the fastest option.
Why Funds Are Not Immediately Available
While some may expect that money from a fundraiser should be instantly accessible when a campaign ends, there are some important reasons this is not the case:
- Processing Times – Electronic payments take 1-5 business days to fully process between banks, even in 2023.
- Fraud Prevention – Facebook conducts reviews to prevent fraudulent or fake fundraisers.
- Verification – Nonprofit status must be checked to ensure donations are tax-deductible.
- Accuracy – Reviewing helps minimize errors in deposit amounts or bank account numbers.
The processing time allows careful review and Fraud prevention measures that are for the protection of both donors and nonprofit beneficiaries. It may take slightly longer, but these precautions help ensure your donated funds safely reach the intended cause.
Tips to Speed Up Receiving Fundraiser Money
While 5-10 business days is the standard timeline, there are some tips fundraiser organizers can follow to help expedite the process:
- Provide complete nonprofit verification upfront – Adding tax IDs, charity registration numbers, etc. can help facilitate review.
- Choose direct deposit to avoid mailing time – Bank transfers are significantly faster than paper checks.
- Make sure bank account details are accurate – Typos or errors can cause delays confirming deposit account.
- Add organization contacts as admins – Allows collaborators to help provide needed documentation.
- Follow up promptly on any requests – Responding quickly to any questions from Facebook can minimize delays.
Building a complete fundraiser profile and staying responsive to any requests from Facebook can help reduce the risk of issues that may slow the withdrawal process. Keeping your own records of donations and payout details can also help you track and follow up if payout seems delayed.
Is There Any Way to Get Funds Faster?
Unfortunately, there are not many options for expediting payout from Facebook fundraisers beyond the tips above. Some possibilities could include:
- Reaching out to contacts at Facebook – For very large or urgent fundraisers, personalized support may help troubleshoot delays.
- Following up more persistently – Repeatedly contacting Facebook support could draw attention to delayed payout issues.
- Requesting an early first payment – Partially withdrawing available funds if payout is significantly delayed.
However, most fundraisers will need to allow the standard timeline for withdrawals. Trying to rush the process too aggressively could even risk your fundraiser privileges if Facebook detects problematic behavior.
Special Cases and Exceptions
While the vast majority of Facebook fundraisers can expect a 5-10 day turnaround, there are some special cases where it may take longer:
- Verification issues – If nonprofit status cannot be fully verified initially, the review process may take 1-2 weeks.
- Very large fundraisers – Fundraisers raising over $100k may require additional identity verification steps.
- Fraud reviews – Suspicious activity could trigger a longer fraud investigation by Facebook before release.
- New organizations – Brand new nonprofits without an established presence may take longer to verify.
In these less common scenarios, turning to Facebook support, providing complete documentation promptly, and maintaining open communication can all help mitigate excessive delays.
What Happens if You Don’t Receive Expected Funds?
In cases where you have not received the expected fundraiser funds after the 10 business day timeline, some steps you can take include:
- Checking for notifications from Facebook – They may request additional information that is delaying payout.
- Contacting Facebook support – Clearly explain the issue and provide relevant fundraiser details.
- Following up if issues persist – Continue reaching out to Facebook periodically if still unresolved.
- Reporting concerns to leadership and donors – Transparency about delays can help manage expectations.
- Consulting legal counsel – If delays seem highly irregular, unfair, or unresolved.
Trouble receiving fundraiser proceeds after weeks beyond the normal timeline is very rare, but can happen. Persistent and calm follow up with Facebook, escalating concerns as needed, can help get resolution. Most cases are due to fixable issues like bank verification or incomplete nonprofit registration data.
Conclusion
In summary, most Facebook fundraisers can expect to gain access to the money raised within about one week to ten days after the end of the campaign. While not instant, this processing time allows important steps like fraud prevention reviews, verification of nonprofit status, and accurate transfer of funds. Following organizer best practices, maintaining open communication, and working diligently to address any issues can help minimize the chances of excessive delays. With hundreds of thousands of fundraisers happening on Facebook at any given time, the system works smoothly for the vast majority of users.