As many P2P programs strive to expand, organizations often grapple with a core question: should they focus resources on deepening engagement with current supporters or invest in acquiring new ones?

The answer isn’t always one strategy over the other—it’s important to consider your mission’s scope. For causes that directly impact millions, investing in participant acquisition can also help drive broader awareness and connect more people to essential services and support. For missions affecting a smaller community, creating deeper connections and boosting engagement may be more effective.

In today’s episode, Marcie Maxwell sits down with industry veteran Megan Gavin, Vice President of Field Campaign and Community Initiatives at the American Diabetes Association. They dive into how her team developed a strategic plan to drive exponential growth for their flagship P2P event, Step Out Walk, aiming to engage more of the 38 million people living with diabetes in the U.S.

Tune in as they also discuss:

- Using data to guide staff toward high-impact activities

- Leveraging AI tools for lead generation

- The critical role of effective event leadership

Mentioned Links

www.diabetes.org

On Facebook (@American Diabetes Association), X (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn)

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:24) - Introducing Megan Gavin
• (04:26) - Tour de Cure and Step Out for Work
• (07:45) - Building New Networks
• (10:22) - ROI on Marketing Investments
• (15:04) - Results
• (19:18) - Learn More

Have you ever stopped to question if your fundraising messaging is ethical? Despite our best intentions as professional fundraisers, it is crucial for us to recognize that certain traditional fundraising methods no longer hold up under scrutiny in 2023.

In our efforts to showcase the serious need for donations with often sad, evocative imagery, we run the risk of contributing to a negative stereotype or, even worse, retraumatizing those we are trying to help. Or we paint a picture of perfect success stories, only to discount the very real challenges our organizations are trying to solve.

While facing financial targets, it can indeed be tempting to prioritize the preferences and desires of donors. However, it is crucial for us to pause and reflect on whether such prioritization is being done at the expense of our mission and the well-being of our community.

In this rebroadcast from Season 1, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell sits down with Covenant House International’s Associate Vice President of Site Development, Meghan Coan, and Associate Vice President of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising. Meghan and Colleen share a passion for ethical storytelling, which informs their work with their signature Sleep Out program. We sat down with them to discuss pivotal moments that triggered transformative change within their team and how they are reevaluating messaging and event experiences to ensure alignment with their mission of providing housing for youth facing homelessness.

In today’s episode, we’ll explore:

• How Covenant House is continuously evaluating and evolving its fundraising events to ensure mission alignment
• How they are reframing their messaging and responding to feedback from supporters
• The importance of respecting personal boundaries in storytelling

Mentioned Links

Covenant House International

Sleep Out

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Connect with Colleen

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:03) - Introducing Colleen Veldt and Meghan Coan
• (07:44) - Sleep Out at Covenant House
• (11:50) - Evaluating Ethics & Mission
• (23:55) - Ethical Storytelling
• (28:04) - The Public Response
• (32:10) - Learn More

One of the most pressing questions facing the peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising industry is, "How do we better engage the next generation of fundraisers?"

With each generational shift, it can be daunting to understand the motivations of the emerging group and adapt to their preferences. Gen Z and young Millennials, now aged 12 to 30, are no exception. Their expectations for transparency, community and social responsibility demand that P2P programs move beyond cookie-cutter fundraising approaches, focusing instead on building trust, fostering meaningful connections, and empowering personal autonomy.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell sits down with Laurie Benner, the Interim VP, Signature Programs at the Canadian Cancer Society, to chat about the organization’s fastest growing P2P campaign, Relay For Life Youth Program. Together, they discuss how and why the organization has placed a strategic emphasis on the Gen Z & Young Millennial demographic and dig into the unique lessons learned about youth volunteers, including communication preferences and messaging.

This episode also covers:

• Building trust with youth volunteers
• How to harness unique skills of unique volunteers
• Identify the right staff partners to work with this demographic

Mentioned Links

Relay For Life Canada

Canadian Cancer Society

Instagram: @YouthRelay

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Laurie

Connect with Marcie

Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:21) - Introducing Laurie Benner at the Canadian Cancer Society
• (05:32) - Addressing the Youth Market
• (20:30) - Finding the Right Staff
• (23:24) - Learn More and Get Involved!