When Meta closed the door on EU-based charities fundraising on Facebook, Women’s Aid Ireland refused to miss out on vital funds—and found a more powerful way forward.

The challenge

Women’s Aid Ireland, a charity dedicated to supporting women affected by domestic abuse, faced a significant hurdle when Meta removed the ability for charities in the EU to fundraise on Facebook in July 2024. For Women’s Aid, Facebook Challenges had become a crucial source of income, and losing this platform meant potentially missing out on thousands of euros in donations.

With the ongoing need to sustain their vital work, the charity was determined to find a way to replace the fundraising opportunity that changes to Facebook had taken away.

The spark

What if Women’s Aid could take the Facebook Challenge model and bring it onto their own platform? Not only could they offer an optimised fundraising experience, but they could also provide a more private and sensitive space for those affected by domestic abuse—keeping the Women's Aid community at the heart of it all.

The solution

Women’s Aid partnered with GYSS, a digital agency with extensive success in social fundraising, to future-proof the Walk 100 Challenge—a branded microsite that replicated the popular Facebook Challenge experience. Using Funraisin's platform, they launched a virtual fundraising challenge with out-of-the-box features, focusing on simplicity and ease of use. The site was designed to work seamlessly on mobile devices and social media platforms like Instagram, ensuring it reached supporters where they were most engaged.

The impact

Just one week into the campaign, Women’s Aid had already exceeded their initial target—an extraordinary achievement. By focusing on the basics of UX and brand alignment, Women’s Aid not only secured the funds they needed but also created a sustainable fundraising model for future challenges.

This success story shows that simplicity and a clear mission can achieve incredible results, especially when paired with smart digital strategy. Women’s Aid, together with GYSS, proved that you can engage Facebook users in fundraising on a bespoke web platform... and grow as a result.