Engage Younger Donors Through Creative Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Not every donor wants an ongoing relationship with your nonprofit — and that’s OK. In fact, those supporters can still play a meaningful role in your fundraising strategy.

That’s especially true as younger donors increasingly engage in peer-driven and informal giving, making peer-to-peer fundraising a natural way for nonprofits to stay part of the equation.

I have a friend in his 30s who engages with a charitable mission exactly one time per year. He dresses in a Santa suit while kitesurfing off the coast of Florida in December — with a bunch of other kitesurfing Santas, of course. From my friend’s recounting, many of the Santas don’t interact with the benefitting nonprofit at any other time during the year. 

The event raises money for a children’s charity while adding some entertainment value with a sport participants would already be doing, while also creating a feel-good opportunity to support a children’s charity. And it makes for fantastic visuals and press opportunities for the nonprofit.

Some long-time fundraisers might cringe at this and wonder why there is no year-round engagement or relationship-building. But here’s the thing — participants are clearly signaling they only want this to be a once-a-year interaction. Instead of fighting that reality, it’s worth focusing on what does work about this type of social fundraising. 

Add Value With Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Kitesurfing annually to raise money isn’t that far adrift from attending a charity ball or playing on a team in a golf tournament once a year. Each is somewhat transactional and offers entertainment and benefit. 

What stands out about the kitesurfing example, though, is that, in addition to entry fees and sponsorships, the Santas can raise money from friends and family using peer-to-peer fundraising pages. 

Peer-to-peer fundraising expands the reach of the nonprofit. Ideally, it helps spread the word about its mission and impact while simultaneously raising funds. To accomplish this, the nonprofit sets up a main webpage, then individuals or teams sign up and create their own fundraising pages that are active for a certain amount of time. 

In practice, peer-to-peer fundraising is often transactional, as the donors are often giving because a friend asked, not because of a deep affinity for the nonprofit’s mission. And that may be the point. Sometimes it makes sense to accept this, be pleased that the fundraisers are engaging at all, and appreciate the additional funds that come in as a result. 

Lean Into Friendly Competition

Anyone who has ever participated in a Relay for Life or other similar walk-a-thon knows that the competition among teams and fundraisers can get quite spirited. The same is true of most cultivated peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities. 

Kitesurfing Santas may each raise a reasonable amount on their personal pages, but participants who want to be the reigning Santa of the year for having raised the most are likely to raise even more. 

Meet Donors Where They Want to Be

The heart of the matter is that, though your organization should always strive to build relationships, not every supporter is looking for one. So, it is also important to meet people where they are and engage in a way that makes them happy and want to continue their support. Instead of lamenting that younger donors don’t give the way previous generations did, focus on creating ways to participate that are appealing to them. That may mean embracing social, event-driven, or peer-led fundraising — even if i happens in a wetsuit and a Santa hat. 

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.