This document summarizes a study on how nonprofits in Jacksonville, FL are using social media. It finds that usage varies by type of nonprofit, with human services most likely to use Facebook for donations and arts/culture less likely to use Twitter for marketing. Nonprofits also differ in how they provide feedback on social media. Most see it as a push medium but few directly use feedback for planning. The study aims to further examine differences between nonprofits in social media use, networks, and benefits over time.

1. Georgette Dumont, Ph.D.
University of North Florida

2.  Q1: How are nonprofits in Jacksonville FL
using social media?
 Q2: Is social media being used to network
with other local nonprofits?
 Q3: What are these organizations doing with
the feedback provided through these
channels?

3.  Snowball Sampling of Twitter and Facebook
 Sample
◦ 464 accounts, 348 nonprofits
◦ E-Survey – sent to 278 nonprofits
 22 no email
 48 no phone
 20 bounced
 Responses: 111 (43%)
◦ Interviews (N=8)

4. Type No <$100k $100k- $500k - $2m -$10m >$10m Total Interview
Budget $500k $2m
Arts and
Culture 4 3 5 2 8 0 22 2*
Education 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Env. /Animal
Welfare 1 2 2 0 5 1 11 2*
Health 0 4 2 2 1 4 13
Human
Services 1 5 5 4 12 1 28 2
International 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
Societal
Benefit 0 1 6 8 2 0 17 2
Religious 1 0 0 0 2 0 3
Membership 3 8 1 1 2 0 15
Unknown 1 0 0 1 0 0 2
Non- (c)(3) 0 1 1 2 0 1 5 2
TOTAL 11 26 22 21 32 7 119 10
Interviewed 2 4 1

5.  Q1: Usage
◦ Surveys (N=111)
◦ One month of coded tweets and posts (N=5)
◦ Correlations; Anova
 Q2: Networks
◦ Snowball sample (N=464)
 Correlations
 Q3: Feedback
◦ Interviews (N=8)

6.  Initial reason for SM adoption
◦ Health less likely to start using FB for marketing &
donations
◦ A&C less like to use TW for marketing
◦ HS more like to start using FB for donations

7. Reason why Arts and Env. Or Health Human Societal Member Non-
nonprofit started Culture Animal Services Benefit Benefit 501(c)(3)
using SM Welfare
FB (N=20) (N=10) (N=13) (N=27) (N=22) (N=13) (N=4)
REASON TW (N=15) (N=9) (N=8) (N=25) (N=21) (N=7) (N=4)
FB 19 10 9** 26 21 12 4
Marketing
TW 8** 8 7 21 21 7 4
FB 9 4 4 12 10 7 3
Feedback
TW 7 4 2 7 6 3 2
FB 7 4 3 15** 3* 1 0
Donations
TW 0* 3 2 7 2 1 0
FB 8 3 3 6 7 2 0
Legitimacy
TW 2 4 1 6 7 2 1
Transparency/ FB 3 4 4 7 8 2 2
Accountability TW 2 4 0 6 7 1 2
FB 3* 6 3 12 7 6 0
Volunteers
TW 1 3 1 9 4 2 0
FB 17 10 11 24 20 13 4
Raise Awareness
TW 10* 8 8 22 18 7 4
*p<.05; ** p<.01

8.  Purpose/type of tweet and posts differed
significantly between nonprofits in different
service areas.
◦ Call for action, general Information, org’s event, other
org’s event, org’s program, other org’s program,
reciprocity
◦ A&C posted fewer general info posts than non-(c)(3)s,
SB, and HS
◦ SB and HS posted more general info than E/A
◦ No different in tweeting about other org’s events
◦ A&C tweet more about their programs than SB and E/A
◦ HS more likely to use reciprocal tweets than E/A

9.  Impact of social media on constituents
◦ Human service nonprofits influence volunteering
through FB
◦ Environment/Animal Welfare note TW gets more
people to donate, but do say TW and FB gets people
to become clients
◦ Arts & Culture note TW does not get people to
become members, but both FB and TW gets people
to become clients

10. Change in Env. and
constituents Arts and Human Societal Member Non-
Animal Health
attributed to SM Culture Services Benefit Benefit 501(c)(3)
Welfare
FB (N=21) (N=11) (N=13) (N=28) (N=22) (N=14) (N=5)
CHANGE
TW (N=15) (N=9) (N=10) (N=25) (N=21) (N=7) (N=4)
FB 4 6 5 15* 7 4 0
Volunteer
TW 0 3 2 2 2 1 0
FB 5 4 3 9 4 2 0
Donate
TW 0 3* 0 3 1 1 0
FB 5 6 1* 8 11 9* 3
Become Member
TW 0* 4* 1 4 5 1 1
FB 8** 6** 0 0** 3 3 0
Become a Client
TW 5* 4** 1 0* 1 1 0
FB 16 11* 4** 15 16 9 3
Attend events
TW 9 6 5 7* 12 3 2
*p<.05; ** p<.01

11.  Benefits derived from SM differs by service
area and medium.
◦ Environment and Animal Welfare’s use of TW
attracts people to Web sites, while Arts and
Culture’s use of TW Does not
◦ Environment and Animal Welfare’s use of FB
increases donations and their use of FB and TW
moves people to action

12. Benefits derived from Arts and Env. or Health Human Societal Member Non-
social media use Culture Animal Service Benefit Benefit 501(c)(3) Total
Welfare
FB (N=22) (N=11) (N=13) (N=28) (N=22) (N=14) (N=5) 115
BENEFIT TW (N=15) (N=9) (N=8) (N=25) (N=21) (N=7) (N=4) 89
Increased Traffic to FB 13 10 6 15 18 11 3 78
Web site TW 0* 6** 1 7 6 1 2 23
Moved people to FB 13 10* 6 13* 16 11 3 72
action TW 0** 5* 4 6 6 1 2 24
FB 5 5 2 8 7 4 1 32
Increased e-mail list
TW 0* 4* 0 4 5 1 2 16
FB 10 10** 4 16 11 8 1 60
Increased donations
TW 0 0 2 3 2 1 1 9
FB 18 11 9 21 17 13 4 93
Spread info widely
TW 2** 7 4 11 13 3 4* 44*
Enhanced existing FB 15 11* 7 22 15 12 4 86
relationships TW 2* 5 3 10 8 2 4** 34
Increased FB 13 7 4 12 10 10 4 60
understanding of
constituents TW 2 1 1 4 6 1 3** 18
FB 12 9* 4 12 13 10 4 64
Fostered discussion
TW 2 4 0 4 10** 2 3* 25
Built active online FB 12 9 6 15 14 12* 3 71
community TW 2 5 3 7 7 2 4** 30
Enhanced our online FB 17 11 10 17** 21* 13 4 93
presence TW 2** 6 5 10 13 4 4* 44*
Increased awareness FB 18 11 10 20 20 13 4 96
of org. TW 0** 7 5 10 14 4 4* 44**
*p<.05; ** p<.01

13.  Total number of following/org likes
 Total number of followers/ likes
 No significant findings, other than non-
501(c)(3) have more followers and likes

14.  All feedback answered.
 Negative posts not removed (although one
would like to).
 All interviewees see it as a great push
medium.
 Only two use feedback for planning for
programs/services.
◦ One includes it to bring more people to table for
governing.
◦ One sees building an online community to reflect
offline community

15.  Preliminary findings demonstrate diverse
relationships between nonprofits and social
media, by service area and type.
 Future studies will delve into these
differences.
 Longitudinal study to measure change.