Getting Started with Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns are popping up everywhere as they continue to grow in popularity. By now, most people have encountered several peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns whether they realize it or not. Dining out at a local restaurant on a charity night? Peer-to-peer fundraiser. Supporting a family member running a marathon benefitting a local agency? Peer-to-peer fundraiser. Donating to a friend’s Facebook Birthday Fundraiser? Peer-to-peer fundraiser! These fundraising campaigns are fun and exciting ways to engage our supporters and their networks – enabling us to raise more funds and gain new donors.

As a fundraiser prior to working at Blackbaud, I found that individual-driven peer-to-peer campaigns such as DIY fundraisers and crowdfunding campaigns were incredibly convenient for donors and tended to pop up year-round. They were especially popular around large events. I recall a natural disaster hitting the area my prior agency served, and by the end of the week hundreds of peer-to-peer campaigns began. Whether it was a Facebook Fundraiser, peer-to-peer crowdfunding page on our website, food drive, celebrity-endorsed fundraiser, lemonade stands, or various other DIY fundraisers, the support came in from across the globe to help our community. By being flexible with our supporters on how they fundraised, having staff available to guide donors and answer questions, and having our communication plan prepped ahead of time, we were able to host and support many the successful peer-to-peer campaigns and raise lots of money quickly to meet an urgent need in our community.

So how can you capitalize on this trend?

Last month, we gave you the scoop on peer-to-peer fundraising programs and how to get started with peer-to-peer fundraisers at your organization, in our Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101 webinar. Let’s recap!

sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 107: The State of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

What Is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising?

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns are when people ask their friends and family members for a donation. There are several types of peer-to-peer programs such as peer-to-peer fundraising events, do-it-yourself (DIY) fundraisers, charitable crowdfunding campaigns, and personal crowdfunding campaigns.

• Peer-to-peer fundraising events are organization-led peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns hosted on an organization’s website, and which have a predefined activity and date. For example, cycling events, marathons, and 5K walks are all peer-to-peer fundraising events.
• DIY fundraisers are supporter-led peer-to-peer fundraising programs that are available year-round on an organization’s website, where the supporter decides the activity and/or timeframe. Facebook Birthday Fundraisers, livestream fundraising for gaming events, and donating for a casual Friday at work are a few examples of DIY fundraisers.
• Charitable crowdfunding campaigns are also supporter-led peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, which are often hosted on a crowdfunding website, benefitting a charitable organization or a specific project funded by a charitable organization. Typically, this is a fundraising page that the supporter created on a platform (such as Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, powered by JustGiving or Blackbaud TeamRaiser), which they share with their peers.
• Personal crowdfunding campaigns are supporter-led peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, often hosted on a crowdfunding website, benefitting an individual or project not associated with a charitable organization. Examples of this type of peer-to-peer program include fundraising for a friend’s medical expenses or a family member’s college tuition.

We focused on all these peer-to-peer fundraising programs, except personal crowdfunding campaigns since they don’t directly raise funds for your organization.

What Else Is Covered in Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101?

In this webinar, we dive into the makings of a peer-to-peer fundraising program and the campaigns listed above, as well as:

• Why we need peer-to-peer fundraising: Peer-to-peer fundraising programs are experiencing massive growth. Just DIY fundraisers alone have increased threefold from 2016 to 2018 – going from 27,000 participants to 81,800, according to the 2019 Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study!
• Trends in peer-to-peer fundraising: Individual-driven events, such as DIY fundraisers and charitable crowdfunding, are where most of the growth in peer-to-peer fundraising is occurring. Last year, one peer-to-peer platform, Blackbaud’s Peer-to Peer Fundraising, powered by JustGiving, alone processed $178 million in donations!

Ready to Learn More?

Check out the recording from our Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101 webinar to hear me tell you more about peer-to-peer fundraisers and how they can help your organization.

If you’re ready to start planning your organization’s peer-to-peer fundraising strategy, take our Organizational Best Practices: Fundraising – Peer-to-Peer workshop!

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