Unlocking the potential of peer-to-peer Fundraising for nonprofits

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a flexible campaign method you can apply to any event or campaign. Understanding the basics of peer-to-peer fundraising and its benefits can help your nonprofit run a more successful campaign and reach more people.

What is peer-to-peer fundraising? 

Peer-to-peer fundraising allows an organization’s supporters to raise money by asking their networks—friends, family, and colleagues—to donate through personalized campaigns. These volunteers typically share links to their campaign pages via email, social media, or other online platforms. 

This versatile fundraising approach can support various campaigns, such as runs, walks, or galas. Volunteers often share personal stories to connect with potential donors and highlight their connection to your cause. 

If you define peer-to-peer fundraising simply, it’s about turning supporters into advocates who champion your mission. With the right peer-to-peer fundraising software, you can track campaign performance and simplify the donation process.

Sources: PeerToPeer Professional Forum and Fundraising Effectiveness Project
* Last year that data is available

5 benefits of peer-to-peer fundraising 

Before you plan your next fundraising campaign, learn the benefits of peer-to-peer fundraising to determine if it suits your organization and mission. This popular and successful fundraising strategy is an excellent choice for many nonprofits and can help you accomplish several growth goals.

1. Strengthening existing relationships 

Peer-to-peer fundraising helps deepen relationships with existing volunteers and donors. Since it requires active involvement, it naturally boosts donor engagement and retention. 

Provide fundraisers with tools like email templates, social media strategies, and clear messaging to make sharing easy and consistent. Encourage them to share personal connections to your mission. 

With the right setup, supporters can easily customize pages and share links. Their stories offer insights into what they value about your organization, helping you tailor future campaigns to their needs. 

This approach also enables your network to raise more than they could give personally, amplifying their impact.  

2. Acquire new donors 

Peer-to-peer fundraising helps you reach more people than traditional campaigns. Volunteers share your mission directly with their networks, connecting you with individuals your nonprofit might not reach otherwise. 

Social media amplifies this effect, allowing supporters to share links and invite family and friends to donate. These connections can boost posts, spreading your message even further. 

This approach is powerful because people trust recommendations from friends and family more than organizations. Personal stories and involvement on fundraising pages build trust, making peer-to-peer fundraising highly effective. 

3. Increase your social media presence 

Peer-to-peer fundraising boosts name recognition and drives people to your social media pages. Supporters often share fundraisers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, tagging your organization. This encourages their followers to explore your page, check recent posts, or even follow you for updates. 

Increased attention to your pages strengthens your visual branding, making your organization more recognizable. Locals might spot your logo or event signs and associate them with your mission. 

Include consistent branding with your logo, colors, and font on donation pages. Even donors giving through a friend’s page can become familiar with your organization via your branding. 

4. Promote events 

Peer-to-peer fundraising works well as a standalone campaign or alongside virtual or in-person events. 

Supporters can help boost event attendance by sponsoring participants and encouraging involvement through donations. For instance, many organizations host sponsored runs or walks, where participants complete laps for every donated dollar. 

This approach also raises awareness for upcoming events. Start collecting donations weeks before the event to help supporters meet goals. Nonprofits often pair peer-to-peer fundraising with galas or golf tournaments, encouraging table captains or teams to fundraise in advance. 

Implementing peer-to-peer fundraising as a part of your existing events allows more people to learn about your mission and organization before committing to your event. 

5. Empowering donors 

People want to support impactful causes that drive change, but donations can feel impersonal when the impact isn’t clear. Peer-to-peer fundraising fosters connection by involving supporters in collecting donations and spreading awareness. At the campaign’s end, they see the progress and understand their contribution’s impact. 

This approach empowers fundraisers and strengthens relationships, as most peer-to-peer participants are donors, too. Keeping them engaged is key to success. 

Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms that offer temperature bars help show progress toward individual and organizational goals, motivating people to stay involved and keep spreading the news. Competition boards can highlight the biggest earners and show appreciation for everyone who contributed to your campaign efforts. 

Peer-to-peer fundraising ideas

A-thon 

A-thons are an all-ages-friendly way to engage your support network. During an a-thon, participants receive pledges for participating in and/or completing a task, such as:  

• Laps or miles run, walked, or swam
• Books read
• Goods baked
• Hours danced
• Stitches knitted  

These engaging options appeal to a large audience. This type of event can involve an in-person element, such as a sponsored swim-a-thon, or can be completely virtual, such as a read-a-thon or bake-a-thon.  

Insert Read a thon images BCE 

Bike, run, or walk 

While an a-thon encourages participants to compete to raise more, a bike, run, or walk event is a set distance that simply encourages participation. Rather than ask for pledges, volunteers ask for straight donations.  

This type of event can appeal to a group, such as cyclists, or the general public, such as a walk.  

Giving Day  

High schools and colleges have had success with hosting a Giving Day and leveraging clubs, teams, and departments to bubble up to the overall Giving Day.  

Alums can be motivated by competition — basketball versus football or biology versus physics — which can encourage more engagement from an otherwise complacent network.

Scavenger hunt 

A scavenger hunt is FUN, and it’s a way to get people of all ages involved with your cause. Charge a team fee and encourage fundraising with incentives or awards.  

Your organization can provide a list of clues that lead people to a place or item that people have to take their photo with, which teams then share with you. Set a deadline for when teams have to submit their photo evidence. Adding an easy, fun, and family-friendly opportunity to your event calendar can effectively help build your donor pool.  

Tribute and memorials  

Donating in someone’s name is an important step many take to honor someone’s birthday, wedding, or memory. Sometimes, people set up their own fundraisers, or families of loved ones recommend a charity to remember the life of someone who has died.  

People may want to celebrate Your organization’s impact in happy times, and your nonprofit’s mission can be a place of hope when people are grieving. If people choose this sort of peer-to-peer fundraising, make sure you acknowledge the fundraiser or family.