P2P Fundraising Suite for COVID-19 Relief Efforts

As we enter into times of uncertainty, it is critical that we adapt to new needs that the nonprofit sector is facing. When a crisis occurs, such as the outbreak of COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this time to come together and develop relief strategies that can be put in place to continue generating funds for your mission.

There is a deep understanding that the times when we are faced with economic hardship or environmental hazards are when nonprofits and schools need to generate funds the most. With so many organizations devoted to serving vulnerable populations, action must be taken to ensure you are still able to provide your services to the growing amount of people who will come to rely on you.

We also understand that historically, spring is a time that nonprofits and schools begin to host many in-person events to engage with donors and community members. With restrictions now in place that allow us to do our part to “ flatten the curve” of COVID-19, many of these events have been postponed or canceled leaving fundraising goals unmet.

Online fundraising can be uncharted territory for many, making it seem difficult or intimidating to get started. And while it can take time to get the hang of, it is an incredibly impactful tool that can change the trajectory of your organization’s impact.

Let’s go over some of the ways that the tools and resources included in our Peer-to-Peer fundraising suite will allow you to successfully raise funds for crisis relief efforts.

Share Your Organization’s Need

In a time of crisis, people want to help; they just might not know how or where. Be transparent about how your organization is affected by the crisis at hand. It is understandable to be reluctant to seek help and funds with so many suffering, but your work is critical in serving the needs of vulnerable populations. Make it clear how donations large and small can make an incredible impact on how you are able to operate during this time and beyond.

Our Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Suite allows your organization the ability to create a custom story that will display within your campaign. This is where you will share information about your organization and its immediate needs in regards to its crisis relief efforts.

For some potential donors, this could be the first time that they’re learning about your organization. Make sure there is information in your story about your mission and what people can do to help support your cause and the on-going services you provide. Include helpful links within your story for your donors and supporters to stay informed and connected to your efforts.

Fundraising Tip: Customize your donation levels with images and descriptions to provide visual context to how your organization will plan on using funds collected through this campaign. The example below illustrates how the United Way of Greater Knoxville will use funds collected through their campaign, Knox County COVID-19 Response Fund, to support the homeless, families, and children affected by the COVID-19 Virus.

Engage in Peer-to-Peer and Team Fundraising

Call upon your staff and your biggest supporters to help spread the word about your campaign to reach a larger network. Using peer to peer fundraising is a proven way to raise awareness and connect with new donors! On average, a p2p fundraiser brings in 4 new donors. Now is a time that donors are actively seeking organizations to give to. If they see that their friend or family member is involved and is advocating for a particular organization, they will be much more likely to contribute.

Each p2p fundraiser will have their own toolkit and profile, but the donations will come straight through your campaign. They are able to set their own goals, tell their stories, and reach out to potential donors directly through email or social media. It is an easy and impactful way for your supporters to share the needs of your organization and encourage others to give in this time of great need.

Additionally, your p2p fundraisers can come together and create fundraising teams to further extend their impact on your organization. In the example below, a group of p2p fundraisers who are affiliated with the East Tennesee Chinese/Chinese American Care group formed a team fundraiser for the Knox County COVID-19 Response Fund campaign to work together and reach a larger network of potential donors.  Team fundraising emphasizes the importance of unity and the collective impact made by those wanting to make a difference in their community through your cause.

Fundraising Tip: Your Board Members typically have a vast network. Ask them to create a peer-to-peer fundraiser and share why they are committed to helping your organization. 

Leverage Matches and Challenges

Amplify the efforts of your crisis relief campaign with Matches and Challenges. These features allow your organization to highlight its largest donors and sponsors giving back to this cause. Matches and Challenges are an extremely powerful tool because donors feel like their donation will go beyond their initial gift. Even if they aren’t able to give as much as they would like, they still feel like they are able to make a more significant impact knowing their gift will help release much-needed funds for your organization.

A ‘match‘ should be created when funds that were donated from a person or company are intended to be used to double the amount raised by your organization. A ‘challenge‘ should be created when funds are given to your organization to be unlocked once you hit a fundraising milestone.

Fundraising Tip: You can add your matching sponsor’s name, logo, and description to recognize their impact in your campaign!  For Example, Act for Alexandria was able to showcase the $100,000 one-to-one match Sponsored by The City of Alexandria for donations to the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund campaign as shown below.

Show Your Gratitude

It is so important to prioritize thanking the individuals giving to your COVID-19 relief campaign. During this time, donors are unable to give at the capacity they typically would, as many do not have the disposable income they are accustomed to. When a donor gives to your campaign it shows that they have a deep appreciation of your organization and its work.

Be sure to reciprocate that feeling of appreciation and gratitude no matter the size of the gift. With our fundraising suite, you can be sure that all your donors are hearing from you directly after they make their gift. You have the ability to create a customized “Thank You” email that will also act as a receipt for the gift. Within the email, you can craft a message about what their gift means to your efforts and include a photo or video to help further show your gratitude. Instructions on how to customize your “Thank You” message can be found here.

Manage Your Campaign

Knowing how your campaign is operating every step of the way will allow you to make any adjustments and gain helpful insights into your donors’ behavior at this time.

Analytical tools are provided within the back-end of your campaign to track the number of donors and fundraisers, new donors and repeat donors, traffic and donation sources, and more. These will help inform you on how far your reach is and if there are any areas where more outreach is needed. Additionally, we will send you weekly updates to see the overall impact of your campaign.

You are also able to pull donation reports at your convenience for record-keeping and for any additional stewardship planned for your donors. We have created step-by-step support articles to show how to download your donation report and how to read it.

Browse Our Resource Library

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to see fundraising success throughout your campaign. This is why we have been diligent in creating an extensive resource library to help support and enhance your fundraising strategies.

Resources available in our library consist of webinar recordings, blog articles, step-by-step support articles, podcast episodes, downloads and e-Books, and more.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we have collected tools and resources specifically towards relief efforts available to all nonprofits that include free fundraising tools, webinar recordings, templated guides, and articles. We encourage you to visit this page to learn more about how the nonprofit sector is responding and adapting to 

this crisis.