UGC for Nonprofits: Launch a Supporter-Generated Video Campaign

Why UGC Works

Supporter videos feel authentic, reach new networks, and cost less than traditional production. With Eunie’s Buddies, a UGC push generated 32 supporter videos; with Soles4Souls, a global supporter challenge delivered a 500% engagement lift. Give people a reason, a prompt, and a path, then curate.

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Step 1: Define the Campaign

• Goal: (e.g., recruit mentors, spark donations, gather testimonials)
• Audience: Who creates? Who watches?
• One ask: One prompt, one CTA, one link.

Step 2: The Creator Pack (copy this)

• Prompt examples:
  • “In 10 seconds, tell us why you give to [ORG].”
  • “Show a moment of impact in one clip.”
  • “Finish the sentence: ‘Because of [ORG], I can…’”
• Specs: Vertical, 9:16, 1080×1920, 15–30s.
• Audio/Text: Speak clearly, add on-screen text for the key line.
• Consent: Simple mobile-friendly release; how and where content will be used.
• Upload flow: Google Form / Typeform + Drive/Dropbox; auto-tag by name/city.

Step 3: Collect & QA at Scale

• Intake: Auto-rename files “ORG_CreatorCity_Date_01.mp4.”
• Review SLA: Approve or request revision within 48 hours.
• Dignity & safety: No medical details, minors require guardian consent, avoid exploitative framing.

Step 4: Edit for Velocity

• Build subtitle templates, logo bumpers, and music beds.
• Create three variants per best clip (different hooks, aspect tweaks).
• Save a supercut of top 10 clips for YouTube + email.

Step 5: Incentives & Distribution

• Recognition: Weekly re-shares; “creator of the week.”
• Challenges: Hashtag + duet chain to spark replies.
• Micro-grants: $100 recognition grants for great stories (where appropriate).
• Channels: TikTok/IG first, then YouTube Shorts, then email embeds.

Measure ROI (use this mini-dashboard)

• Submissions (#/week)
• Publish rate (%)
• View/Engagement (per video; look for 3-day velocity)
• Donations/Signups assisted (tag links by UTM “ugc”)
• Cost per UGC (time + any grants ÷ # usable clips)

Case Snippets

• Eunie’s Buddies: Mentor/mentee UGC drove organic reach 304k+ and 19 leads via ads.
• Soles4Souls: UGC + NYC shoe-drive coverage → 500% engagement lift.

Want a done-for-you UGC kit (prompts, consent, templates, tracker)? We’ll set it up and run moderation.