Understanding Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
A high-level overview of participants, programs, and structure.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising is a model that empowers individual supporters to create and share their own fundraising pages on behalf of an organization, extending the reach of a campaign through personal networks rather than relying on a single central effort.
Participants join a P2P program by creating a personalized fundraising page. From there, the program expands as fundraisers share their pages through their own networks — including platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. This approach scales fundraising reach while preserving a personal, authentic connection between each fundraiser and their donors.
Core Components and Terminology
What is a Fundraiser?
An individual participant who creates a personal fundraising page. Fundraisers are the “peers” in P2P fundraising and serve as the primary drivers of outreach and engagement.
What is a Program?
The overarching structure that contains all P2P activity, including fundraisers, teams, goals, and reporting. The program defines the scope and purpose of the fundraising effort.
What is a Team?
An optional grouping within a program that allows multiple fundraisers to collaborate or compete. Teams can be used to encourage friendly competition, shared goals, or organizational structure.