How Charities Can Master P2P Fundraising for GivingTuesday

If you're brainstorming ways to make your GivingTuesday campaign more interesting this year, don't worry—you're not alone. Just remember that there are lots of other things your charity can do besides sending a bunch of emails to donors.

One of the ways to mix it up this year is to encourage your donors to run a peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaign. P2P fundraising is when your supporters raise money on your behalf. It’s a great way to get more people involved in your cause, and it can be a lot of fun too!

But what if you don’t have a lot of time to plan? No problem! Here are 10 quick and easy P2P fundraising ideas that your charity can try—and you can build them all on CanadaHelps for free too!

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Classic Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Ideas

1. Run or Walk a 5K

This is a tried and true P2P fundraising idea. Have your supporters commit to running or walking a certain distance, and then ask people to sponsor them. You can do this virtually or in-person (depending on what’s possible in your area).

Quick-start tips:

• Create a social media campaign around your 5K. Use a hashtag, post about it on your channels, and encourage people to donate.
• Make it fun! Have a costume contest, or see who can raise the most money.
• Get creative with the distance. It doesn’t have to be a 5K—it could be as little as 1K or even a half-mile.

2. Host a Tournament

Doing a tournament is a great way to raise money and get people involved. You can do everything from a bake-off to a basketball tournament. Just make sure to charge an entry fee and have people donate to your cause.

Quick-start tips:

• Get creative with the tournament format. It doesn’t have to be traditional—think outside the box!
• Think about what type of tournament would be most successful for your audience. If you’re not sure, consider doing a survey to find out.

3. Sponsored Silence

This one is especially popular with schools or youth groups. Have your supporters commit to being silent for a certain period of time (like an hour or a day). Then, people can sponsor them to stay quiet.

Quick-start tips:

Encourage people to use social media to give updates on their silence. This is a great way to generate awareness for your campaign.

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Quick Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Ideas

4. Hashtag Challenge

This is similar to a social media challenge, but with a fundraising twist. Pick a catchy hashtag and then challenge your supporters to do something related to it (like take a photo or make a video). For every time they use the hashtag, they can donate to your cause.

Quick-start tips:

• Make sure the challenge is something that’s easy for people to do. The last thing you want is for people to get overwhelmed and not participate.
• Encourage people to share their photos and videos on social media using your campaign hashtag. This is a great way to generate awareness and excitement for your campaign.

5. Coin Drive

This is a great option if you’re looking for something low-key. Have your supporters collect spare change and then donate it to your cause. You can even make it into a competition to see who can raise the most money.

Quick-start tips:

• Encourage people to use social media to spread the word about your coin drive. Use a campaign hashtag and post regular updates to generate excitement.
• Have a prize for the person who raises the most money. This will help motivate people to participate.

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Virtual P2P Ideas

6. Online Auction

This is a great option if you want to do something different than a traditional auction. Individuals could set up their own auction pages and then solicit bids from friends and family. The money would then be donated to your cause.

Quick-start tips:

• Encourage people to use social media to promote their auction items. This is a great way to generate interest and excitement.
• Have a minimum bid amount for each item. This will help ensure that people are serious about their bids.

7. Facebook Live Fundraiser

This is a great way to connect with your supporters and raise money at the same time. Simply set up a Facebook Live stream and then ask people to donate to your cause. You can even do it as a team and have different people take turns streaming. Supporters can simply set up their own Donation Pages which will be connected to your campaign.

Quick-start tips:

• Put together a toolkit for your supporters which includes talking points, FAQs, and social media graphics. This will help them feel prepared and confident when they go live.
• Encourage people to use the campaign hashtag when they share their Live stream on social media. This is a great way to generate awareness and excitement for your campaign.

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All types of "a-thon" Events

8. Walk-a-thon

Setting up a  walk-a-thon is a great way to get people active and raise money for your cause. Simply set up a route and then have people collect pledges for every kilometer they walk. Have a prize for the person who raises the most money and make sure to promote it on social media using your campaign hashtag.

Quick-start tips:

• Encourage people to use social media to promote their involvement in the walk-a-thon. This is a great way to generate interest and excitement.
• Make sure the route is safe and easy to follow. You don’t want people getting lost or injured during the event.

9. Bake-a-thon

A bake-a-thon is when people bake goods and then sell them to raise money for your cause. This is a great option if you’re looking for something low-key. Simply have people sign up to participate and then set up a central location where people can pick up their baked goods. Each baker can set up their own Donation Page which will be connected to your campaign.

Quick-start tips:

• To generate excitement for your bake sale, encourage people to use social media and come up with a campaign hashtag. Post regular updates so people know what's going on.
• Offer a reward to the individual who sells the most baked goods. This will encourage people to participate.

10. Dance-a-thon

A dance-a-thon is a fun way to  get people moving and raise money for your cause. Simply have people collect pledges for every minute they dance. Have a prize for the person who raises the most money and make sure to have plenty of music and snacks on hand. Each dancer can set up their own Donation Page which will be connected to your campaign.

Quick-start tips:

• Use social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, to collect a following for your dance-a-thon. A campaign hashtag will help to unify posts and create excitement leading up to the event.
• Have a prize for the dancer who has danced the most. This will encourage more people to participate since it will provide them with a sense of competition.

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Getting Started with P2P for GivingTuesday

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a great way to engage your supporters and raise money for your cause. As you start planning your own campaign, here are a few important take-aways:

1. Put together a toolkit for your supporters which includes talking points, FAQs, and social media graphics. This will help them feel prepared and confident when they go live.
2. Encourage viewers to include the campaign hashtag when they post their live stream on social media. This is an excellent approach to raise public awareness and interest in your cause.
3. All types of "a-thon" events can be turned into peer-to-peer fundraisers, such as walk-a-thons, bake-a-thons, and dance-a-thons.
4. Always have a prize for the individual who raises the most money. This will encourage people to participate and help you earn more money.

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Looking to kick-start your next GivingTuesday campaign? Check out our GivingTuesday Toolkit which includes everything you need to get started. From social media templates to email scripts, we’ve got you covered.

And book a demo today to receive a custom walkthrough of CanadaHelps' Peer-to-Peer crowdfunding platform.