Engage P2P Spotlight: St. Baldrick's Foundation's Peer-to-Peer Head-Shaving

By now, anyone in the fundraising sector knows about the St. Baldrick's Foundation and its head-shaving events to raise money for childhood cancer research.

What you may not know is that the head-shaving events began as a challenge between businessmen and exploded from there. Starting from modest beginnings, the St. Baldrick's Foundation has become one of the most successful and innovative fundraising nonprofits around.

So what's the key to St. Baldrick's success? It's one of the most user-friendly peer-to-peer fundraising organizations around. The St. Baldrick's website makes it easy for volunteers, donors and anyone else to start a head-shaving event, spread the word and help raise funds. It also provides great resources for peer-to-peer fundraisers to utilize in their quest to help raise money for childhood cancer research, like this heartwarming video about 10-year-old Katelyn, who decided to shave her head for the cause.

This peer-to-peer fundraising focus has been wildly successful. In 2013, the foundation raised more than $34 million, and to date this year, St. Baldrick's has already brought in nearly $37 million.

That's why we're honored to have the St. Baldrick's Foundation as part of the newest FundRaising Success conference, Engage P2P: Redefining Peer to Peer. In their case-study session, "St. Baldrick's: Do You Really Own It?" Susan Heard, senior director of partnerships and major gifts; Jane Hoppen, director of family relations; and Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of St. Baldrick's, will share how the foundation grew from a wild idea into an international movement that is now the world's largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants.

Join St. Baldrick's and your fundraising colleagues at Engage P2P: Redefining Peer to Peer on Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C. Get more info here, and register here. Makes sure to use the promo code "FSNEWS" for $100 off the registration fee.