QUEER KENTUCKY · KENTUCKY’S ONLY LGBTQ+ NEWSROOM
HOST A FUNDRAISER FOR QUEER KENTUCKY
On Facebook and Instagram
Why It Matters
Queer Kentucky is the only independent LGBTQ+ newsroom in Kentucky, reporting for the 200,000 LGBTQ+ Kentuckians across the Commonwealth. If QKY isn’t telling the story, usually nobody is.
Before You Start
On Facebook (preferred): Go to Queer Kentucky’s Facebook Page and start your fundraiser from there. This connects it directly to our verified nonprofit status, which means Meta waives its fee and 100% of donations reach us. Starting it from your personal profile instead won’t have the same effect.
On Instagram: Search for Queer Kentucky when adding the Fundraiser Sticker to your Story. This links directly to our verified nonprofit so donations route to us correctly. Instagram’s fundraiser tools run through Facebook’s infrastructure, so the two are connected behind the scenes.
Running it on both: You only need one fundraiser. If you start on Facebook, bring it to Instagram by adding the Fundraiser Sticker in your Stories or attaching it to an Instagram Live. If you start on Instagram, share the link directly to Facebook. Donations from both platforms count toward the same total.
Pick a Strong Title
Your title is the first thing people see before they decide whether to click. Something specific works better than something vague. Try “Fund Kentucky’s Only LGBTQ+ Newsroom” or “Keep Queer Kentucky Reporting.” Write your own “why” in the description. Your words will land harder with your network than anything we could write for you.
Be Your Own First Donor
Donate to your own fundraiser first, even if it’s five dollars. A fundraiser with zero donations sits. One with a few already looks like something worth joining. Ask three to five friends to donate early too. They can give whatever they planned, or just a small amount to get momentum going. Social proof is real, and it works.
On Facebook
Create your fundraiser from QKY’s Facebook Page to keep it connected to our verified nonprofit status.
Use the mass invite tool. Open your fundraiser in a browser (not the app) and you will see an option to invite all of your Facebook friends at once. Some of the best donors are folks we haven’t interacted with in years, but see this come across their feed.
Post progress updates regularly. Facebook’s algorithm surfaces active fundraisers more than static ones.
Go Live at least once. The donate button appears on-screen in real time, and live fundraisers consistently outperform static posts.
Have a birthday coming up? Set QKY as your birthday fundraiser. Facebook will prompt your friends to donate automatically.
On Instagram
Add the Fundraiser Sticker to your Stories for a tap-to-donate button without anyone leaving the app.
Go Live with the fundraiser linked. A real-time donation counter appears on screen.
Swap your bio link to the fundraiser for the duration of your campaign.
During Your Campaign
Thank donors by name in a Story or post if they’ve made their donation public.
Share every milestone. People want to see they are part of something working.
Your last day is your most important day. Post a Story with the Fundraiser Sticker and a direct ask: “We’re almost there. Help us finish.”
After It Closes
Tell people what the money made possible, specifically. Not “it supports our mission.” Something like: “This funded our legislative session coverage” or “This keeps our reporter in Frankfort.” People who see real impact give again.
