Updated September 11, 2026
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Best Practices: From First Ask to Thank-You
Gratona
Peer-to-peer fundraising asks people to raise money for your nonprofit through their own networks. Your job is to give them a clear purpose, a useful fundraising page and the support to make a personal ask.
Start with the campaign plan. Then help each fundraiser turn that plan into a story someone they know will care about.
1. Make the goal specific
Write down what the campaign will fund, how much it needs and when it ends. Explain what happens if the campaign raises more or less than the target.
Give fundraisers a short description they can use without rewriting your program plan. A friend should be able to understand the purpose before reaching the donation button.
2. Give every page a personal reason to care
A useful fundraising page answers three questions: Why does this person support the cause? What will the money help accomplish? How can the donor contribute?
Include a personal story, an approved photo and a clear goal. Obtain permission before publishing someone else's name, image or experience. Let people participate without disclosing private details.
3. Test the whole donation journey
Open a page on a phone. Read the story, choose an amount and complete a test donation through your approved testing process. Check the confirmation, receipt and donor record.
Make sure your team can identify the campaign and personal page associated with the gift. Agree on who handles a missing receipt or a donor question before launch.
4. Help fundraisers make the first ask
Give people a short invitation they can adapt:
I'm raising money for [organization] because [personal reason]. The campaign will help [specific purpose]. My goal is [amount] by [date]. Would you consider giving through my page? [link]
Start with people the fundraiser knows. A personal message gives the recipient a reason to respond and a chance to ask questions.
5. Use social media to support the conversation
Choose the channels your fundraisers already use. Share the personal page link with a story, a progress update or an explanation of what the campaign will fund.
Check how the link looks on a phone before sharing it widely. Add captions to videos and useful descriptions to images. Give fundraisers fresh material when there is something meaningful to report.
Keep the donation destination clear. Sharing a fundraising link on a social platform and collecting donations through that platform are different workflows.
6. Help people who have stalled
Review which pages are active and which need support. Ask whether a fundraiser needs help writing an invitation, choosing a photo or explaining the campaign.
Recognize progress with permission. Make encouragement personal and useful; avoid turning every update into a public ranking.
7. Track the campaign beyond the total raised
Measure active fundraisers, donors, completed gifts and net proceeds. Define an active fundraiser before the campaign starts—for example, a participant whose page has received at least one completed gift.
Keep pledges, pending payments, completed gifts and refunds separate. Record processing and platform costs so the campaign team and finance team can explain the same result.
8. Plan the thank-you before launch
Assign responsibility for thanking donors and fundraisers. Explain what the campaign achieved and when supporters will hear about the work it funds.
Respect communication preferences. A donation through a friend's page does not automatically mean someone wants every future appeal.
A final check before you launch
Confirm the goal, page content, donation journey, donor visibility settings and support contact. Give each task an owner. Set dates for checking progress and reporting the outcome.
Use the campaign launch worksheet to keep the team aligned.
Run your campaign with Gratona
Create personal fundraising pages, set individual and program goals, and accept donations alongside your nonprofit CRM.