10 Ways to Ensure DIY or Peer-To-Peer Fundraising Success

Long gone are the days of pledge sheets and coin jars. Also long gone? Generic emails and sketchy online donation forms that dead-end in receipts.

In today’s world, fundraising has gone digital and personal. With just a few clicks, supporters can now reach their friends, families, and followers through text, email, social media, and mobile apps, turning everyday connections into powerful giving networks.

This is the heart of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising, a people-powered approach that transforms how nonprofits engage donors and grow their impact. Instead of relying solely on direct outreach to each donor, organizations are tapping into cost-effective digital platforms that allow your supporters to become your best crowdsourcers.

When you embrace Peer-to-Peer, you're not just raising money—you’re expanding your reach, building community, and creating a movement around your mission. It’s a strategy that turns one-time donors into lifelong champions, and passive supporters into active advocates. Here are 10 vital ways to ensure campaign success:

1. Launch a “Fundraise Now” Feature

Make it simpler for supporters to do more. Create a “Fundraise Now” hub on your website with ideas like turning birthdays, work events, or personal milestones into fundraisers. Highlight real stories from fundraisers to inspire others to jump in.

2. Ramp Up Your Social Media 

Your website and Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are your campaign’s megaphone. 

• Use free tools like Canva to create graphics, invitations, and impact statistics.
• Plan and schedule posts that drive sign-ups and fundraising all campaign long.
• Make hashtags, event dates, and shareable content easily accessible. 
• And embed live feeds to keep attracting eyes and donations in real time. People love to vicariously watch polar plunges, finish lines, even volunteers eating Sriracha. 

3. Provide Easy Social Fundraising Tools

Not everyone is a social media expert—help fundraisers feel confident with a “Social Fundraising Toolkit.” The easier you make sharing, the wider your reach.

Include:

• quick-start guides
• coaching tips
• ready-made posts
• branded graphics
• and video snippets they can share instantly

4. Personalize Your Messaging

Personalized outreach drives better engagement and stronger results.

Examine your data and segment your participants vs. team leaders, VIPs, top fundraisers, and casual supporters. Then tailor communications that speak directly to their role and motivation. 

5. Re-engage Quiet Fundraisers

Many Peer-to-Peer fundraisers enthusiastically sign up but never take action. Over 55% of participants in the UNICEF–Les Mills campaign created a fundraising page but didn’t raise a single donation (Hesse & Boenigk, 2024)!

To activate these quiet fundraisers, offer encouragement, simple tips, and proof that even small asks can make an impact. Just one early gift can build momentum. Personalizing a page or hosting a small event significantly boosted success. With the right nudge, even the quietest fundraisers can get their first win and keep going.

6. Celebrate & Incentivize Your Stars

Keep fundraisers energized by celebrating milestones and rewarding achievements. 

Whether it’s exclusive merch, digital badges, or shout-outs for recruiting teammates and hitting goals, creative rewards fuel continued effort.

7. Run Targeted Social Ads

Amplify your recruitment with targeted ads on social media. Use precise filters like location, interests, and demographics to find people ready to fundraise. Social ads deliver a big reach outside of your existing network.

8. Make Team Fundraising Easy & Fun

Teams raise more together. Let supporters form or join groups based on work, family, hobbies, or location. Give team captains dedicated support and regular check-ins to keep the energy high and the dollars flowing.

9. Maximize Impact with Corporate Matching

Enable corporate gift matching to boost donations—often adding 20% or more to your total. Display matching options prominently to encourage participation and increase donation size.

10. Prioritize Mobile-First Experiences

With most users on phones or tablets, mobile-friendly donation pages, fundraising tools, and texts aren’t optional—they’re essential. Mobile users tend to raise nearly 3x more, so optimize everything for smooth, fast mobile interactions, and schedule key posts and emails for early evenings when mobile use peaks.

Over 31,000 nonprofits & schools have trusted FrontStream to simplify their charity auctions, galas, Peer-to-Peer events, and online fundraisers.

Last year, our Peer-to-Peer customers inspired 120,000+ supporters to join worthy causes. Take a product tour >