What is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising?

Peer-to-peer fundraising revolutionizes the way we give by empowering individuals to create their own dynamic campaigns to collect donations from their personal networks. It’s a social fundraising approach that harnesses the power of community, transcending traditional boundaries and transforming casual supporters into enthusiastic advocates for your cause.

Table of Contents

• Why is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Effective?
• What Does a Peer-to-Peer Campaign Look Like?
• Five P2P Fundraising Tips
• What Challenges do P2P Fundraisers Face?
• Common Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platforms

Why is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Effective?

Peer-to-peer fundraising has proven to be a highly effective method for nonprofits to raise funds and increase awareness because it leverages the strong connections that individuals have with their own social networks. Here are a few key reasons why this method is effective:

• Trust: People are more likely to donate to a cause when the request comes from someone they personally know and trust.
• Social Proof: Seeing friends and family supporting a cause creates a sense of social validation, encouraging others to join in and contribute as well.
• Increased Reach: By engaging supporters to fundraise on your behalf, you extend your reach to new potential donors who may have never heard of your organization otherwise.
• Brand Ambassadors: Peer-to-peer fundraisers become enthusiastic brand ambassadors, amplifying your nonprofit’s message and mission through their personal stories and experiences.
• Friendly Competition: Incorporating contests, leaderboards, and milestones in your campaign can foster a sense of competition, motivating fundraisers to reach higher goals and surpass their expectations.
• Customizable Campaigns: Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms allow fundraisers to personalize their campaigns, tailoring them to their unique passions and interests, which can resonate with their networks and inspire more donations.
• Ongoing Engagement: By nurturing relationships with fundraisers and acknowledging their efforts, you foster long-term connections, turning one-time participants into repeat supporters and even potential volunteers or board members.

What Does a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign Look Like?

A peer-to-peer fundraising campaign typically begins with a nonprofit organization setting up a central campaign page on a fundraising platform. This page highlights the campaign’s goals, shares the organization’s mission, and provides essential details about the cause.

From there, individual supporters can create their own personalized fundraising pages, linked to the central campaign, where they can share their stories, set fundraising targets, and track their progress.

The duration of a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign can vary, ranging from short-term events like fun runs to ongoing campaigns that span several weeks or months. The flexibility of these campaigns allows nonprofits to tailor their fundraising efforts to their specific needs.

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns can support a wide array of missions and causes, from disaster relief and healthcare initiatives to education and environmental projects. They are an excellent fit for any organization that seeks to engage its community and amplify its message, as the campaign’s success relies heavily on the passion and dedication of individual fundraisers and their personal connections.

Throughout the campaign, the organization and fundraisers maintain communication, offering support and guidance as needed. Nonprofits often provide resources such as pre-written copy, images, and videos to help fundraisers effectively spread the word and encourage donations. Additionally, the organization may host kick-off and wrap-up events to motivate and celebrate their fundraisers, further cementing the sense of community and shared purpose that makes peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns so effective.

Five P2P Fundraising Tips

These five crucial peer-to-peer fundraising tactics can help you maximize the effectiveness of your campaign and transform your supporters into enthusiastic champions for your cause, unlocking the potential of community-driven giving.

Set Clear Goals and Expectations

Establish specific, achievable, and measurable goals for your campaign, and ensure that your fundraisers understand their individual targets and the overall objectives of the campaign.

Provide Tools and Resources

Equip your fundraisers with the necessary tools and resources, such as pre-written copy, images, and videos, to help them effectively communicate your cause and inspire donations from their networks.

Encourage Storytelling

Encourage your fundraisers to share their personal stories and connections to your cause, as these authentic narratives can resonate with potential donors and foster a deeper emotional investment.

Foster a Sense of Community

Create opportunities for fundraisers to connect with one another and with your organization, through events, webinars, or online forums, to strengthen their sense of commitment and camaraderie.

Celebrate Success and Show Gratitude

Recognize and celebrate the efforts and achievements of your fundraisers throughout the campaign, expressing gratitude for their contributions and reinforcing the impact they’ve made on your cause.

What Challenges do P2P Fundraisers Face?

While peer-to-peer fundraising offers numerous benefits, fundraisers may encounter some obstacles along the way:

• Donor Fatigue: Supporters may be overwhelmed by the number of requests for donations they receive, making it crucial for fundraisers to convey the unique importance of their cause.
• Limited Time and Resources: Balancing personal commitments with fundraising efforts can be challenging, requiring fundraisers to prioritize and manage their time effectively.
• Maintaining Momentum: Sustaining interest and enthusiasm throughout the campaign may be difficult, making it vital for nonprofits to offer ongoing support and motivation.
• Reaching New Donors: Expanding beyond one’s immediate network to reach a broader audience can be challenging, necessitating creativity and persistence in spreading the message.
• Navigating Fundraising Platforms: Choosing the right platform and effectively utilizing its features may present a learning curve for some fundraisers.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platforms and Tools

The efficiency and effectiveness of your campaign are directly tied to the platform and tools you use for peer-to-peer fundraising. These online hubs consolidate all of your fundraising activities in one place, equipping your fundraisers with tools to more efficiently run their campaigns and interact with their supporters. The following are examples of well-known P2P fundraising sites:

• Blackbaud: A leading provider of software and services for nonprofits, Blackbaud offers a suite of peer-to-peer fundraising solutions, such as TeamRaiser, eTapestry, and Raiser’s Edge that cater to organizations of all sizes and help manage peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns with ease.
• Classy: A popular online fundraising platform that enables nonprofits to easily create fundraising pages.
• DonorPerfect: A comprehensive fundraising platform that allows you to manage the full P2P process from a single platform.
• OneCause: OneCause has a range of fundraising solutions and is particularly known for their event management capabilities.
• GoFundMe Charity: GoFundMe Charity offers a user-friendly platform for nonprofits to create customized peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns that features social sharing and reporting tools.

Think about the features that are most important to your team and how well they fit with the platform you’re considering. The fundraising process can be greatly optimized with the help of the correct tool!