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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• (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

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• (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!

Champions of the peer-to-peer industry understand that P2P events go far beyond just fundraising, raising awareness or building community. For those directly affected by our causes, these events can provide a powerful outlet for emotional healing—a meaningful way to take action, mourn, celebrate and feel less isolated in their struggles.

However, this critical component can often be overshadowed by broader fundraising and marketing strategies. In our efforts to design events that attract the widest possible audience, we can lose sight of creating experiences that truly center those most directly impacted.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell of P2PPF is joined by Chelsea Edwards, Senior Director of Peer-to-Peer Giving at the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, to discuss the recent transformation of the organization’s flagship event from the Undy Run to the Walk To End Colon Cancer. Together, they explore the motivations behind this shift and the strategic decision to redesign the event to better serve those diagnosed with colorectal cancer and their loved ones, rather than just the general public. Chelsea delves into how their new signature experience, “A Moment of Unsilence,” was developed and the profound impact it has had on the community.

This episode also covers:

• Emotional healing as a cornerstone of P2P events
• Securing buy-in from leadership and local communities for change
• The non-revenue benefits of P2P communities

Mentioned Links

Colorectal Cancer Alliance

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:41) - Introducing Chelsea Edwards
• (06:36) - The Undie Run Transformation
• (14:06) - The Moment of Unsilence
• (22:24) - Training For Impact
• (30:54) - Get Involved

Expanding your peer-to-peer (P2P) portfolio is vital for long-term growth and sustainability. By diversifying P2P revenue streams, you can not only raise more funds but also attract new supporters, foster a more inclusive community, and reduce financial risk.

The challenge often lies in determining the right timing and approach for expansion. Is your organization seeking to engage a specific audience? Are you planning to scale an existing program into new communities or introduce an entirely new initiative? Ultimately, successful expansion hinges on prioritizing the next right activity that aligns with your organization’s mission and goals.

In this episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell sits down with Robyn Mendez, industry veteran and City of Hope’s Associate Vice President of Legacy and National Events. Robyn will share her team’s decision-making framework for expanding their signature Walk for Hope from a single-market event to a national footprint. We’ll dig into the importance of setting clear expectations, plus the budget and staffing implications of such a significant change.

Additionally, this episode covers:

• The role of staff and volunteers when entering a new market
• Lessons learned from Year 1 of a strategic program expansion
• Alternate considerations for P2P portfolio growth

Mentioned Links

City of Hope

Walk for Hope

On Social: Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:45) - Introducing Robyn Mendez
• (05:32) - City of Hope Walk for Hope
• (13:34) - Expanding to New Markets
• (28:13) - How do you know when it's time to expand?

It's no exaggeration to say that livestreaming and influencer marketing have revolutionized both the entertainment industry and consumer behavior. With the advent of new technologies and the rise of content creators, many nonprofits are grappling with how to integrate these innovations into their fundraising efforts.

While content creators present an exciting opportunity to reach new audiences for P2P fundraising, a closer look reveals that the fundamentals remain familiar. Streaming campaigns share core elements with traditional fundraising events—empowerment, inspiration, recognition, and calls to action. These campaigns demand the same level of engagement, resources, and support, even if they are delivered through different channels.

In the episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell is joined by Andy Steig, Stand Up To Cancer’s Influencers & Gaming Community Director. Andy will share stories of how his organization launched its influencer & streaming initiative in 2019 and how it has evolved over the past five years. Together, we’ll dig into strategies for recruiting and retaining content creators to support your mission, as well as how to build solid collaborations between influencers, brands and your nonprofit.

Additionally, this episode covers:

• Building community among streamers & influencers
• How to measure success within a streaming or influencer campaign
• Tips for piloting your first streaming campaign

Mentioned Links

Stand Up To Cancer

Up2Us campaign

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (03:17) - Introducing Andy Steig
• (05:58) - About Stand Up To Cancer
• (09:08) - Recruitment
• (14:47) - Retention
• (19:19) - Measuring Success
• (23:58) - Guidance
• (31:59) - Get Involved!

As peer-to-peer leaders, we dedicate considerable effort to planning events, building resources, and crafting communications—all aimed at inspiring our constituents to fundraise. Our systems are designed to facilitate mass participation.

But what happens when an individual reaches out with their own ambitious fundraising goals, seeking to go above and beyond for your cause? If we handle these “lightning in a bottle” moments with care, they can offer profound opportunities for stewardship, storytelling, and mission-building.

In the first episode of Season 3, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell is joined by Scott and Katy Freitag, recipients of the 2024 Cash, Sweat & Tears Award, presented at the 2024 Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum Conference in Philadelphia. With Scott cycling and Katy driving an RV, the couple recently completed an 11,000-mile bike journey across the U.S., raising funds for several organizations, including ZERO Prostate Cancer. We are also joined by their staff partner, Tracy Cameron, ZERO’s Upper Midwest Chapter Director.

Scott and Katy will share stories from their journey, including how they stayed motivated, their proven best practices for fundraising, and what they sought in a charity partner. Tracy will discuss how the ZERO team supported their yearlong efforts and how they leveraged Scott and Katy’s story to advance their mission.

Additionally, this episode will cover:

• Lessons for supporting exceptional fundraisers
• Parallels between endurance challenges and fundraising
• Strategies for sustaining momentum throughout a lengthy campaign

Mentioned Links

Miles For Money

ZERO Prostate Cancer

Instagram: @zeroprostatecancer

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box

Long before nonprofit organizations had local offices and national program leads, peer-to-peer fundraising thrived through the dedication of volunteer leaders passionate about raising money for causes they loved. While volunteer management remains a critical strategy for the success of our events, it is often an elusive task for many organizations.

Identifying the right people, placing them in suitable roles, empowering them to make decision and holding them accountable can be challenging - and time-consuming. As a result, it's often tempting to handle the work ourselves. However, this approach limits our potential to expand our reach and influence within the community.

In the episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell is joined by Bryan Sherwood, Senior Director for Relay For Life at the American Cancer Society (ACS). Bryan will share his personal journey from local and national volunteer to national program lead. Together, they explore how the volunteer experience and volunteer expectations have evolved over the years, particularly in the post-pandemic era. Bryan also highlights the key qualities his team seeks when identifying new volunteer leaders.

Additionally, this episode covers:

• Lessons learned from working volunteers across different generations
• Tips for training staff on critical volunteer management skills
• The role that volunteers can play in diversifying your P2P portfolio

Mentioned Links

American Cancer Society

Relay For Life

Instagram: @relayforlife

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:52) - Introducing Bryan Sherwood
• (05:49) - How has the volunteer experience evolved?
• (07:49) - Exploring the National Volunteer Committee
• (13:40) - Training Volunteers on the Ground
• (16:44) - Learning Across Audiences
• (20:32) - Diversification
• (23:59) - Engaging Volunteers
• (27:56) - Get Involved!

Those of us deeply entrenched in the world of peer-to-peer fundraising have long recognized that one of the greatest strengths of our events and campaigns lies within the sense of community and shared experiences we create for our supporters. However, in an increasingly data-driven environment, quantifying the return on investment (ROI) for cultivating these relationships and creating impactful mission moments can be challenging.

By examining the impact of P2P participation on a donor's lifetime value, we can begin to truly understand the long-term significance of our efforts and therefore make the case for even greater investment. By speaking a common language, we can break down the silos between peer-to-peer and individual giving teams and open our organizations up to even greater opportunity.

In the episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell sits down with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Kevin McMahon & Jon Thompson. This dynamic team will dig into how looking at peer-to-peer fundraisers through the lens of lifetime value has shifted their overall philosophy and strategies behind their signature P2P events.

In this episode, we’ll also explore:

• How this fresh approach to data has changed their staffing, goals and budgets
• The tangible & intangible value of community
• The importance of humility in cross-functional partnerships

Mentioned Links

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:50) - Introducing Kevin McMahon and Jon Thompson
• (06:02) - P2P at CHOP
• (08:17) - Lifetime Value
• (17:01) - The State of the Industry
• (30:23) - The Future
• (34:49) - Getting Started with Lifetime Value
• (40:01) - Learn more and get involved!