Reddit + Fundraising: A Thought‑Experiment on an Untapped Channel

During the US Fundraising Congress a playful question surfaced and hasn’t left my mind:

Who here works in an all‑woman fundraising team? (A surprising number of hands went up.)

Who is actively marketing on Reddit? (Almost no hands—maybe none.)

Is Reddit a Hidden Opportunity?

Informal demographic snapshots suggest Reddit skews somewhat male, tech‑savvy, and engaged. A few studies even hint at above‑average household income. If that picture is accurate—and that’s a big if—then ignoring Reddit might mean we’re overlooking donors we say we want to reach.

What If We Gave It a Try?

Imagine experimenting with:

• Niche subreddits aligned with your cause (wildlife, STEM, veterans, etc.).
• AMA‑style threads featuring your program staff or beneficiaries.
• Low‑budget test ads to gauge click‑through and donation intent.

Best‑case scenario: you unlock a fresh donor pipeline. Worst‑case: you learn fast and pivot—data in hand.

Questions Worth Asking First

• Does your audience really hang out on Reddit—or is that an assumption?
• How will you moderate conversations to keep them authentic (Redditors can be tough critics!)?
• Do you have capacity to test and learn without stretching the team thin?

💡 Your Perspective

This is more provocation than prescription. Has anyone here actually dipped a toe into Reddit for fundraising? What did the numbers—or the comments—tell you? Share your wins, fails, and hunches with us so we can explore whether this goldmine is real or fool’s gold.