The Complete Guide to Influencer Marketing for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Influencer marketing is the biggest hidden gem for promoting charity auctions and fundraising events. 

Influencers on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media are the new celebrities, oftentimes with an even bigger voice than celebrities. People are looking to influencers to buy products, make decisions, and decide where they want to make a difference.

The numbers show just how much influencers are influencing:

• 49% of all consumers make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases because of influencer posts.
• 86% of consumers make a purchase inspired by an influencer at least once per year.
• The market size of influencer marketing reached $32 billion in 2025.
• 77% of consumers prefer content from influencers over traditional ads.

Which means influencer marketing will be a more effective fundraising marketing strategy than paid ads on social media.

Overall, it’s a very effective way of spreading the word about your cause and your fundraisers. That’s why almost half of nonprofits are now partnering with social media influencers, and are seeing results.

So if you're looking for ways to boost your auction promotion or event promotion, it's time to tap into this powerful (and surprisingly accessible) marketing strategy.

In this article, we’ll share more about why influencer marketing is so powerful, then show you how to find influencer partners and how to work with them.

Why Influencers Want to Hear From Your Nonprofit

Most influencers are tired of their inboxes being filled with for-profit brands and product pitches. For-profit businesses know how effective influencer marketing is and are always looking for social media partners.

Oftentimes influencers turn these requests down because their values don’t align with this kind of advertising. Social change is at the forefront of many influencers’ minds, and they are becoming much more aware of the impact of partnering with harmful brands. 

What many influencers are looking for in a partnership is a way to make a meaningful difference and to share world-changing stories (like yours). They want to spread awareness of modern problems and be part of the solution.

Surprisingly, influencers are rarely being contacted by nonprofits. Many influencers say that they would love to represent charities and would be excited to say yes to a partnership, but that no one is reaching out to them.

Some of you may be thinking, “But my organization is too small to reach out to any influencers.” This isn’t true for two reasons:

1. Influencers come in different sizes. There are macro-influencers with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers, but there are also micro-influencers with under 100k followers. Micro-influencers can have a loyal and highly engaged audience who they can put your cause and fundraising event in front of.
2. Influencers love supporting underdogs and growing nonprofits, especially in their local area or niche. As long as you have an inspiring story, you can inspire influencers no matter the size of your organization.

Real Examples of Successful Nonprofit Influencer Marketing

Still unsure about partnering with influencers for your charity auction? Let's look at what other nonprofits have accomplished:

• The Immune Deficiency Foundation partnered with VTuber Ironmouse, who lives with common variable immune deficiency (CVID), and CDawgVA, a Welsh voice actor, YouTuber, and streamer. The two influencers have raised over $1.5 million for the Immune Deficiency Foundation through fundraising streams on platforms like Twitch. In 2024, CDawgVA’s charity auction alone raised over $500,000 for the foundation.

• Mercury Stardust—a trans TikTok creator with DIY home repair tutorials—hosted a 30-hour TikTok-a-Thon livestream for Point of Pride, a nonprofit that provides gender-affirming care. Her 30-hour stream raised $2 million, and her campaigns have raised a total of over $4 million for the organization over the years.

• Even small organizations can team up with big influencers. The Caesar-Iglesias Family Foundation, with only 500 followers on Instagram, partnered with social media personality and podcaster Alix Earle, who has around 5 million followers on Instagram and is on the top lists of podcasts on Spotify. Alix Earle partnered with the family foundation to start the initiative Serving in Heels, which primarily serves meals to families in Miami.

• Read about a few more examples of influencer marketing for nonprofits here!

How to Research Influencers Who Will Champion Your Cause

Finding the right influencer partners doesn't require a fancy agency or expensive directories. Here's how to do it yourself:

1. Start Local

Search for influencers in your area first. Local influencers have engaged audiences who care about their community, and they're more likely to get excited about supporting local causes. Search location tags, local hashtags, and city names to find creators in your area.

2. Search by Cause

Find people who are already talking about issues related to your cause. Search hashtags like #socialgood,  #socialjustice, #charity, and hashtags specific to your mission (like #mentalhealth, #animalrescue, or #education). When you find influencers who are already passionate about your cause, they'll bring authentic enthusiasm to your partnership. 

You can also successfully partner with influencers who aren’t related to your niche as long as they believe in your cause, but searching by cause can help you narrow down your search.

3. Pay Attention To Engagement, Not Just Follower Count

An influencer with 10,000 highly engaged followers who comment, share, and interact is often more valuable than someone with 100,000 passive followers.

When evaluating potential partners, look at:

• Their engagement rate (likes, comments, and shares)
• The quality of comments (are people genuinely connecting with their content?)
• How often their content gets shared

4. Don't Limit Yourself to One Platform

Different platforms reach different demographics, so think about where your potential donors spend their time.

Explore influencers on:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Spotify podcasts
• Twitch (a platform for streamers, geared toward the gaming niche. Twitch has features for streamers to host fundraisers and for your organization to start fundraising via Twitch). 

5. Be Wary of Influencers Who Are Performative

When evaluating potential partners, look at their past content. Do they engage meaningfully with their community? Are they respectful in how they share stories about people? Do they have a history of supporting causes they care about? 

Trust your instincts. If an influencer's interest in charity feels performative or if their approach doesn't align with how your organization treats the people you serve, it's okay to keep looking. The right partner will be excited to learn about your work, ask thoughtful questions, and represent your mission with dignity and respect.

How to Reach Out to Influencers

When you reach out to influencers, remember: this is a partnership, not a transaction. They're not your employees or your marketing team. Here's how to approach influencers for the best chance of securing a partnership.

1. Lead with Your Story

Influencers want to hear about inspiring stories. They’re interested in something that changes the status quo and has changed lives.

Your pitch should immediately (but briefly) convey your story through:

• What makes your organization special
• Who you help and how
• Why your upcoming event or auction matters
• What transformation you're creating in the world

Link to your website or wherever the story of your organization lives so your potential partner can get the full picture.

2. Ask Them to Be an Ambassador

Don't just ask for a one-time post or one-time support for your charity auction or event. Instead, invite them to become an ambassador for your organization.

Ambassadorships give influencers a sense of ownership and ongoing connection to your cause. And they're something influencers can be genuinely proud of.

3. Come Prepared, But Stay Flexible

Have a clear plan ready if the influencer respond to your pitch:

• Tell them about your organization and mission.
• Share your event schedule and key details.
• Explain what kind of content or support you're hoping for.

But also be genuinely open to their ideas for promotion. They know their audience better than anyone, and they understand what kind of content will resonate. Listen to their suggestions and be willing to collaborate.

4. Keep Them in the Loop and Thank Them

Maintain regular communication throughout your campaign:

• Share exciting updates about your organization.
• Tell them about fundraising milestones.
• Keep them posted on future events.

Track your partner’s impact too, so you can share that impact with your partner and celebrate them publicly!

Creative Ways to Partner with Influencers for Your Charity Auction or Fundraising Event

Once you've established a partnership with an influencer, here's how to maximize their impact:

1. Ask Them to Share Your Organization's Story

Have them tell the story behind your nonprofit—why it was founded, who you help, and what makes your organization special. Story-driven content creates emotional connections that drive action and support.

2. Ask Them to Announce Your Event to Their Followers

Ask influencers to announce your upcoming charity auction or fundraising event with all the key details:

• Date and time
• Location (or how to join virtually)
• Why people should attend
• How to register or RSVP

Their endorsement gives your event instant credibility and reaches people far beyond your existing network.

3. Ask Them to Show Their Personal Involvement In Your Event

If an influencer is donating an item to your auction, participating as a bidder, or attending your event, have them announce it!

When their followers see them personally invested, it creates powerful social proof. It says: "If this person I trust cares about this cause, maybe I should too."

4. Ask Them to Livestream Your Event

This is a game-changer for extending your reach.

Ask your influencer partners to livestream portions of your event to their followers on Instagram Live, TikTok Live, YouTube Live, or Twitch. They can add donate buttons to their streams, allowing their followers to donate directly through the social media platform. Read each platform’s rules for how to get started:

• Instagram livestream donations
• Facebook livestream donations
• TikTok livestream donations
• YouTube livestream donations
• Twitch livestream donations

This brings people into your event who couldn't attend in person and creates serious FOMO for future events.

Measuring the Success of Your Influencer Marketing Campaigns

Measure the impact of your influencer marketing so you can share with your partner how much of a difference they’re making, and to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts here.

To measure the success of your partnership, consider tracking these key metrics:

1. Engagement on influencer posts (likes, comments, shares)
2. Website traffic from influencer links
3. Event registrations or RSVP increases after influencer posts
4. New followers gained during the campaign
5. Auction bids or donations attributed to influencer promotion

Ask attendees at your charity auction or event how they heard about it too—you might be surprised how many say "I saw [Influencer Name] post about it!"

Tag CharityAuctions.com and We’ll Tag You!

If you’re hosting your charity auction through CharityAuctions.com, tag us on Instagram (@charityauctionstoday) and let us know if you’d like to have a charity spotlight with us. We’ll share your event and your organization’s story on our page!

If you haven’t signed up for CharityAuctions yet, you can register here to start setting up your auction for free. We provide all the help you’ll need to promote your charity auction, from QR codes, to engagement tips, to personalized social media graphics starting at $99.

Check out The Complete Guide to Charity Auction Promotion for more tips on fundraising event promotion and auction marketing.

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly, TEDx speaker and CEO of CharityAuctions.com, helps nonprofits raise millions through auctions and AI. He hosts The Million Dollar Nonprofit podcast and inspires leaders to live their legacy, not just leave it.