TikTok Fundraising: Users Can Now Donate to Charity

TikTok is currently evaluating a new functionality that enables users to directly support the causes and charities important to them through their TikTok profiles. Participants in the testing phase will encounter a new selection within the “Edit Profile” section, guiding them to select a nonprofit organization from a curated list of verified groups, including well-known entities such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Red Cross, ASPCA, Black Girls Code, CDC Foundation, and numerous others.

Upon selection, the chosen charity will be prominently displayed on the user’s profile in red text, positioned directly below their biographical information. Individuals visiting the profile can then click on the organization’s name, which directs them to a dedicated page where they can contribute a donation.

This functionality is facilitated by the charitable fundraising platform Tiltify, which manages the processing of all donation payments.

Social media analyst Matt Navarra (with credit given to Twitter user @Sphinx) initially identified the new option. He shared screenshots on Tuesday illustrating the process of adding a charity and the subsequent donation experience for visitors.

This new capability builds upon a fundraising feature launched in April, which allowed TikTok content creators to gather funds for initiatives focused on providing relief during the coronavirus pandemic.

Previously, fundraising was accomplished through “Donation Stickers” that users could incorporate into their TikTok videos and live broadcasts.

Selecting a donation sticker directs users to a donation screen, also powered by Tiltify.

The list of charities available for the stickers encompassed a wide range of organizations, including those significantly impacted by coronavirus-related closures – such as groups supporting actors, musicians, teachers, and restaurant staff, for instance.

TikTok has affirmed that the same charities and nonprofit organizations participating in the donation sticker program are also accessible through this new profile feature.

Throughout 2020, several social media platforms have allocated resources and funding to support coronavirus relief efforts, including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok.

TikTok, specifically, committed $250 million to assist healthcare workers, educators, and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (through various relief funds). Furthermore, the platform provided an additional $125 million in advertising credits to public health organizations and businesses focused on recovery.

TikTok confirmed to TechCrunch that the new feature enabling users to add nonprofits to their bios remains in the testing phase and represents “another avenue for the TikTok community to contribute to the causes and charities they value.”

Access to this feature was granted directly to testers participating in the TestFlight program, independent of their prior use of donation stickers.

The company has not yet announced a timeline for the wider public release of this functionality.