Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Turn your supporters into P2P fundraisers and reach people your organization might not reach on its own.

Watch our Peer-to-Peer Training Video

What is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising?

Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising gives your supporters a way to raise money for your organization during 35 Hours of Giving. Instead of asking your organization to do all the fundraising, your supporters create their own personal fundraising page connected to your organization's 35 Hours profile.

They can then share their fundraising page with friends, family, coworkers, and other personal networks and invite them to support your organization.

Think of it this way: Your organization has a network. Your supporters have networks, too. P2P fundraising helps you reach beyond your organization's usual audience by giving your supporters an easy way to introduce new people to your mission.

P2P fundraising is not just about raising more money. It can help you reach new donors, build awareness of your organization, and give your most passionate supporters another way to get involved.

Why Use P2P Fundraising?

P2P fundraising can help your organization:

• Reach people who may not already know your organization
• Introduce new donors to your mission through someone they already know and trust
• Give your most passionate supporters another way to get involved
• Build excitement around 35 Hours of Giving
• Give board members, volunteers, staff, and other supporters an easy way to advocate for your mission
• Grow your donor base beyond the people you typically reach through your own email and social media channels
• Build your endowment by bringing more people into your organization's long-term vision

You don't need a huge P2P fundraising effort to make an impact. A small group of committed supporters who actively share their fundraising pages and ask their networks for support can help you reach people your organization might not reach on its own.

Who Should You Recruit?

You don't need to recruit professional fundraisers or people with fundraising experience. The best P2P fundraisers are people who care about your organization and are comfortable talking about why they support it.

Start with people who already have a connection to your organization.

How Many P2P Fundraisers Should We Recruit?

There is no magic number. Start with a realistic goal based on your organization's size and capacity.

If you're new to P2P fundraising, 5 to 10 committed fundraisers can be a great place to start. If you have a larger network and the capacity to support them, recruit more.

Quality matters more than quantity. Ten people who actively share their fundraising pages and ask their networks for support are more valuable than 50 people who sign up and never share their fundraiser.

Consider setting a simple goal for your P2P fundraising effort. For example:

• Recruit 10 P2P fundraisers
• Have each P2P fundraiser aim for $250
• Generate 50 new donors
• Reach people outside your organization's existing donor base

How to Recruit P2P Fundraisers

Don't just add people to the platform and hope they participate. Ask them first.

A personal email, phone call, text, or conversation will usually be more effective than a generic mass email. Give potential P2P fundraisers a clear idea of what you're asking them to do and how much support you'll provide.

Make the Ask Specific

Instead of:

"Would you be willing to help with 35 Hours?"

Try:

"We're looking for 10 supporters to create personal fundraising pages for 35 Hours of Giving and ask their friends and family to support [ORGANIZATION]. Would you be willing to be one of them?"

Make It Easy to Say Yes

People may hesitate because fundraising sounds intimidating. Remind them:

• They don't need fundraising experience.
• They don't have to ask everyone they know.
• They can set their own fundraising goal.
• They can personalize their fundraising page and tell their own story.
• They can use email and social media to share their fundraising page.
• They will have resources and sample messages to make fundraising easier.

The goal is not to turn your supporters into professional fundraisers. It is to give them an easy way to share why they care about your organization and help build its long-term future.

Ideas for Recruiting P2P Fundraisers

Ask Your Board to Each Recruit One Person

Instead of asking your board to simply "share 35 Hours," ask each board member to personally recruit one P2P fundraiser. If you have 15 board members, that could immediately give you a group of 15 potential fundraisers.

Invite Your Most Engaged Supporters

Look at your recent events, volunteer lists, donor lists, and social media engagement. Who consistently shows up, responds, shares, or talks about your organization?

Those people may already be doing the work of a P2P fundraiser informally.

Host a P2P Kickoff

Consider inviting your P2P fundraisers together for a short kickoff session, either in person or virtually.

Use the time to:

• Explain 35 Hours of Giving and what you're raising money for
• Talk about your endowment and why long-term funding matters to your organization
• Help them create or personalize their fundraising pages
• Give them ideas for what to say
• Share sample emails, social posts, and graphics
• Let them ask questions
• Build some excitement around the campaign

You don't need a big event. Even a 30-minute coffee, virtual meeting, or informal gathering can help people feel more prepared.

What Should a P2P Fundraiser Actually Do?

This can feel intimidating if someone has never fundraised before. Give your P2P fundraisers a simple roadmap.

A Simple P2P Communication Plan

Your P2P fundraisers don't need to post constantly. A few intentional messages before and during 35 Hours of Giving can help them reach their networks without overwhelming them or their friends and family.

The goal is to help people understand why you're fundraising, what 35 Hours of Giving supports, and how they can help. Encourage P2P fundraisers to add their own story and personality to these messages rather than copying them word for word.

Before 35 Hours: Get People Ready

1. Introduce Your Fundraiser

2. Send a Save-the-Date

During 35 Hours: Ask, Share, Follow Up

3. Day-of Message

4. Mid-Campaign Update

5. Final-Hour Message

After 35 Hours: Say Thank You

Encourage P2P fundraisers to thank the people who supported them. This can be as simple as a personal email, text, or social media post.

Tip: People are more likely to respond to messages that sound like a real person. Encourage your P2P fundraisers to personalize these examples, share their own stories, and explain why they care about your organization.

Support Your P2P Fundraisers

Your job isn't finished once someone signs up. Your P2P fundraisers are volunteers and ambassadors for your organization, so give them the support they need to feel confident asking their networks for support.

Consider this simple schedule:

• When they sign up: Thank them, make sure they know how to access their fundraising page, and explain what 35 Hours is raising money for.
• 2-3 weeks before 35 Hours: Send them sample messages, graphics, key dates, and information about your endowment and what it supports.
• 1 week before: Check in and make sure they have personalized their fundraising page, set a goal, and know who they plan to ask.
• Before May 5: Encourage them to start talking about the campaign and sharing why they chose to support your organization.
• May 5-6: Keep them updated on campaign progress, celebrate their fundraising, and give them simple reminders they can share with their networks.
• After 35 Hours: Thank them personally, share the results, and let them know what their efforts helped accomplish.

Consider a P2P Kickoff

If you have the capacity, bring your P2P fundraisers together for a short kickoff, either in person or virtually. This doesn't need to be a big event. Even 30 minutes can help people feel more prepared.

Use the time to:

• Explain 35 Hours of Giving and what you're raising money for
• Talk about your endowment and why long-term funding matters to your organization
• Help P2P fundraisers create or personalize their fundraising pages
• Give them ideas for what to say
• Share sample emails, social posts, and graphics
• Answer questions
• Build some excitement around the campaign

Remember: Your P2P fundraisers don't need to become professional fundraisers. They just need to feel comfortable telling people why they care about your organization and inviting others to be part of its long-term future.

How to Set Up P2P Fundraisers in GiveGab

These instructions are for nonprofit staff managing P2P fundraising through your 35 Hours of Giving dashboard. Click each step below for details.

Step 1: Access Your GiveGab Admin Dashboard

If your home page is not your Admin Dashboard, click on the drop-down box at the bottom of the screen next to "Viewing Dashboard For" to view a list of organizations that you are an administrator for. Click on the name of your organization you'd like to access.

Step 2: Open Your 35 Hours of Giving Dashboard

Click the 35 Hours of Giving banner at the top of your Admin Dashboard to navigate to your 35 Hours of Giving Dashboard.

Step 3: Add P2P Fundraisers

From your 35 Hours of Giving Dashboard, expand the tab that says "Add Fundraisers" to recruit P2P fundraisers for your organization. Click the "Add Fundraisers" button to start inviting them.

You can also upload your P2P fundraisers in bulk via CSV by clicking the "Upload Fundraisers" button. Check out this support article for step-by-step instructions on uploading your P2P fundraisers as a CSV.

Once you've added your P2P fundraisers, click the "Next: Compose Your Message" button.

Step 4: Customize and Send the Invitation

You'll be able to compose a custom message that your P2P fundraisers will receive in their invitation email. Customize the email subject and message before sending it to your supporters.

Tip: Whenever possible, talk to potential P2P fundraisers before sending the invitation so they know what you're asking them to do.

After clicking the "Send" button, your new P2P fundraisers will receive an email with your customized message. This email will also contain information on logging in, as well as a link to their Fundraising Dashboard, where they'll manage and customize their fundraising page.

Step 5: Share the Resources on This Page

You don't need to send your P2P fundraisers to a separate Fundraiser Guide or Email Guide. Everything they need to get started, customize their fundraising page, communicate with their networks, and thank their supporters is included on this page.

You can also share the Social Media & Marketing Resources page for additional campaign graphics and communication resources.

Your supporters can also start fundraising without being recruited by clicking the "Fundraise" button on your 35 Hours of Giving profile. Those P2P fundraisers will be directed to their Fundraising Dashboard, where they can start customizing their fundraising page and reaching out to their network.

P2P Fundraising Resources

The most important resources are already built into this page. Use the links below for additional platform help and campaign materials.

After 35 Hours: Build the Relationship

P2P fundraising can introduce your organization to people who have never donated to you before. Someone may give because a friend, coworker, or family member they trust asked them to support you. They may not live in the community you serve, or they may not know much about your organization yet.

That's an opportunity, not a problem. Your organization now has a chance to make a good first impression and turn a one-time gift into a connection with someone who cares about the work you do.

1. Thank Them

Don't assume donors know how much their gift means to your organization. A simple, personal thank-you can make a strong first impression, especially because P2P donors may feel like they were giving because someone they know asked them to support the organization.

If your systems allow it, consider creating a separate segment for donors who gave through a P2P fundraiser. This makes it easier to recognize where they came from and tailor your follow-up to people who may be new to your organization.

2. Introduce Your Organization

Your first follow-up is a chance to briefly explain who you are, what you do, and how their gift helps build your endowment. Keep it short. You don't need to tell your organization's entire history.

Consider including:

• A sincere thank-you
• The name of the P2P fundraiser they supported
• A short explanation of your organization's work
• A photo that shows your mission in action
• A simple explanation of what building your endowment will make possible over time

Don't ask for another gift right away. A thank-you message is not the place for another fundraising ask. Focus first on gratitude and connection.

3. Don't Overwhelm New Donors

Someone who came to your organization through a friend's P2P fundraiser may not yet have a strong connection to your work. Avoid immediately putting them into a stream of frequent emails and appeals.

Instead, give them a simple next step. Invite them to follow you on social media, learn more about your work, attend an event, or sign up for your newsletter.

One meaningful action is better than five different asks.

4. Stay Connected

P2P donors don't have to remain one-time donors. Look for natural opportunities throughout the year to show them what their support makes possible.

• Share a meaningful update about your organization or mission.
• Invite them to an event or volunteer opportunity.
• Share a milestone related to your endowment or the work it supports.
• Let them know how 35 Hours helped your organization move toward its long-term goals.
• Consider inviting them to become a P2P fundraiser for the next 35 Hours of Giving.
• Encourage them to share your organization's work with their own networks.

The P2P fundraiser may bring you the donor. Your organization has the opportunity to build the relationship.

Ready to Get Started?

Start by making a list of 5 to 10 people who already care about your organization. Then ask them to become P2P fundraisers.

Once they sign up, help them personalize their fundraising pages, give them a few easy messages to share, and stay in touch throughout 35 Hours.

You don't need a huge P2P fundraising effort to make an impact. A handful of passionate supporters can help you reach people your organization might not reach on its own and bring new people into the long-term story of your organization.