In June 2010, I wrote about how nonprofit organizations are using social media to achieve their fundraising goals. Today, I want to expand on this topic by sharing an article on Mashable that provides a list of 10 tools that make it easier for people and organizations to raise money. I found this article to be informative and helpful in light of the work Communiqué PR is doing for Seattle Children’s Hospital and other nonprofit organizations.

The tools which made Mashable’s list include:

1. FirstGiving – This is an online donation processing service. The basic account is free, but for $300 you can upgrade to a fully-customizable page for fundraising. The site can be used by nonprofit organizations or individuals wanting to raise money for a U.S. nonprofit.

2. Crowdrise – According to its website, Crowdwise is about volunteering, raising money for charity and having fun while doing it. It enables one to share fundraising campaigns via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail.

3. Kickstarter – This site is geared more toward artists, designers, filmmakers, etc. It is a new way to fund and follow creativity.

4. WhatGives – This organization offers a widget that according to Mashable, “you can use on Facebook or on your personal webpage to collect donations for your nonprofit.”

5. Change.org – This is a wonderful site for driving social change. In addition to being able to start a petition, this organization provides news and information about important social issues on a daily basis. It is committed to empowering people to take action.

6. ChipIn – According to Mashable, this is “one of the most popular donation widget tools on the web.” Apparently the ChipIn widget is a fairly simple Flash application that allows you to keep people in the loop on your fundraising activities.

7. Razoo – Razoo states that more than $20 million has been given to thousands of charities. The site has “options for individuals, non-profits, foundations and corporations to raise money for their causes.” In addition, Razoo makes it easy for people to take advantage of corporate matching programs.

8. Convio – This is fundraising software for nonprofit organizations. Its online marketing software suite includes tools for fundraising, advocacy, event fundraising, ecommerce, tribute/memorial sites, web content management, and e-mail marketing.

9. Facebook Causes – These pages on Facebook can be a wonderful way to share information about a nonprofit organization or cause.

10. StayClassy – This organization believes that “nonprofits shouldn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for fundraising software.” It allows charities to manage events, accept online donations and grow awareness leveraging social media.

As soon as I have some first-hand experience working with one or more of these tools, I will develop a follow-up blog post. In the meantime, I hope you’ll take a minute to check out the full article on Mashable, which is one of our favorite resources.