The P2P Soapbox

In recent years, customer expectations have rapidly evolved. We've shifted from traditional grocery shopping to curbside pick-up, in-person doctor's visits to telehealth appointments, and gym memberships to home fitness setups.  What we wanted as customers just a few years ago is not what we want now. The same can be said for our P2P participants - our “customers.” What they needed and expected fr...

I love to ask people, “What’s the best event you’ve ever attended? And why?” Was it your best friend’s wedding because you knew everyone there?   Was it a baby shower because everyone was there for the same reason - to help the new parents prepare for their next chapter?  Was it an amazing concert because the community had taken on a life of its own with costumes and bracelets and dancing?  Most o...

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for peer-to-peer fundraising events. The most successful programs excel in different ways, some by engaging corporate teams, others by involving family and community teams. While some programs consist of numerous smaller events, others focus on a select number of large-scale events. The revenue sources also vary, with some programs heavily reliant on sponsorsh...

Not too long ago, peer-to-peer fundraisers relied on letter-writing, phone calls, and pledge envelopes to raise money for their favorite causes. Now, we we have email, countless social media channels and mobile apps literally at our fingertips, making it even easier to fundraise. In theory, right? However, the latest technology alone isn't enough for successful peer-to-peer fundraising.  The most...

Have you ever stopped to question if your fundraising messaging is ethical? Despite our best intentions as professional fundraisers, it is crucial for us to recognize that certain traditional fundraising methods no longer hold up under scrutiny in 2023.  In our efforts to showcase the serious need for donations with often sad, evocative imagery, we run the risk of contributing to a negative stereo...

In 2014, every professional fundraiser was asked the same question - “What’s the next Ice Bucket Challenge?”  In the short term, this remarkably successful and straightforward viral campaign, which benefitted The ALS Association, sparked a surge of poorly conceived and unsustainable copycat campaigns, but in the long term, forced the industry into a state of evolution.  Innovation has consistently...

Despite raising over $1 billion in 2022, peer-to-peer fundraising often fails to receive the recognition it deserves in the world of development and even from the top leadership within nonprofit organizations. There is an ever-present notion that "Walks are dead," but these misguided voices fail to comprehend the true power of peer-to-peer fundraising.  In fact, peer-to-peer fundraising is the mos...

As peer-to-peer fundraising professionals, we are inherently passionate people. Passionate about our missions, our fundraisers, our events, our campaigns. We barely shy away from sharing our opinions. Whether it's the debate between back-to-basics, or searching for the next big idea, the battle of retention versus recruitment, or even our very strong feelings about T-shirts and registration fees....