Why your charity should plan a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign this summer

Warmer days and longer nights are upon us! Many Canadians are beginning to see walkathons, running races and team sporting events pop up in our cities and neighbourhoods. Some of these fun activities and outside events are likely part of peer-to-peer charity fundraising campaigns.

Spring and summer months are peak peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising season for charities across Canada. Running races to group challenges, and everything you can think of ending in ‘athon’ (it can get pretty creative!) are the bread and butter of P2P fundraising.

As charities work to diversify fundraising sources, peer-to-peer fundraising is a powerful fundraising solution to explore. P2P fundraising campaigns are extremely successful at deepening donor engagement, opening up new revenue streams and tapping into new networks of donors.

Keep reading to learn more about P2P fundraising and uncover seven reasons your charity should try running a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign this year. 

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Inside this blog:

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Peer-to-peer (P2P) is a powerful fundraising strategy where supporters of a nonprofit organization leverage their personal networks to raise money on behalf of the charity. 

P2P fundraising begins when charities set up a CanadaHelps’ free peer-to-peer fundraising platform (don’t worry, P2P set up is quick and easy!). Thereafter, supporters join your P2P campaign as individual or team fundraisers. 

Individuals and teams operate their own online campaign pages, reaching out to their personal networks of friends, family, and/or colleagues to solicit donations and promote the cause. 

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In traditional crowdfunding, individuals share and process donations through a central campaign page. In contrast, P2P fundraising campaigns are decentralized. Supporters create and promote individual campaign pages that connect to a primary campaign goal.

CanadaHelps' peer-to-peer crowdfunding tool can facilitate centralized and decentralized P2P fundraising campaign structures. Using the CanadaHelps P2P tool, donors can:

1. Share and donate over the primary campaign page
2. Participate and raise money on a P2P team
3. Make an individual campaign page

View Birds Canada’s fundraising page to see all three P2P fundraising options.

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P2P fundraising campaigns are a very effective and low-cost way for charities to recruit and acquire new donors. In this study, 80% of people who donated to a peer-to-peer campaign on GoFundMe Pro were new donors to the organization.

A key advantage of recruiting and acquiring new donors through P2P fundraisers is that a new prospect's first touchpoint with your organization is through a personal testimony from the group or individual who is participating in the P2P event. P2P is an impactful fundraising strategy because people trust direct referrals and are more likely to donate to a cause if they know someone involved.

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As economic uncertainty impacts our world, charities must establish diverse, multi-channel fundraising strategies to remain sustainable and competitive. One of the easiest ways to do this is to experiment with non-traditional fundraising solutions like peer-to-peer.

Since 2024, P2P fundraising has experienced a resurgence, returning to pre-pandemic success levels. In fact, 18 of Canada’s 30 largest P2P fundraising programs grew in 2024, collectively achieving their third year of post-pandemic growth. And the top 30 Canadian P2P fundraising programs raised $194 million in 2024, increasing fundraising revenue by 3.9%.

How much do charities raise with peer-to-peer fundraising?

With the right tools and strategies, peer-to-peer fundraising can help charities raise significant amounts of money. On average, charities raise $12,870 during a P2P fundraising campaign.

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Fundraising through P2P increases the likelihood that new individuals will convert into supporters and donors of your cause. Just consider the fact that peer-to-peer fundraisers have a 71% success rate, compared to a 22% success rate of direct gift appeals, according to a survey by Nonprofit Source.

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P2P fundraising campaigns are one of the best ways for charitable organizations to expand their reach and increase brand awareness to new audiences of potential supporters. 

This is because peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns require sharing fundraising content about your organization with groups of potential supporters and donors, and this serves as free advertising with the added benefit of a personal touch.

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Peer-to-peer fundraising is a popular strategy for engaging and attracting millennial and Gen Z donors. Gen Z and Millennial donors favour non-traditional giving methods and value donating through channels that foster community-building. They like P2P because it is an active, shareable form of giving where donors engage their network and promote their campaign on social media. 

Research shows that only 22% of Canadian charities have a strategy to engage younger generations. Kicking off summer with a P2P fundraiser is an opportunity for charities to bring the next generation of donors on board.

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Running a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is a surefire way to engage your charity’s base of supporters. P2P empowers supporters of your cause to take an active role in fundraising.

As a charity, you should always be mindful of who your most engaged “super supporters” are – these folks are the backbone of your organization and who you should be personally thanking, and approaching first for big asks and opportunities. It’s safe to say that members of your audience who volunteer to run a P2P fundraising campaign on your behalf are members of your super supporter network. 

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The sky is the limit for how creative and experimental your charity can be in its next peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns! P2P fundraisers can be online, offline or hybrid. They are a great way to ignite some competitive spirit within your base of supporters.

Just think of how often you are asked for donations. In line at the grocery store, at different online checkouts, and even by campaigners who approach you on busy streets. Charities must consider the volume of generic donation asks people receive and be creative to stand out amongst the noise.

With this in mind, peer-to-peer fundraising is an opportunity for your organization to get creative and tailor your fundraising strategy towards themes you pull from your cause and audience. 

A creative P2P fundraiser showcase

CanadaHelps client Birds Canada hosts their annual P2P Birdathon event. The Birdathon is a fun, month-long choose-your-own-adventure style challenge for both individuals and teams. Birdathon incorporates the theme of bird conservation into a P2P fundraising challenge that celebrates supporters' love of birding. 

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When done right, P2P fundraising campaigns can be an extremely effective and fruitful way to raise more money and convert more supporters than traditional fundraising methods. 

For Canadian charities looking to get started with a peer-to-peer fundraiser this Spring or Summer, CanadaHelps' free P2P fundraising tool is the place to start. Unlike other P2P platforms, CanadaHelps does not charge signup fees, deposits or up-front costs to use our peer-to-peer fundraising software. 

‍Book a demo with one of our fundraising experts today, and they will walk your charity through how to make the most of e-commerce best practices and convert more visitors to donors.