Planning a successful fundraising campaign can be challenging, but with the right tools and strategies, it can be a powerful and impactful way to make a difference.

One such method is peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising, a strategy that empowers supporters to become ambassadors for your cause. By leveraging the networks of individual supporters, P2P fundraising can increase the reach and impact of you nonprofit or charity.

In this article we’ll cover:

• What is peer-to-peer fundraising?
• Why peer-to-peer fundraising works
• Campaign ideas
• How to optimise you peer-to-peer fundraising campaign
• How to measure your success
• The best way to wrap up your peer-to-peer campaign
• Examples and inspiration

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What is peer to peer fundraising?

If you see a disproportionate amount of bad moustaches in November, your co-workers dressed in some particularly fancy frocks, or even just being unusually quiet for a day, chances are it’s a result of their participation in a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising is an initiative where a nonprofit or charity enlists members of their community as individual fundraisers to collect donations on behalf of the organisation. Also known as social or community fundraising, peer-to-peer fundraising gives individuals a hands-on approach to supporting causes they care about. By sharing their enthusiasm for your cause, your fundraisers expand your nonprofit's community and donor base organically by reaching out to their individual networks.

As the organiser, your role is to motivate, assist, and recognise your fundraisers as they strive towards their personal fundraising targets.

Digital platforms such as PIXO have made peer-to-peer fundraising more accessible than ever in recent years, however the concept itself is far from novel. The box of Freddo frogs that your children’s school sent home with them (That inevitably never actually made it long enough to be sold to friends or family) is an example of a well-known Australian peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. However, with the advent of accessible and sophisticated digital functionality, the impact of community fundraising has only increased in recent years.

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Why peer-to-peer fundraising works?

Peer-to-peer fundraising allows nonprofits and charities to tap into the vast networks of their supporters, exponentially increasing the organisation’s reach and impact. By empowering individuals to become ambassadors for the cause, peer-to-peer fundraising can turn passive supporters into active participants, and create a sense of community and engagement. The result is a more invested, passionate and connected donor base.

Consequently, peer-to-peer fundraising leverages the principle of social proof, which states that people are more likely to engage in a behaviour if they see others doing it. When a person's network sees that they are supporting a cause through peer-to-peer fundraising, they are more likely to follow suit and make a donation. This leads to a snowball effect, with each donation serving as an endorsement of the cause and motivating others to give as well.

Peer-to-peer fundraising also often incorporates elements of gamification, adding a fun and competitive aspect to fundraising efforts. This can be in the form of friendly competition between fundraisers, progress tracking and reward systems. Gamification not only motivates individuals to reach their fundraising goals, but also helps to keep them engaged and motivated throughout the campaign. When fundraisers feel like they are part of a team, working towards a common goal, they are more likely to stick with it and achieve greater results.

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Campaign ideas

Generating creative campaign ideas is crucial for a thriving peer-to-peer fundraising effort. It's important to align your fundraising concepts with the interests of your supporters or the personal connections they have to your nonprofit. You can structure your campaign around notable events, specific fundraising approaches, or allow your volunteer fundraisers to showcase their unique ideas.

Here are some of the most successful P2P fundraising campaigns observed on the PIXO platform:

Challenges

Challenges can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Challenge campaigns harness the power of friendly competition to boost participation and have been particularly effective on social media. For instance, fundraisers can be challenged to post a photo of themselves dressed up in a colourful dress, complete a run or bike ride, or adopt a symbolic action (such as staying silent for a full day) for a designated period.

Integrations with activity tracking software such as Strava or Fitbit aid in participants tracking their progress and updating their networks.

Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation host an annual challenge called Frocktober, and is Australia's most fashionable month-long fundraiser to raise awareness and funds for vital ovarian cancer research. Participants dress up in their most fabulous frocks every day over the month of October and raise funds through their community for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

Events

When it comes to fundraising, events are generally a staple for most organisations. By including peer-to-peer fundraising in your events you can empower your community to grow the reach of your event marketing efforts organically and raise funds before, during and after your event. Including peer-to-peer fundraising registration in your event ticketing is a great way to engage your community early and set expectations around social fundraising for your events.

Cystic Fibrosis Community Care’s 65K 4 65 Roses Walkathon is an annual fun walk and endurance event held to raise funds for the fight against cystic fibrosis, a life threatening genetic condition affecting thousands of Australians. Inspired by the term “65 roses”, a common nickname for cystic fibrosis, runners participate in either 7km, 21km, 42km or an ultra marathon 65km and raise money for those living with cystic fibrosis.

DIY Campaigns

You can maximise the benefits of online fundraising with a DIY approach, with no restrictions on fundraisers or need for a complex theme. With proper online functionality, nonprofits can enable an unlimited number of their community to effortlessly create their own mini-fundraisers at no cost to your charity and with minimal administrative effort.

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Make the most of your peer-to-peer fundraising

While there are a number of tips and tricks to maximise your communities fundraising, there are a few absolute must haves for you to see the best results from your efforts.

Automated Email Nurture Journeys

To maximise your peer-to-peer fundraising efforts, implementing automated email nurture journeys for your fundraisers is a must-have. These journeys can provide your fundraisers with timely, customised communication and support throughout the campaign, helping them reach their fundraising goals. With automated journeys, you can set up automated follow-up emails, provide fundraising tips and offer personal support, all without having to manually manage each individual's experience.

Gamification

As we mentioned prior, adding a playful and competitive aspect to your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign can increase engagement and motivation. Consider incorporating gamification elements like progress tracking, leaderboards, and reward systems. This will not only make fundraising more fun, but also encourage friendly competition between fundraisers, driving them to reach their goals and raise more money for your cause. Pair gamification with automated email communications to send notifications when fundraisers unlock badges to make the most of your gamification features!

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Donation and Fundraising Page Mobile Optimisation

As more and more people use mobile devices to browse the web (92% of internet users browsed the web on their phones in 2022), it is essential to ensure that your donation and fundraising pages are optimised for mobile. This means that they should load quickly, be easy to navigate and clearly display all the information needed to make a donation. When your donation and fundraising pages are mobile-optimised, you can make the donation process seamless for your supporters and increase the likelihood of receiving donations. Make sure your platform has natural mobile optimisation to both save yourself time and resources, as well as provide your community with he best donation experience possible.

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How to measure your success

Measuring the success of your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is crucial for understanding what works, what needs improvement, and how you can optimise future campaigns. By tracking key metrics and analysing the results of your campaign, you can determine how well your efforts are paying off and make informed decisions to drive future success. There are a few key metrics to look at when you’re analysing your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign’s performance:

Activation

Fundraiser activation is about how many of the new supporters are joining your campaign have raised their first donation for your organisation. Activation rates are a key measure of how well you have engaged your fundraisers post sign up. Consider ways to increase your activation rates such as automated activation journeys if no actions have been taken after a certain time. Customising communications and direct communications are essential inactivating fundraisers.

Average raised for individuals and teams

No surprises here, average dollar amount raised is a great indication of how successful your campaign has been. Individuals typically raise approximately $380 in peer-to-peer campaigns. Consider tailored activation communications to provide fundraising tips to fundraisers, encourage them once they reach fundraising milestones or simply remind them to fundraise.

Average Donation Amount

Donations can vary greatly in amount, from just a few dollars to thousands. Some donors may give small, regular contributions, while others may make a large, one-time donation.

Knowing the average gift size is important because it indicates the potential impact of each new donor. This metric helps in forecasting and planning.

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Wrapping up your campaign

Once the dust has settled on a successful campaign, it’s always a great idea to let your community know about the impact they’ve made. Contacting fundraisers and giving them a summary of the top fundraisers, the amount they raised collectively, what that means for the community you serve shows them that they are appreciated and lets them know about the impact that their fundraising has made.

Fundraising also doesn’t have to end once your event or challenge does. A staggering number of funds are actually raised after the completion of your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Leaving fundraising open for a few weeks and reminding your supporters that they can still give after the fact is a great way to maximise the impact your nonprofit can make with your fundraising efforts.

Conclusion

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a game-changer for nonprofits and charities. With the right tools and strategies, it can turn passive supporters into active ambassadors for your cause, increasing your reach and impact. From friendly challenges to event integrations, there's no shortage of creative ways to incorporate peer-to-peer fundraising into your campaigns. And with the help of digital platforms, tracking progress and measuring success has never been easier. So go ahead, rally your supporters, and watch as your community grows and makes a meaningful impact together