Giving Compass' Take:

• David Hessekiel reports that the P2P Thirty Survey reveals a significant impact of peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.

• How can you best approach your peer groups to encourage greater giving? Where can you begin? 

• Learn about the value of new donors.

We often forget that one of the most powerful forms of philanthropy comes when individuals ask a friend or a family member to support a cause on their behalf.

This form of philanthropy — called peer-to-peer — is highly effective, since it involves a very personal ask. But it is not often recognized when the press and others examine philanthropy.

With that in mind, I’d like to provide some facts that show just how powerful of a tool peer-to-peer philanthropy is for U.S. nonprofits. Consider that:

  • The 30 largest peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns together raised nearly $1.45 billion in 2017. And that’s just for the 30 largest programs. Peer-to-peer fundraisers each year raise billions more for causes big and small across the U.S.
  • Since 2012, these 30 large programs have raised a whopping $9.56 billion.
  • More than 7.4 million people took part in these largest programs in 2017 — all of whom were there to support their favorite causes.
  • The largest single-event campaign — the Pan-Mass Challenge bike event in Massachusetts — drew 10,000 participants and raised $56.5 million in 2017 alone.

But while it’s easy to get caught up in the big numbers, it’s also important to remember the people who make it possible — the volunteers who not only take part in these campaigns, but who go the extra mile to make sure their efforts are making a difference.

Read the full article about peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns by David Hessekiel at Forbes.