5 exceptional peer-to-peer fundraising best practices

Without a doubt, peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising is among the most effective and engaging fundraising methods. By accessing the power of your supporter community, your nonprofit organization can reach its fundraising goals and connect with new supporters at the same time.

Before getting started, your nonprofit will need the right P2P fundraising strategy. To help get your first campaign off the ground, let’s explore five essential best practices for peer-to-peer campaigns. 

1. Design an inspiring P2P donation page

Your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign’s fundraising pages should make donating easy and inspire new supporters to learn more about your nonprofit. After all, donors gained through P2P fundraisers are often unfamiliar with your nonprofit, and providing them more opportunities to get invested increases your chances of retaining them after your campaign. 

Choose a peer-to-peer fundraising platform with highly customizable P2P campaign pages, and give your volunteer fundraisers the chance to add personal touches to their pages. Help your fundraisers design more engaging pages by sharing tips like these:

• Lead with an inspirational call to action. Use active, compelling language to capture donors’ attention.
• Make your pages accessible by using clear anchor text and making the donation process as straightforward as possible. 
• Use photos and graphics to make their pages more compelling. Share branded elements such as your logo with your volunteer fundraisers that they can add to their pages to make it clear they are representing your nonprofit. 

Give your volunteer fundraisers all the tools they need to foster strong relationships on their pages. Also, empower your staff to raise funds too by leveraging a peer-to-peer platform with the right features to steward these communities from behind the scenes.

2. Host a peer-to-peer fundraising event

Peer-to-peer fundraisers and events go hand-in-hand. Your fundraisers can earn donations and have fun with their friends and family by inviting them to one of your nonprofit’s events. As you prepare for your next peer-to-peer fundraising event, try out these strategies:

• Choose an event with a broad community interest, like a 5K run or a charity concert.
• Survey your community before choosing your event to see what activities will excite them.
• After the event, follow up with attendees to thank them and start their donor journeys to become long-term supporters.

Consider using your event as either a kick-off or a conclusion party for your campaign. A kick-off event is a great way to get your fundraisers excited about the upcoming campaign while also engaging your community. A concluding party is another option that encourages your fundraisers to invite potential donors in a last-minute push to complete their goals. Consider charging admission as a way to increase donations as well.

3. Keep your mobile supporters connected

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns thrive on social media platforms. Since this fundraising method depends on supporters sharing their fundraising pages across their personal networks, there’s no better place to do so than on social sites like Facebook and Instagram.

Chances are that a majority of your supporters regularly check their social media throughout the day from their phones. This means that if your nonprofit wants to boost your peer-to-peer fundraiser’s reach, prioritizing the mobile giving experience by optimizing your campaign pages for mobile use is a must.

4. Set up peer-to-peer fundraising teams

More than any other fundraising method, peer-to-peer fundraising thrives on the relationships between your supporters and their friends, family, and coworkers. This is why peer-to-peer fundraising teams are your nonprofit’s secret weapon. These teams allow peer-to-peer fundraising volunteers to get together and raise money for your cause as a unit.

Peer-to-peer fundraising teams work so well because they:

• Tap into existing communities and amplify connections between your supporters.
• Provide a support system for people to cheer one another on throughout your campaign.
• Help members create a positive experience for one another, increasing the chances that they can be called in for future campaigns as a unit.

Give your teams the power to launch their own campaigns, share their team fundraising pages with newcomers, and customize their peer-to-peer fundraising experience.

5. Make use of P2P fundraising gamification

To keep your campaign going strong, you’ll need strategies that will keep your fundraisers engaged. For your next peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, try gamifying parts of your campaign. When your campaign is fun for those involved, they’re more likely to make their strongest effort and remain supporters long-term.

Some top gamification strategies include:

• Adding fundraising thermometers to peer-to-peer fundraising pages and donation forms.
• Fostering good-natured competitions between P2P fundraising teams.
• Displaying a leaderboard of top individual fundraisers or fundraising teams at your P2P event.
• Awarding prizes to exceptional volunteer fundraisers or high-impact donors.

When picking your gamification strategy, keep your purpose in mind. If your nonprofit has collaboration as a value, you might decide to emphasize the collective goal your fundraisers are achieving through a fundraising thermometer rather than inspiring friendly competition between fundraisers. 

Benefits of successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a popular fundraising method for good reason. Supporters can connect with your nonprofit when they volunteer to fundraise, help you earn donations, and expand your nonprofit’s reach using their personal networks. By leveraging these best practices, your organization is sure to make a splash when you launch your next campaign!