How AI Can Help Nonprofits Improve Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser

Peer-to-peer fundraising works because people trust people.

When supporters ask their friends, family, coworkers, church groups, clubs, and online communities to give, the campaign becomes more personal. A donation is no longer only connected to your nonprofit’s name. It is connected to a real person who cares about the mission.

That is why peer-to-peer fundraising can be so powerful for nonprofits.

Instead of relying only on your organization’s own audience, you invite supporters to become fundraisers, storytellers, and advocates. Their personal networks help your nonprofit reach new donors, grow awareness, and build community around a shared cause.

AI can make this process easier. Nonprofits can use AI tools to create fundraiser page templates, write social posts, personalize email appeals, segment supporters, summarize campaign results, and help fundraisers know what to say.

The key is to combine smart tools with human connection. Peer-to-peer fundraising is not just about raising money. It is about helping supporters share why your mission matters to them.

Mastering online fundraising is one of the most important (yet difficult) challenges faced by nonprofits. Many organizations struggle to decide what projects to fundraise for online, what their digital fundraisers should look like, and how to conduct these web-driven campaigns successfully.

Has your nonprofit tried peer-to-peer fundraising yet? Peer-to-peer fundraising empowers your nonprofit to use online fundraising techniques to their highest potential.

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What is peer-to-peer fundraising?

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a fundraising method where supporters raise money on behalf of a nonprofit. Instead of only asking donors directly, the nonprofit equips supporters to create personal fundraising pages and invite their own networks to give.

A peer-to-peer campaign can be built around:

• A walk, run, or challenge
• A birthday fundraiser
• A giving day
• An awareness campaign
• A memorial campaign
• A church or community event
• A school or workplace fundraiser
• A virtual challenge
• A volunteer-led campaign
• A year-round ambassador program

The nonprofit provides the campaign goal, platform, messaging, visuals, and support. The individual fundraiser shares the campaign with people they know.

This matters because people are often more likely to give when the ask comes from someone they personally trust. Peer-to-peer fundraising turns your supporters into campaign multipliers.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an online fundraising method where nonprofits like yours call on their supporters to create fundraising pages on your behalf.

Then, the supporters share their personalized fundraising pages with friends, family, and colleagues online to raise money for your cause. They can simply fundraise from home.

This particular fundraising method is a great strategy for nonprofits that struggle with exciting their communities and reaching fundraising goals.

Because peer-to-peer fundraising is convenient, adaptable, and socially-driven, your supporters will love to get involved with your next P2P campaign.

Try these strategies to host a creative and successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign:

• Create a fundraising goal.
• Create your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign page.
• Improve your peer-to-peer fundraising page with a fundraising thermometer.
• Promote your fundraiser on social media.
• Stay organized.

With these effective strategies, your nonprofit will host a successful peer-to-peer fundraiser and take some of the struggles out of raising money.

Create a fundraising goal

While a list of fundraising ideas might be huge, your fundraising goal is the backbone of your peer-to-peer fundraiser. The goal drives donations and impacts our strategy.

Be strategic in how high you set your fundraising goal. If you set your goal too high, it will be unattainable. However, if you set it too low, you risk leaving money on the table. Your fundraising goal needs to be just right.

To attain this goal, create a plan with strategies surrounding your peer-to-peer fundraiser. This plan will clarify your goal, set up a campaign timeline, and solidify the details of the campaign.

While you are planning, ask yourself:

• How will you anchor your fundraiser? By holding an anchor event, you can get people excited about your campaign and inspire them to donate. Examples of anchor events may include a 5K, a charity concert, or other community events.
• What platform should you use? Different platforms offer various payment options and accessibility standards for campaigns. By choosing the right platform, you are paving the way for easy giving to your campaign.
• How can you incorporate your mission? By incorporating your mission into your campaign page you don’t only get people excited to donate, but you also get them excited to see the impact your nonprofit can make in the world.

After answering these questions you will be ready to create your campaign timeline and plan out how you’ll achieve your peer-to-peer fundraising goal.

Include in your timeline when you will start marketing your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, any check-in points you need to reach your goal, and the details of your P2P anchor event.

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaign plans create simple solutions for the complex issues involved with fundraising.

Create your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign page

Your campaign page is a great place to include your mission statement or story.

Include your mission so that people know exactly what cause they are donating to. Your mission is compelling in itself, so let the world see it!

In addition to your overall mission, include on your campaign page exactly what project this campaign is funding.

Connect your campaign and the project you are working on back to your nonprofit’s overall mission. Your campaign page should directly show people how their donation will make a difference.

When you are creating your campaign page for peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, it is important to use persuasive strategies in your design and to include your nonprofit’s branding colors, and logos.

These methods will encourage your donors to give to your organization as well as inspire supporters to make their own fundraising pages on your behalf.

When you’re creating your campaign page, remember to:

• Write a compelling headline. When you write your heading, remember to put everything in the context of who is benefiting from donations. This establishes a human connection to the gift.
• Speak with urgency. Campaigns are temporary. Remind your readers of the necessity to be timely. However, don’t guilt them. Focus on what will be accomplished at the end of the temporary campaign.
• Use effective imagery. Images are used to add to the written content on campaign pages, not to draw attention away from the text. Be sure your images are compelling and relate well to the content within your campaign page.

To read more about how to write a campaign page, check out Donately’s list of campaign page best practices.

Improve your peer-to-peer fundraising page with a fundraising thermometer

Your peer-to-peer fundraiser could be getting more donations! Adding gamification techniques such as fundraising thermometers appeals to people’s competitive nature and their desire to be a part of an active, engaged community.

Fundraising thermometers work because they show individuals’ impact on the fundraiser as a whole. People are visual creatures. When they see a thermometer which has almost reached the goal, they are more likely to contribute to see the impact they can make towards achieving this goal.

Including gamification tools such as fundraising thermometers to your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign pages will encourage donors to support their friends and family.

Here are some places you should display your peer-to-peer fundraising thermometer:

• On your main campaign page. Post your fundraising thermometer directly on your campaign page so that people who donate directly to you will see the progress.
• On your website. Visitors on your website will see your P2P fundraiser’s progress and want to contribute to the cause.
• On your social media accounts. Keep your followers updated with how your fundraiser is going. Provide a link with the thermometer to the campaign page for easy donating!
• On personal fundraising pages. Encourage your supporters to include the fundraising thermometer on their personal fundraising pages to spread the imagery further.

Fundraising thermometers and other gamification techniques are used in conjunction with your imagery and language to help boost donations from online supporters.

Promote your fundraiser on social media

One key resource for peer-to-peer fundraising is social media. Your social media pages and those social media pages of your supporters can help amplify the reach of your peer-to-peer fundraising donation pages.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is designed for online networking, from your campaign page to your volunteers’ fundraising pages.

Social media can help network for multiple different stages in your peer-to-peer fundraising process. It can be used to:

• Recruit volunteers to create fundraising pages. Use your existing social network on social media pages to ask people to create fundraising pages for your campaign. This social network is full of people who already support you, so put them to good use!
• Direct people to your main campaign page. Your goal with peer-to-peer fundraising is to give people multiple places to donate, and this includes your central giving page. Direct people to this page as well as the personal fundraising pages of your supporters.
• Expand your social network. Encouraging people to post fundraising pages promotes your campaign as well as your nonprofit. This is a networking opportunity to market your nonprofit through your existing network.
• Show progress of your fundraiser and projects. Tell people how the peer-to-peer fundraiser is going through social media posts. Or, use a blog or other media account to give updates on the project you’re funding through the peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.

Social media can be used as a promotion technique for nonprofits.

Promoting your peer-to-peer fundraising through social media is important. Don’t forget that this is also an opportunity to market your nonprofit as a whole as well.

Social media is a great platform for storytelling. Encourage your supporters to tell their own story!

When you encourage your supporters to create fundraising pages and share them on social media, also encourage them to tell a story about what your nonprofit means to them. This will intrigue their followers to follow you as well.

Stay organized

Staying organized is a good way to make sure that your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is a success. You should keep your finances, your members, and your supporters organized as best as possible.

A few methods of organization include:

• Hire a fundraising consultant. This consultant will help you find, work with, and retain donors for your current and future fundraising endeavors. For more information, check out Averill Fundraising Solutions’ guide on hiring a fundraising consultant.
• Keep accurate financial records. Accurate record keeping is important for more than just fundraising. It helps with the overall success of your nonprofit. Find a method that works for you, like comprehensive nonprofit fundraising software.
• Employ a member management tool. Member management software helps to keep your supporters, staff, and members organized. It helps you organize contact information, interaction history, and other useful resources to encourage future interactions.

Record everything over the course of your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign! .

Keep track of who created fundraising pages for you, who donated, how much money was raised, and how far your fundraiser spread online.

When you have all this information, you will be better able to reach out to past supporters and donors in your next campaign.

Getting behind in record keeping is one of the most difficult things to recover from as an organization.

In order to keep your nonprofit organized, and encourage current and future fundraising success, make sure you update records straight away.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a great way to raise money while spreading the reach of your cause online. Take full advantage of peer-to-peer fundraising by employing these 5 strategies to your next campaign.

How AI can help nonprofits improve peer-to-peer fundraising

AI can help nonprofit teams save time and support fundraisers more effectively throughout the campaign.

Many peer-to-peer campaigns struggle because supporters want to help but do not know what to say. AI can help your nonprofit create simple messaging resources that make sharing easier.

Nonprofits can use AI to create:

• Fundraiser page templates
• Email appeal examples
• Social media captions
• Text message scripts
• Donor thank-you messages
• Campaign updates
• Short video scripts
• Fundraiser coaching tips
• Impact statements
• FAQ answers for donors
• Segmented messages for different supporter groups

AI can also help analyze campaign performance. For example, your team can use AI to identify which fundraiser messages get the most clicks, which supporter groups raise the most, which channels drive donations, and where fundraisers may need extra help.

The goal is not to make every message sound automated. The goal is to give supporters a strong starting point so they can add their own voice, story, and reason for caring.

Start with a clear peer-to-peer fundraising goal

A strong peer-to-peer campaign needs a specific goal. Supporters should know what they are helping achieve and why it matters.

A vague goal like “support our nonprofit” is harder to share. A clear goal gives people something concrete to rally around.

Examples of stronger campaign goals:

• Help 100 families receive emergency food support
• Fund 50 therapy sessions for young people
• Sponsor 25 rescue animals this month
• Provide school supplies for 300 children
• Raise enough to keep the community shelter open for one extra week
• Help 40 seniors receive warm meals
• Give 500 people access to clean water

A clear goal helps fundraisers explain the campaign quickly. It also helps donors understand the impact of their gift.

Use simple language that connects the amount raised to a real outcome. When people can picture the result, they are more likely to give and share.

Choose the right fundraisers before launching

Not every supporter needs to become a fundraiser. A smaller group of motivated fundraisers can often outperform a large group that receives little support.

Start by identifying people who already engage with your nonprofit.

Good peer-to-peer fundraiser candidates include:

• Recurring donors
• Volunteers
• Board members
• Event participants
• Past campaign donors
• Program alumni
• Community partners
• Staff advocates
• Local business supporters
• Social media followers who often share your content
• People with a personal connection to the cause

AI and donor data tools can help you segment supporters based on engagement patterns. For example, you may find donors who open emails often, volunteers who attend events regularly, or supporters who frequently share your posts.

Invite your best-fit supporters first. Make the ask personal. Explain why you believe they would be a strong campaign ambassador.

Create a strong fundraiser toolkit

A peer-to-peer fundraiser toolkit helps supporters promote the campaign without starting from scratch.

The easier you make it to participate, the more likely people are to follow through.

A good fundraiser toolkit can include:

• Campaign overview
• Fundraising goal
• Donation link
• Impact statements
• Email templates
• Social media captions
• Text message examples
• Short video prompts
• Profile photo or banner graphics
• Suggested hashtags
• FAQ for donors
• Thank-you message examples
• Progress update examples
• Tips for asking friends and family

AI can help generate different versions of these materials for different fundraiser types.

For example, a volunteer may want to talk about hands-on experience. A board member may want a more professional LinkedIn message. A parent, student, church member, or local business owner may need a different tone.

Supporters should never feel forced to copy the template exactly. The best toolkit gives them structure while encouraging them to make the message personal.

Help fundraisers tell their own story

Peer-to-peer fundraising works best when the ask feels personal.

Supporters should be encouraged to explain why the cause matters to them. Their story does not need to be long or dramatic. It only needs to be honest.

A simple fundraiser story can answer:

How did you first connect with this nonprofit?

Why does this cause matter to you?

What impact have you seen or learned about?

Why are you asking others to give?

What goal are you trying to reach?

AI can help supporters shape their story into a clear fundraising message. For example, your nonprofit can provide prompts they can fill in:

“I’m raising money for [nonprofit] because…”

“This mission matters to me because…”

“I’ve seen the impact of this work through…”

“My goal is to raise [amount] to help…”

“Your gift can help by…”

These prompts make storytelling easier and less intimidating.

A personal story builds trust. It gives donors a reason to care beyond the donation form.

Optimize peer-to-peer fundraising pages for conversions

A fundraising page should make it easy for visitors to understand the campaign and donate.

Many people arrive at a fundraiser page because they clicked a link from someone they trust. The page should quickly answer three questions:

What is this campaign about?

Why does it matter?

How can I help?

A strong peer-to-peer fundraising page includes:

• A clear headline
• A short personal story
• A strong campaign image or video
• The fundraiser’s goal
• A visible donate button
• Suggested donation amounts
• Simple impact examples
• Campaign progress
• Trust signals
• Mobile-friendly design
• A short FAQ
• A clear thank-you message

AI can help test different headlines, donation copy, impact statements, and page summaries. But the page should still feel personal and credible.

Keep the page focused. Too much text can slow people down. Give donors enough information to feel confident, then make the next step clear.

Make social sharing simple

Peer-to-peer fundraising depends on sharing. If supporters do not know what to post, they may delay or avoid asking.

Give fundraisers ready-to-use content for different moments in the campaign.

Useful sharing moments include:

• Campaign launch
• First donation received
• Halfway to goal
• One week left
• Final 48 hours
• Goal reached
• Thank-you update
• Impact recap

AI can help create multiple versions of each message so supporters do not have to post the same thing repeatedly.

For example, create short captions for:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• WhatsApp
• Email
• SMS
• Community groups
• Workplace channels

Each platform needs a slightly different approach. LinkedIn may need a professional tone. Instagram may need a shorter, more visual message. WhatsApp may work best with a personal note.

The easier the share, the stronger the campaign momentum.

Use email and text messages alongside social media

Social media is important, but peer-to-peer fundraising should not rely on social posts alone.

Many donations happen after a direct message, email, or text. These channels feel more personal and are easier to follow up on.

Encourage fundraisers to send personal messages to people they know before posting publicly.

A simple message can work well:

“Hi [Name], I’m raising money for [nonprofit] because [personal reason]. My goal is to raise [amount] by [date]. Would you consider making a gift or sharing my page?”

AI can help create message templates for different relationships, such as:

• Close friends
• Family members
• Coworkers
• Church or community members
• Past donors
• Local business contacts
• Professional networks

A direct ask often performs better than a general post because it feels personal and specific.

Coach fundraisers during the campaign

Do not only support fundraisers at the beginning. Many campaigns lose momentum because supporters are excited at launch but unsure what to do next.

Send regular updates and prompts to keep them active.

You can coach fundraisers by sharing:

• Weekly fundraising tips
• Progress updates
• Example posts
• New story angles
• Donor thank-you ideas
• Milestone reminders
• Encouragement messages
• Leaderboard updates
• Final push templates

AI can help personalize coaching based on fundraiser activity. For example, someone who has not received a donation may need a first-ask template. Someone close to their goal may need a final push message. A top fundraiser may need a thank-you note and an invitation to become a long-term ambassador.

Good coaching keeps the campaign human. Fundraisers should feel supported, not pressured.

Turn donors into long-term supporters

A peer-to-peer campaign often brings in new donors who may not know your nonprofit well. The follow-up after the gift is critical.

Do not treat peer-to-peer donors as one-time transactions. Welcome them into the mission.

A strong follow-up sequence can include:

• Immediate donation thank-you
• Message from the fundraiser
• Impact update from the nonprofit
• Campaign progress update
• Story showing what donations made possible
• Invitation to follow your nonprofit
• Volunteer opportunity
• Newsletter signup
• Monthly giving invitation
• Future campaign invitation

AI can help segment donors based on gift amount, campaign source, fundraiser connection, location, or interests. This makes follow-up more relevant.

The fundraiser opened the door. Your nonprofit’s job is to build the relationship.

Measure what makes your peer-to-peer campaign stronger

Peer-to-peer fundraising success is not only about total dollars raised. Nonprofits should also measure how well the campaign builds relationships and expands reach.

Useful metrics include:

• Total funds raised
• Number of active fundraisers
• Average raised per fundraiser
• Number of new donors
• Donor conversion rate
• Average gift size
• Page visits
• Donation page conversion rate
• Social shares
• Email clicks
• Text message responses
• Fundraiser activation rate
• Donor retention after the campaign
• Recurring donor upgrades
• Cost per dollar raised

AI analytics tools can help summarize patterns and show where the campaign needs improvement.

For example, you may discover that fundraisers who sent direct messages raised more than those who only posted on social media. Or that pages with personal videos converted better than pages with text only.

Use these insights to improve your next campaign.

Build peer-to-peer fundraising into your year-round nonprofit marketing

Peer-to-peer fundraising does not need to be a once-a-year event.

Nonprofits can use peer-to-peer fundraising throughout the year by creating smaller campaigns around birthdays, awareness months, events, holidays, memorials, volunteer milestones, and local needs.

Year-round peer-to-peer fundraising can include:

• Birthday fundraisers
• Memorial fundraisers
• Athletic challenges
• DIY fundraising pages
• Ambassador programs
• Community group campaigns
• School campaigns
• Church campaigns
• Workplace giving challenges
• Board member fundraising pages

AI can help your nonprofit keep these campaigns organized with reusable templates, segmented outreach, content calendars, and automated follow-up drafts.

The more consistent your system becomes, the easier it is to activate supporters when the next opportunity comes.

FAQ

What is a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

A peer-to-peer fundraiser is a fundraising strategy where individuals raise money for a cause by reaching out to their networks. This approach leverages the power of social connections and personal stories to engage a broader audience and increase fundraising potential.

Why is peer-to-peer fundraising effective?

Peer-to-peer fundraising is effective because donation asks come from people the donor already knows and trusts. This helps nonprofits reach new audiences, attract first-time donors, and build campaign momentum beyond their own email list or social media following.

How can AI help with peer-to-peer fundraising?

AI can help nonprofits create fundraiser page templates, write email appeals, generate social posts, personalize donor follow-up, segment supporters, analyze campaign data, and coach fundraisers with better messaging during the campaign.

What should be included in a peer-to-peer fundraiser toolkit?

A peer-to-peer fundraiser toolkit should include a campaign overview, donation link, goal, impact statements, email templates, social media captions, text message examples, graphics, hashtags, donor FAQ, thank-you messages, and tips for making a personal ask.

How does a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser work?

Participants create personal fundraising pages linked to a nonprofit’s cause. They then share their page with friends, family, and social networks, asking for donations. Each participant essentially becomes an advocate and fundraiser for the cause.

What are the benefits of a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

This method can significantly expand your reach, tapping into new donor networks through personal connections. It’s cost-effective, boosts community engagement, and adds a personal touch to fundraising efforts, often leading to increased donations.

Which platforms can host a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

There are several platforms designed for peer-to-peer fundraising, including GiveLively, GoFundMe Charity, and Classy. These platforms offer tools for creating individual fundraising pages, tracking progress, and sharing campaigns on social media.

How do you motivate participants in a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

Motivation can come from training sessions, providing fundraising tips, regular updates about the campaign’s impact, recognition of top fundraisers, and creating a sense of community among participants.

Can Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers be used for any type of nonprofit?

Yes, peer-to-peer fundraisers are versatile and can be used by any type of nonprofit, from large organizations to grassroots initiatives. They are particularly effective for causes that have a strong personal connection with supporters.

What are some successful Peer-to-Peer Fundraising strategies?

Successful strategies include setting clear goals, providing participants with resources and support, leveraging social media, celebrating milestones, and sharing compelling stories about the impact of donations.

How do you track the success of a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

Success can be tracked through the amount raised, number of participants, engagement rates on social media, and growth in donor base. Many fundraising platforms offer analytics tools to help monitor these metrics.

What are the challenges of a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

Challenges include ensuring consistent messaging, motivating participants throughout the campaign, and managing the logistics of tracking donations and thanking donors.

How can technology improve a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser?

Technology can streamline the fundraising process, provide tools for creating engaging fundraising pages, facilitate social sharing, offer real-time tracking of donations, and automate communication with participants and donors.

About the author

Andrew is the head of marketing and customer success for Donately. After getting involved with nonprofits at a young age, he discovered a passion for helping the organizations that are making the world a better place. Knowing how vital online fundraising has become, his goal is to help nonprofits raise more money online each year! In his spare time, you will find him cooking up dinner, playing with his dog or cheering on Boston sports teams.

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