Understanding Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
A high-level overview of participants, programs, and structure.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising enables organizations to empower supporters with the tools to create and share their own fundraising efforts. Instead of relying solely on a central campaign, individuals become advocates, extending the reach of the program through their personal networks.
Participants join a P2P program by creating a personalized fundraising page. From there, the program grows organically as fundraisers share their pages through familiar online channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social platforms. This approach allows fundraising efforts to scale naturally while maintaining a personal, authentic connection to each donor.
Core Components and Terminology
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.
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.
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.