8 peer-to-peer fundraising tips to reach and rally more nonprofit supporters

Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising is one of the most powerful ways for nonprofits to expand their reach, engage new donors, and increase giving. By empowering people to fundraise on your behalf, you unlock networks your organization might never reach on its own.

But here’s the reality: Traditional peer-to-peer campaigns are hitting their natural limits.

Participation across traditional peer-to-peer channels is declining. Social fundraising on platforms like Facebook is down year over year. And even when signature events like runs, walks, or rides draw crowds, many nonprofits are seeing lower dollars raised per individual fundraiser than in years past.

However, that doesn’t mean peer-to-peer is losing relevance. It means it’s evolving.

Supporters still give because of people and stories they trust, but they want more flexibility, ownership, and authenticity. That shift is driving the rise of community fundraising, which expands peer-to-peer beyond time-bound events into everyday moments that supporters choose to champion.

In this post, we’ll share actionable community fundraising tips to help nonprofits strengthen traditional peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns while embracing community-driven initiatives. You’ll learn how to empower supporters to tell your story in their own words, activate new audiences, and scale impact, all while reducing friction with platforms like GoFundMe Pro.

Empower your supporters, expand your impact

Traditional peer-to-peer campaigns often revolve around a single moment, like an in-person event. Community fundraising expands that model by recognizing a simple truth: Support doesn’t only show up on event day.

Community fundraising invites supporters to fundraise for your cause in ways that reflect their lives and values, such as birthdays, personal milestones, creative challenges, memorials, livestreams, or moments of urgency. It turns supporters into advocate-fundraisers, not just participants.

The community fundraising tips below will help nonprofits embrace this shift, without abandoning the traditional P2P fundraising efforts that already work.

1. Grow your reach through your personal networks

One of the most effective community fundraising tips is also the simplest: Let people do the talking.

Peer-to-peer fundraisers work because trust is at their core. New supporters are far more likely to give when a friend, family member, or colleague asks them directly—especially when paired with a personal story.

To expand your reach:

• Encourage fundraisers to share why your cause matters to them, not just what your nonprofit organization does
• Promote sharing across multiple channels: social media platforms, text, email, and group chats
• Show supporters that participation doesn’t have to look like a run or walk—nonprofit fundraising can happen anywhere

Strong storytelling makes these asks more compelling. One helpful approach is guiding supporters through a simple framework:

• Why I care (personal connection)
• Why now (urgency or moment)
• How to help (clear call to action)

Resources like nonprofit storytelling worksheets can help supporters shape authentic messages without sounding scripted.

Platforms like GoFundMe Pro also help extend your reach by operating within a broader ecosystem. When supporters use a fundraising platform people already know and trust, their calls to action not only reach personal networks but also GoFundMe’s 200M+ donor community, lowering barriers to participation and increasing visibility.

2. Adopt a community fundraising mindset

If there’s one fundraising tip that unlocks long-term growth, it’s to stop limiting how supporters can show up.

When practicing community fundraising, the nonprofit sets the inspiration and, at times, the framework, whereas the supporter drives the action. Peer-to-peer participants might decide to stream a video game marathon, run 100 miles, host a dinner party, or shave their heads. They choose the activity that fits their lifestyle and their network.

This matters because it changes the dynamic of the relationship. You aren’t just asking them for a favor. You’re giving them agency. Even better, you’re inviting them to be a co-owner of your mission.

This approach is especially effective with Gen Z and Millennials, who are highly motivated by causes but less interested in rigid, event-based participation. They value flexibility, digital-first fundraising tools, and the ability to align giving with their identity and values.

GoFundMe Pro makes community fundraising easier, whether your supporters launch a fundraiser, take on a challenge, or create a campaign that directly benefits your nonprofit. Even better, once you claim your verified Nonprofit Page, your GoFundMe Pro dashboard automatically captures all donations and supporter details for seamless reporting.

In 2025 alone, supporters created over 80,000 challenge-style fundraisers, from yoga challenges and hikes to readathons and gaming events.

3. Reduce friction with built-in coaching and guidance

One reason community fundraising stalls is a lack of confidence. Supporters want to help you reach your fundraising goals, but they’re not always sure what to do next, when to share, or how to succeed.

That’s why providing coaching and ongoing support is one of the most critical elements of a successful community fundraising strategy.

Traditional approaches often rely on:

• PDFs and static toolkits
• One-time training sessions
• Manual check-ins that don’t scale

Effective community fundraising requires automated, data-driven coaching at scale.

With GoFundMe Pro, fundraisers have support from start to finish through built-in coaching, activity tracking, and smart nudges that spark engagement. Each fundraiser has access to a personal command center with recommended next steps, prewritten social media posts and emails, and suggestions for whom to reach out to next.

This guidance helps supporters move forward with confidence, without feeling micromanaged. It also frees nonprofits to focus on strategy while our platform handles the heavy lifting, drawing on insights from a community that has raised over $40 billion.

When it’s easy for supporters to succeed, everyone wins.

4. Celebrate fundraisers to foster long-term engagement

Celebration isn’t just about motivation. It’s about retention.

Celebrate supporters by recognizing first-time fundraisers, highlighting milestones, such as first gifts or goals reached, and sharing thank-you messages that connect their efforts directly to impact. This reinforces that community fundraising isn’t a one-off initiative. It’s part of a lasting relationship.

Plus, GoFundMe Pro makes this easier with real-time tracking and alerts, allowing nonprofits to acknowledge progress quickly and authentically.

5. Make giving easy and mobile-friendly

The most nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile users (including phones and tablets). Mobile users accounted for 52% of all visits in 2024, and desktop users accounted for 48%.

Making giving easy and mobile-friendly isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential.

More importantly, mobile-first experiences support in-the-moment sharing and spontaneous giving, which are critical to successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and community fundraising methods. When someone sees a friend’s personal fundraising page, they should be able to give instantly and seamlessly.

That means fast-loading donation pages, streamlined checkout flows, AI-powered donation forms, and clear suggested amounts with impact statements that make it easy to act in the moment.

GoFundMe’s seamless mobile experience is for these exact moments, making it easier for supporters to act on their emotions and generosity.

6. Use data to track, learn, and celebrate success

Strong community fundraising strategies don’t stop at launch. They rely on ongoing measurement.

Tracking performance helps nonprofits understand what works, where supporters are most engaged, and where to focus next. Key metrics to monitor include:

• The number of active fundraisers/individual fundraising pages
• Average dollars raised per fundraiser
• Amount raised among top fundraisers
• Share activity
• Conversion rates

With these insights, organizations can identify high-performing fundraisers, test new approaches, and celebrate meaningful milestones. GoFundMe Pro’s reporting and analytics tools make it easier to visualize performance, take action, and support recognition and stewardship that drive repeat engagement and overall fundraising success.

7. Collaborate with influencers and community leaders

Influencers don’t have to be celebrities. In fact, the most effective advocates are often trusted voices within a specific community: teachers, creators, local leaders, or deeply passionate supporters.

This is especially true for younger donors, as Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly inspired by impact creators—people who use their platforms to raise awareness and drive charitable donations. More than half of Gen Z say they trust impact creators to donate on their behalf, highlighting the growing role of social-driven philanthropy.

Partnering with these community-based influencers can expand your reach into new networks, add credibility to your campaign, and inspire others to start fundraisers of their own. It’s a powerful way to scale community fundraising organically, fueled by trust and authenticity.

8. Share impact stories often

Finally, close the loop. Donors and fundraisers want to know whether their efforts made a difference. Consistently and authentically sharing impact stories keeps supporters engaged and reinforces why community fundraising works.

By highlighting the real people, programs, and outcomes made possible by community support, you turn participation into pride, and pride into long-term advocacy. For practical tips on doing this well, check out our storytelling guide.

GoFundMe Pro helps nonprofits bring those stories to life. With modern, branded donation pages, expansive community fundraising, Meta social sharing, and user-friendly live event tools, nonprofits can reach millions and amplify impact storytelling across their community.

The future of peer-to-peer fundraising is community-led

Peer-to-peer fundraising isn’t fading. It’s transforming. The nonprofits that will thrive are those that treat their mission as a shared cause and empower their community to lead. Embracing community fundraising means moving beyond rigid events and scarcity thinking to spark real connection, creativity, and momentum.

With the right tools, strategy, and platform, nonprofits can mobilize supporters, expand their reach, and build lasting communities of advocates, alongside the 200M+ already active on GoFundMe.

Now is the moment to modernize your community fundraising approach and unlock what your supporters can achieve together.

Copy editor: Ayanna Julien