10 Expert Tips to Supercharge Your Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign

Peer to Peer (P2P) fundraising empowers your supporters to rally their own networks, amplifying your mission far beyond your organization’s reach. More than just raising funds, P2P builds a community—whether through a virtual 5K, a birthday fundraiser, or a creative challenge. Partnering with Charity Footprints, I’ve gathered insights to help you craft a P2P campaign that’s both achievable and inspiring for every type of fundraiser.

1. Set Realistic Goals and Stay Flexible: A critical part of any P2P campaign is setting an attainable goal. You want your volunteers to succeed, and to feel successful. The goal can always be increased when they surge past it. Everyone wins! This flexibility helps fundraisers feel accomplished early on, building momentum and allowing them to surpass milestones confidently.

2. Develop a Realistic Campaign Timeline: For fundraisers to effectively engage their networks, they need time. Establish a campaign deadline that provides at least two to three months for outreach and solicitation. This time frame gives your participants the chance to set up their pages, identify their networks, and craft a thoughtful approach without feeling rushed.

3. Provide Clear Instructions with Visual Aids: A smooth onboarding experience makes a world of difference. Equip fundraisers with easy-to-follow instructions on setting up their pages and accounts. Consider creating a tutorial video using a tool like Loom. A video can be paused, and viewed multiple times, and ensures that even less tech-savvy participants hit the ground running with confidence.

4. Supply Templates to Simplify Outreach: Make it easy for fundraisers to connect with their networks by providing ready-made solicitation templates. Include sample emails, social media posts, and text messages that fundraisers can personalize. By streamlining the outreach process, you help ensure consistency in messaging and make participation hassle-free.

5. Recognize Milestones with Shoutouts: Celebrating individual and team achievements fuels motivation. Acknowledge fundraisers when they hit milestones or meet specific goals by posting shout-outs on social media, within campaign updates, or in group emails. These acknowledgments serve as both recognition and encouragement, reinforcing fundraisers’ efforts.

6. Incentivize Participation with Prizes: Try to secure prizes from corporate sponsors, board members, or major donors, which can be awarded for achievements like raising the most funds, securing the highest number of donations, or meeting other creative milestones. Even small prizes can be motivating for volunteers. This friendly competition adds an extra layer of excitement, making the campaign more dynamic and engaging for everyone involved.

7. Integrate a Leaderboard for Ongoing Motivation: People love a bit of friendly competition. Incorporate a regularly updated leaderboard, displaying top fundraisers and teams to spark motivation. Leaderboards encourage competitive spirit while also keeping fundraisers tuned into campaign progress. Weekly updates help keep excitement high and provide opportunities for your organization to thank leaders publicly.

8. Keep the Experience Fun and Engaging: P2P fundraising should be as enjoyable as it is impactful. Infuse your campaign with fun elements think themed fundraising weeks or engaging challenges. The goal is to keep fundraisers excited and invested, which translates into a higher likelihood they’ll stay engaged throughout the campaign.

9. Share Creative Fundraising Ideas: Encourage fundraisers to think creatively beyond traditional donation requests by sharing fun and unique fundraising ideas. Hosting a bake sale, organizing a dance marathon, or setting up a “birthday fundraiser” are just a few examples of how they can add a personal touch to their efforts. By providing a variety of options, fundraisers can choose approaches that align with their own interests and strengths, fostering a more genuine and engaging experience.

10. Host a Culminating Event to Celebrate Success: Bringing your campaign to a close with a virtual or in-person event gives fundraisers something to look forward to and reinforces community. Whether it’s a small celebration, a thank-you event, or a creative virtual gathering, this event gives participants a chance to see the collective impact of their efforts.