3 Reasons Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Should Be on Your Radar

Peer-to-peer fundraising isn’t exactly what we would call a new development, but it’s one of those strategies that nonprofits will often either overlook or underestimate. “Peer-to-peer” can be used pretty broadly in the industry sometimes, but ultimately it just means empowering your supporters to get involved in some level of the fundraising process on your behalf.

The good news too is you don’t necessarily have to go all in on on this right out the gate (especially if you’ve never done it before). You can start small and implement it slowly to not have to radically shift your time split or current responsibilities. If your organization hasn’t leaned into peer-to-peer fundraising to some degree, here are three reasons it’s worth considering:

1. It Expands Your Reach Without Expanding Your Budget

Marketing dollars and even paid staff hours can only go so far. Peer-to-peer fundraising is something that a nonprofit of any size can leverage into something far more powerful. When a donor’s friend, coworker, or cousin asks them to give, that appeal carries a different kind of weight and dynamic that you can’t replicate otherwise. Every supporter who fundraises for you is effectively multiplying your organization’s organic audience without congruently increasing your expenses. This is a way to get you so much closer to the finish line much faster.

2. It Turns Supporters Into Ambassadors

Peer-to-peer is largely just advocacy and endorsement. When someone who is a current supporter chooses to help fundraise for your mission, they’re publicly attaching their name and reputation to your mission. That’s often a difficult thing to ignore between peers. It’s not uncommon also that over time, these are the supporters who tend to deepen their engagement often becoming volunteers, board members, or more significant donors themselves.

When someone is contributing or has contributed in the past, they ultimately have skin in the game now. They will more than likely be more motivated to make the fundraising effort a success with their own stake in it. So if you have even a small group of people that fall into this category, that can make a meaningful difference in your fundraising efforts over the longer termn

3. It Builds a Sense of Community Around Your Mission

Fundraising can unfortunately feel transactional sometimes if it’s just “Organization asks, donor gives. The end. ” Peer-to-peer changes that dynamic and allows you to create a more communal and relationship-based program around how you raise money. People are naturally tribal by nature, and it only benefits your organization if your supporters and advocates feel like they are a part of a larger community built around your organization.

That sense of being part of something bigger strengthens loyalty to your nonprofit. And stronger loyalty translates to sustained giving. It’s great for our supporters to have relationships with those at the nonprofit, but it’s even better for them to have relationships with other supporters.

You don’t need a massive platform or event to get started. Even a handful of dedicated people helping to raise money on your behalf can spark momentum and give you access to fundraising potential you didn’t know you had. Peer-to-peer fundraising can multiply voices and give you some additional help to carry your mission forward.

Want help building a peer-to-peer fundraising program for your nonprofit? We can help with exactly that! Send us a message and we would love to learn more about your nonprofit!