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Reimagining Your Peer-to-Peer Fundraising ProgramsA GUIDE TO EVOLVING BEYOND VIRTUAL SPRING 2020 PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING STUDY

2Reimagining Your Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Programs

The key to driving local engagement is to give your volunteers, event participants, team captains the tools, ideas and freedoms to engage their local community on their own terms.


Contents

The Reimagined Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Program 4

BusinessAsDifferent 4

Going Beyond Virtual 6

Building Community 6

Spring 2020 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study 8

Methodology 9

Cancel, Pivot, Reschedule 9

Engagement Metrics 10

Giving Trends 15

DIY, Relief and Crowdfunding Trends 15

A Programmatic Guide to Reimagining Your P2P Programs 17

In-Person Events 18

Non Competitive Events 20

Competitive Events 24

Digital Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Programs 26

Do-It-YourselfPrograms-TimeDefined&Evergreen 28

Giving Days 31

Livestreaming Programs 33

Charitable Crowdfunding 34


THE REIMAGINED PEER-TO-PEER

FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

BusinessasDifferent

The world has changed, however many of the same strategies and techniques used pre-pandemic to

makeP2Peventssuccessfulremainrelevantpost-pandemicwithslightmodificationstohowpeople

engageoneventday.Itis“BusinessasDifferent”vs.“BusinessasUsual.”

For the foreseeable future, people will be hesitant to congregate together, even if their community

is reopening and they can leave their homes for work, school and social activities. While people are

hesitant to gather in large groups, they are still looking for ways to connect with their friends and

family.

As part of the social good community, you are uniquely poised to help provide your supporters with

that much-desired sense of community by shifting your large-scale event day activities so they can

be executed by participants in their local communities, respectful of individual social distancing

preferences…Itisthe“ReimaginedPeer-to-PeerFundraisingProgram.”


I’m not social distancing... I’m virtually socializing.”

— Erica Helphand Co-Founder, Ellementary, Managing Partner, Op 3

800.443.9441 | [email protected] | www.blackbaud.com July 2020 6

Evolving Beyond Virtual Immediately following the cancellation of events in Spring2020,organizationswereclamoringforsolutionstopivottheirin-personeventsinto“VirtualEvents”thatfocused100%oftheiractivitiesonline.VirtualEvents helped us survive the immediate challenge of Spring event cancellations, however, as event dates crept deeper into the Spring and programs lost the momentum of pre-pandemic registration activity, many in-person events fell short of their original fundraising goals.

AsweheadintotheFall2020andSpring2021eventseasons,the100%VirtualEventmodelwillnotbesufficienttoattractparticipantsandmotivatethemtofundraise for your cause.

Building a CommunityNow more than ever before, people are looking for safe ways to connect with one another.

Whensocialdistancingmandateswerefirsthandeddown, there were many examples of this desire for connection.Peopleputstuffedanimalsintheirwindowsto cheer up the neighbors who were walking past their homes. In celebration of a birthday or graduation, friendsandfamilyorganizedcarparadesthatwoulddrive past a home while honking horns and waving out windows. In urban communities like New York City, people have opened their windows in the evening to bangpotsandpansandcheeronthefirstresponderswhowerecomingoffshift.

Fortunately,P2PFundraisingProgramsalsomeetthisbasic human need for community by bringing people together in teams or through giving to rally around a goodcause.P2PFundraisingprogramsprovideareasonfor supporters to engage with their friends and family, and a sense of normalcy.

At the beginning of the pandemic, a team captain shared that participation in their favorite walk is a highlight of

the year for her family and friends. They all look forward to walk season in a similar way that people look forward to celebrating the holiday season in November and December. When the Spring walk was cancelled, her family expressed sadness and grief that the pandemic cancelled the walk and took away another element oftheir“normal”lives.Additionally,theteamdidn’tfundraise this year and they likely would have fundraised iftheorganizationhadgiventhemguidanceonhowto“participate”inanalternativeway.

The consequence of keeping your program in limbo in terms of your response to the current situation will be presumed cancellation that will negatively impact registration,Today’schallengeistofigureouthowtocapture the attention of your supporters and then rally them to fundraise when in-person gatherings are not possible. While people will be hesitant to gather in large groups, most are connecting with people geographically


ShiftingthefocusofyourP2PProgramtocommunity-driven activation also comes with powerful, long term benefits.Whenapersondoessomethingpublicly,liketelltheirfriends&familythattheyarefundraisingforacause,psychologicallyitdeepenstheiraffinityforthecause,theorganization,andyourfundraisingprogram.The more active and visible a person is with promoting your program within their community, the deeper their connectiontoyourmissionandyourP2Pfundraisingprogram. Your cause/org/event becomes part of their personal identity.

The dividends of the work done this year to engage your participantswillpayoffintheyearstocome.Theresultswill be people doing more to further your cause and your program through increased fundraising, volunteering or forming a team. and your event becomes a part of their intimate community.

close to them. Encouraging your supporters to take action to engage those geographically close to them will spark the same type of positive magic that was experienced when people in NYC hit their pots and pans forfirstresponders.

The key to driving local engagement is to give your volunteers, event participants, team captains the tools, ideas and freedoms to engage their local community on their own terms. Interestingly, these concepts of local engagement were the original strategies used intheearlydaysofP2Pfundraising.TheAmericanCancerSociety’sRelayforLifemodelwasbuiltaroundvolunteers engaging their local communities of friends and family to walk together at a school track within their community.

Theobjectiveofthisguideistoofferadata-drivenoverviewoftheP2PFundraisingindustryandtoprovide a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to help yourorganizationevolveyourexistingP2PFundraisingPrograms into a reimagined version that sparks excitement and drives fundraising.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint.” —Shana Masterson,

Principal P2P Consultant, Blackbaud


Spring 2020 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study

01CHAPTER


Blackbaud annually publishes a year-over-year comparison of event performance to help provide insight into the health of the P2P Event Fundraising industry and to help event owners benchmark their own programs against similar programs in the industry.

With the cancellation of in-person events in March 2020, the P2P experts at Blackbaud shifted this guide to offer data-driven insights on the performance of Spring 2020 events. The intention is to help guide decision making for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 programs.

Analysis Methodology Unlessotherwisestated,thefollowinganalysisisofeventprogramswhowerescheduledbetweenJanuary1andJune15,2020,excludinganyeventwithnofundraising.Therewere7,153eventsincludedinthissectionoftheanalysis.

Fortheyear-over-yearcomparisons,theanalysisonlyincludedthoseprogramsthatwereidentifiedbytheorganizationasbringconnectedin2019and2020withmoneyraisedinbothyears.Therewere3,382eventsincludedin this section of the analysis.

Cancel, Pivot, Reschedule Calculating the number of events that have cancelled, pivoted or rescheduled is not an exact science. To help directionally understand the trends around cancel, pivot or reschedule decisions, we compare the number programs scheduled year-over-year that take place each month.

PriortoMarcheventcancellations,thenumberofeventstakingplacehaddecreasedby~18%YOY,sowecanlogicallyassumetheseeventcancellationdecisionsweremadepriortheCovid-19outbreakandareunrelatedtothepandemic.

Since most of North America went into lock down in mid-March and has not re-opened large scale gatherings at the time of analysis in June, we can assume that any program that remained scheduled in the Spring pivoted to virtualengagementandthedifferenceinprogramsaccountsforthoseeventsthatwerecancelledalltogetherorrescheduled to the Fall.

18%

20%62%

Cancelled, Pivoted or Rescheduled P2P Events

Pre-Pandemic Cancellations

Pandemic-caused Cancellations & Reschedule

Pivoted to Virtual

18%

20%62%


Pre-Pandemic Cancellations

Pandemic-caused Cancellations & Reschedule

Pivoted to Virtual



Fundraising&RegistrationPerformance…ActNow.TheSpringEventAnalysisrevealsthatoverallfundraisingisdown53%YOYandregistrationisdown57%asthepandemic moves forward, declines in registration and fundraising are increasing.

Mostin-personP2Peventsfundraisingfollowanexponentialgrowthcurvethatreachesitshighestratesastheeventapproacheseventday.Thismeansthatthefundraisingmomentumbuiltintheearlydaysofyoureventinfluencesthe potential total fundraising at the conclusion of the event. In other words, the sooner participants can register, the more time those participants have to fundraise.

BasedontherealtimeregistrationcountsforFallEventsasofMay31,2020,registrationforFall2020eventswasdown75%fromthissametimein2020.Intheory,registrationcounts(-75%)andprogramcancellationrates(-38%)should be relatively close to one another. The large disparity in these two metrics is a warning sign that our Fall Events are at risk and that we need to take immediate action to correct course.

Month Fundraising Registration

Jan -14% -14%

Feb 6% -7%

Mar -9% -27%

Apr -48% -58%

May -52% -68%

June -74% -71%

-38%

-75%-80%

-70%

-60%

-50%

-40%

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%Event

CancellationsFall

RegistrationProcess

Event Cancellation vs Registration Rates


The Consequence of Delayed ActionBasedonaninformalsurveyofeventorganizers,approx.1outofevery3ofeventorganizersaremarketingthatin-person events will either happen in-person as originally planned or that a decision will be made in the future on whether the in-person program will happen at a later date.

Peoplearenervousaboutattendingin-personevents,soifyourorganizationispresentingyoureventasin-personormaybe in-person, then people will be hesitant to register and this will ultimately impact your fundraising potential.

Focusing your marketing on the status of your in-person event will suppress registration rates AND the willingness of people who have registered from fundraising because they are waiting to see if your event is cancelled.

Taking steps now to refresh your messaging to reassure people that your program is moving forward without therequirementofbeingin-personwillhelpfireuptheregistrationengineandultimatelypreservemoreofyourfundraising. Later in this guide, we discuss strategies to help with shifting your in-person event strategy to being “virtualfirst.”

Participant EngagementParticipantEngagementisoneoftheprimaryindicatorsoffuturefundraising.Thefirstengagementinaneventtypically begins with registration and as part of that registration process. The second engagement point is the decision to participate in a team as a captain or team member, followed by the asks to log into the participant center or to connect to a Facebook Fundraiser. Additional participant engagement activities include sending emails or trackingfitnessactivities.

Todrivehomethepointthatengagementdrivesfundraising,we’veseeninpreviousbenchmarkstudiesavailableathi.blackbaud.com/p2p,teamcaptainsraisemoremoneythanteammembersandteammembersraisemorethanpeoplenotaffiliatedwithateam.PeoplewhostandupaFacebookFundraisingreceiveonavg3-4moregiftsandraise$150morethantheirpeerswhodonotconnecttoFacebookFundraising.

Developing ongoing, timely and relevant ways to drive online engagement is going to be critically important as we head into the Fall event season where typical in-person activities will be limited.

Facebook FundraisingTheTeamRaiserintegrationtoFacebookFundraisingwasintroducedin2018andhasbeengrowinginadoptionthroughout2019and2020.Thefollowinganalysislooksat2019and2020Springeventsthatwereconnectedbytheirorganizerandhadatleast1FacebookFundraisingconnectedeachyear.

2019 2020

%ofparticipantsconnectedtoFB 7.0% 13.6%

Average Fundraising raised per person on Facebook

214.88 $198.05


It is expected to see that the average fundraising per person drops slightly as adoption improves, but the increase inadoptionin2020morethancompensatesforthesmalldropinavgfundraisingaddinguptosomesignificantadditional revenue.

Forexample,assumeyoureventhas1000peopleregistered.

Additionally,whenorganizationshavetheFacebookFundraisingintegrationenabledformultipleyears,therevenueopportunity is even greater. The following metrics compare FB Fundraising results when the integration was enabled inboth2019and2020.

Runningthesamescenarioasdescribedabovewith1000participantsandtherepeatFBFundraisingmetrics:

Not surprising but there has also been an increase in percentage of overall revenue is coming from Facebook Fundraising spurred on by increased adoption.

2019 2020

%ofoverallfundraisingcomingfromFacebook Fundraisers

5% 9%

2019 2020

%ofparticipantsconnectedtoFB 7.0% 13.8%

Average Fundraising raised per person on Facebook

214.88 $252.80

2019 2020

# of people fundraising on FB 70 136

$$$/person(fromabove) $214.88 $198.05

OverallRevenuefromFBFundraisers $15,041.62 $26,934.45

2019 2020

# of people fundraising on FB 70 138

$$$/person(fromabove) $214.88 $252.80

OverallRevenuefromFBFundraisers $15,041.62 $34,380.59

“This Facebook thing is just printing money. I’ve raised $130 and I’ve just been sitting here at my desk working away. It’s astonishing.”

—-Anonymous, Ride for Roswell participant


Team ParticipationTeam metrics have been impacted by pandemic, however, not as severely as the general participant population. Doubling down on team recruitment remains a smart strategy.

Asthepandemichasprogressesandregistrationhasdeclined,teamcaptainsarerepresentingalarger%oftheoverallparticipant population. Team Captains have remained the most loyal to your fundraising program.

Continuetoencourageteamparticipationandfocuseffortsonretaining,recruitingandsupportingteamcaptains.Theyareonthefrontlinesinlocalcommunitiespromotingyoureventandtheirpositiveinfluenceonteammembersresults in greater engagement and fundraising.

2020 % YOY change

Avg # of Team per Program 11.8 -37%

AvgTeamSize 8.1 -42%

%ofGiftsrecruitedbyTeamMembers 86% +1%


Participant Center Log Ins and Self DonationsThe pandemic has had very minor impact on the traditional engagement behaviors like participant center log Ins and self donations.

This reinforces the importance of getting registration up and running as quickly as possible. The more people you can register, the more people will start behaving in the ways that drive fundraising.

% of participants 2019 2020

Logging into the Participant Center 37% 36%

Making a donation to their ownfundraisingefforts

43% 45%


P2PGivingTrends–FewerDonors,butGivingMoreGenerouslyIn alignment with the trends seen in the direct fundraising space following the pandemic, the average online gift for a P2PFundraisingeventisalsoup.Unlikethedirectfundraisingworld,volumeofdonationsforeventshasdroppedby

58%YOY.Thisdramaticdecreaseindonationvolumeisnot surprising given the overall decline in registration.

The donors your participants are recruiting are more generous than they have been in the past.

DIY,Relief&CrowdfundingProgramsThefollowingdatapointswerepulledfromJustGiving™andreflectorganization-drivenfundraisingonBlackbaudPeer-to-Peer Fundraising™, powered by JustGiving™ as well as supporter-driven fundraising conducted by individuals directly from JustGiving.com.

Whiletraditionalin-personP2Pprogramslikewalksand bike tours have experienced declines since Spring 2020,participationandfundraisingforprogramsthatallow supporters to fundraise on their own terms have experienced growth.

ForSpring2020,overallfundraisingperorganizationhasgrownnearly4xcomparedtoSpring2019.Thesetypesofprogramsareoftenreferredtodifferentnamesincluding project-based fundraising, Giving Days. relief aid,time-specificappeals,evergreenfundraising,virtualevents,orrapidresponseefforts.Thepopularityofthese alternative programs is also evident in the volume of pages stood up for both org-driven and individual-driven fundraising pages.

Onaverageindividualfundraisingpagesraise$283persupporterwiththosepageswithmeaningful,sensitivecontentdriving the best fundraising. When supporters and donors feel as though they can be a part of the solution, they respond as a collective community.

“Supporters have been demanding fundraising alternatives to traditional in-person events for years. The pandemic has simply increased the urgency to make these programs available. Now more than ever organizations must diversify their P2P fundraising strategy to provide new choices for their supporters that can supplement lost in-person event revenue.”

— Robyn Mendez, Blackbaud

19 Avg Gift Amount 20 Avg Gift Amount

$107.28 $118.99

Org-Driven Fundraising on Blackbaud

P2P Fundraising, powered by JustGiving

Individual Fundraising

on JustGiving.com

Number of Fundraising Pages Spring 2020 3,000 1,200


Average Gift AmountIn alignment with general online giving and in-person event giving trends, average gift amount is also up for organizationshostingP2PProgramsonBlackbaudP2PFundraising,poweredbyJustGiving.

Activation RatesActivationratesvarybasedonthetypeofprogramthatanorganizationishostingandtheamountofsupportavailabletheirparticipants.ForProgramshostedonBlackbaudP2PFundraising,poweredbyJustGiving,48%ofindividuals who register raise money.

COVID-19 Relief Efforts & #GivingTuesdayNowAsorganizationslookedforanalternativetocancelledin-personevent,BlackbaudP2PFundraising,poweredbyJustGivinghelpedraisemorethan$6.2milliondollarsgloballyforcampaignsidentifiedbythesupporterasa“virtutalevent.”

For#GivingTuesdayNowheldonMay5,2020,US-basedorganizationsexperiencedthelargestsingle-dayvolumeofdonationsinthefirsthalfoftheyear.

Spring 2020 YOY

Avg Gift Amount $109 +63%

BlackbaudP2PFundraising,poweredbyJustGivingOfferAsorganizationsarelookingtoexpandtheirP2PFundraisingeffortsduringthepandemic,BlackbaudisexcitedtoofferBlackbaudP2PFundraising,poweredbyJustGivingfornosubscriptionfeeplusasmallpercentage-basedtransactionfee.Includedinyoursubscriptionisconfigurationofasingleout-of-the-boxcampaign,aswellas,theoptionforadonortoincludethethatpercentagefeeoveranabovetheirgift.Onaverage8outof10donors,opttocoverfeesfororganizations.

When you succeed, we succeed.

Ifyouwouldliketotakeyourcampaigntothenextlevel,wealsoofferprofessionalservicespackagestohelpcreateacustomizableexperienceforyoursupporters.

To learn more and watch a short video of the solution, visit this site.


A Programmatic Guide to Reimagining Your Peer-To-Peer Campaign

02CHAPTER


Turnkey said, “Nothing is business as usual right now. To hit a website and see business as usual is disconcerting. Itsaystothevisitor‘Youdon’tunderstandme.Youdon’tknowwhatI’mgoingthrough.Thisinstitutionisdivorcedfrommycurrentreality.’”

With that frame of mind, registration for events that appear to be moving forward as planned is greatly decreased.Staffisalsoleftfeelingrudderlessandunableto take action without any distinct goal to move towards. For events waiting to decide, the best course of action for everyone involved is to make a decision now, despite the uncertainty of what the next few months will bring.

Andrea Gregory, Director of Event Fundraising for the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation reports being inspired by a quote from Jean Brown, Executive Director of the Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center, which puts on The ProutyamongstotherP2Pevents.Shesaid,“Makethedecisionandstartworkingonit.You’llsleepbetter

In-PersonP2PEventsIn-personP2PeventsinarguablywerethetypeofP2Pcampaignmostaffectedbythecoronaviruspandemic.Atfirst,organizationsagonizedoverwhetherornottohosteventsamidstthemedicalconcerns.Someorganizationsacted quickly and decisively, announcing there would be no in-person components to their Spring events.Othersrealizedmoreslowlythatin-personeventswouldnotbehappening at all during the Spring.

OrganizationswerefacedwiththreeoptionsfortheirSpringevents:postpone,cancel,orgoentirelyvirtual.For those going virtual, organizationswhoquicklymadethe decision were able to make the pivot much more smoothly and were generally viewed more positively by participantsthanorganizationswhowaitedtomakethedecision. The in-person to virtual paradigm of the Spring was very reactive in nature, propelled by uncertainty and fear.

MovingintoFall2020andSpring2021,wehavemoretime to prepare. We now understand more about the necessary precautions, such as the importance of masks and social distancing. We also know that regardless of virus activity, there will be people who will simply not be comfortable returning to public gatherings.

Make a Decision and Run with ItTakinga“wait-and-see”approachtoFallandnextSpringisextremelydisconcertingtobothstaffandparticipantsalike. When asked about this, Katrina Van Huss from

“Nothing is business as usual right now. To hit a website and see business as usual is disconcerting.It says to the visitor ‘You don’t understand me. You don’t know what I’m going through. This institution is divorced from my current reality.”

—Katrina Van Huss, TurnKey


aboutspecialeventsthataresospecial?It’sthattheygive people something to look forward to, something thattakesthemoutoftheireverydayexperience.It’salsotheculminationofthecommunitythat’sbeencultivated leading up to the event, now joined for a collective experience. Though it may have worked as areactionarymeasureintheSpring,azoommeetingor Facebook Live will not be enough to deliver that collectively memorable experience, especially for those who feel ready to participate in a socially distant way. Reimagined event formats will fuel the on-the-ground experience over the next several seasons.

atnight.”Andreareportsthataftertheymadeadecisionabout how to move forward, not only did she sleep better at night, but their event saw more registrations in a few short days after announcing the changes than they did for the entire month prior. A true testament to the power of a decision - and a smart strategy to support it. You can read more about RoswellPark’sreimaginedcampaign in the competitive chapter.

The Reimagined In-Person P2P EventSo what is the newly reimagined In-Person event that will make everyone sleep better at night? The Reimagined In-PersonP2PEventwillhavethreekeycomponents:

• Community Building: Participants are not just registering for an event, they are joining a community. A family formed by the collective desire toaffectchangeintheworldthroughthemissionoftheorganization.Whileonlineexperiencesareaccelerating, it has simultaneously never been more importanttoreturntoourpre-digitalP2Pfundraisingroots to build relationships in a more grassroots and personal way. The communities we invigorate today will be the foundation of our events tomorrow.

• Digital Experience: In truth, most pre- and post-event engagement has been nearly entirely digital formanyyears.Whatisdifferentthisyearisthattheengagement can no longer be on autopilot. Copying lastyear’semailcampaignandsocialmediacalendar,even with tweaks, will not be enough to inspire pandemic-era participants. The reimagined digital experience will capture the grassroots community building work and amplify it.

• Optional On The Ground Experience: Event seasons can be as short as a few months and as long as an entireyear;aP2Peventcanbeasshortasawalkfora few hours on a Sunday morning, or as a long as a week-longcyclingevent.Regardlessofduration,life’smostmemorableoccasionsarefleeting–weddings,graduations,atriptothezoo,aconcert.Whatisit


Non-competitive event registration has typically been drivenbytwothings–commitmenttothecauseanddesire to join a community committed to the cause on event day. Some participants are so dedicated to the causetheywillparticipateevenifthereisn’talarge-scalein-personevent.Otherpeoplewillneedalotmoreconvincing. Events taking a wait-and-see approach canonlyrelyoncauseaffinitytodriveupregistration.Reimagined events will enjoy higher registration conversion rates for providing the clarity and community participants are craving.

Kickstart Your ReimaginationHere are a few things to keep in mind as you create your reimagined experience.

Let Your Imagination SoarThough under trying circumstances, the necessary reimagingofP2Peventswillultimatelybethejoltthistraditional fundraising sector was craving. It will allow staffandvolunteerstogettheircreativejuicesflowing,tostepoutoftheorganization’scomfortzone,andtotry something new. This is the time to take risks. This is thetimetolistencarefullytothecommunity.2020willbe remembered for many things, and among them, it will betheyearthatchangedthetraditionalP2Pfundraisingevent.Bygrantingyourselfandyourstaffpermissiontotruly reimagine your event, you will breathe new life into your events, your communities, and in the long run, your mission.

Non-CompetitiveThischapterwillcovernon-competitiveP2Pevents,oneof the most popular and pervasive in-person campaigns. The most common of these events is the traditional walk, where participants raise money and walk a pre-determined distance. These events typically attract participation from a broad-based audience without an implicit need to be athletic.

Most people do not attend a walk because they love the act of walking. They attend because they love the cause,theorganization,orthepersonwhoinvitedthem.The walk is not the draw, the community is the draw. Participants not only raise funds for the causes they care about, but they are empowered to spread awareness, to honor a friend or family member, to honor a loved onelost,andtoberecognizedfortheireffortsandachievements.

By removing the ability to have a walk in its traditional sense, we lose the pinnacle of the event season. In reimagining these events, we must take care to harness the feelings of empowerment, of recognition, and of community that are so cherished about non-competitive events,notonlyon“eventday”,butallseasonlong.


• Connect participants to mission, to staff, and to each other: Leading up to the event, lean both on technology and personal outreach to establish critical connectionsthatwillbuildparticipantaffinity.Maybeeachteamwill“adopt”someoneaffectedbythemission,someteamswillreceivepersonal(outdoor,masked)visitsfromastaffpartnerdeliveringagift,orteam captains will be paired up if they live in the same area.

• Bring joy and express gratitude: Surprise and delight is the name of the game in this new event paradigm. While you can chat with participants via email, text, Facebook messenger and more, people are also remarkably willing and excited to chat on the phone, receive cards in the mail, or have a surprise visit to deliver a t-shirt or thank you gift. Also, sing the praises of your participants from the rooftops. Everyone loves toseetheirnameinlights,especiallywhenthey’vebeen working hard, and it also compels them to do even more.

• Survey: The best ideas often come from those closest to the event. Volunteers, team captains, and top fundraisers can be immensely helpful. They are the ultimate subject matter experts and many will take prideinofferingideasandsupporttohelpreinventyour event.

• Theme: Evenifyou’veneverhadonebefore,introducing a fun theme for your reimagined event can give participants something else to rally around. Your creativity in turn empowers participants to get creative and take a more engaging role in the event.

• Reallocate budget: Budget that was once spent on day-of event activities should be shifted mostly to foster participant engagement and community. Uponregistration,participantsmayreceiveawindowstickerindicatingtheyarea2020supportertoinstilla sense of community right from the start. The team captain kit might be expanded and along the way, participants may receive other surprises like yard signs for fundraising. New digital and on-the-ground experience spending should also be contingent on their ability to increase participant engagement and build community.

• Involve sponsors: The reimagined event provides a wonderful opportunity for sponsors to establish a foothold in the trendiest new event in town. They will be able to get involved in ways that go far beyond logo placement in print and digital materials, and be given exposure beyond a single event day.


substitute and actually make the movement stronger. In neighborhoods where birthday parades, bear hunts, and makeshift graduations ceremonies have been commonplace, the creation of neighborhood events and gatherings are a fun and appropriate choice for sociallydistantevents.Thisdoesn’tsimplymeanthata family walks through their neighborhood, but it actually encourages them to involve the neighbors as well.

• Organizationally driven activities: What ways can you inspire your larger community to participate in something collectively? Perhaps it is a moving monument, like a participant or honor wall, that participants can visit over a period of time to add to or enjoy. Maybe it is a series of smaller gatherings, or something participants can do publicly on their own time.

• Virtually driven activities: For those who are hesitant to take part in the on-the-ground components of the event, strong virtual experiences similar to what wesawintheSpringof2020willstillbenecessary.AccordingtoMichaelHoffmanofGatherVoices,“Thebiggestmistakevirtualeventorganizersaremakingtodayistryingtohavetheirwholeeventlive.”Pre-recording more content with the ability to engage socially will be all the rage in the fall.

MovingBeyondVirtual–TheReimagined Non-Competitive Event Hybrid The key to driving engagement and community is to give participants the freedom to choose their level of involvement and to provide them with the tools, ideas, and the recognition necessary to fuel their motivation. Most reimagined events will have two, or even three, of the below activities as part of their new experience.

• Community driven activities: When the full walk communitycan’tphysicallygatheroneventday,smallerandpotentiallydifferentcommunitiescan


Chicagoland.”Theeventalreadyhadasuperherotheme,and they put that to work to help infuse additional excitement into this reimagined campaign. Each team captain received a superhero supply box with everything they needed to make their mini-event memorable, including ingenious door hangers to inform neighbors of what was happening and when, encouraged donations, and gave them a chance to come outside and cheer walkers on.

WalkstaffKendraAlbersandSamanthaCourtercrankedoutdigitalmaterialsandreallifeengagementthat’ssavvy, yet relatable. Their videos are fun and informative, and the social media materialsthey’veputtogetherinspired many to get their networks involved.

Theyofferedsomefunincentivesandsurprises,suchasa socially distant superhero appearance at some walks, post-event catered dessert stations to top fundraisers, and live remote features from the front yards of some participants. Participants embraced the challenge, got creative and ultimately raised funds for a cause they care deeply about. Check out the recap video!

A Reimagined Walk – Ahead of Their Time!

The Chicago Walk to Defeat ALS is “Coming to a NeighborhoodNearYou”–WhilemostSpringeventswentthealldigitalroute,thestaffatthiseventweredetermined to reimagine their event and provided an amazingcasestudyearlyinthegame.Accordingtothewebsite, “this year we are giving everyone the tools to hosttheirownWalktoDefeatALSfromhometofittheirteams’needs,healthdirectives,andabilities.Itisourgoaltohave150mini-eventshostedonJune6ththroughout

“ “Virtual” can be a confusing concept for folks to grasp and with everyone using it,

we needed to be different. We built something that would allow our participants

to do something that fit their comfort level while ensuring it was fun and engaging!

The Mini-Walk platform enabled individuals to choose where they walked, the

distance they walked, and with whom they walked; they had the power to make

their Mini-Walk what they wanted it to be. Their creativity plus our continued

communication and recommendations made our event day better than we could

have ever imagined!”

— Kendra Albers Director of Development, ALSA Greater Chicago Chapter


These events tend to have registration fees and outside of shorter-distance runs, they also have fundraising minimums that each participant is responsible for in order to participate on event day. Fees and minimums usuallyincreaseasthedistanceordifficultyoftheeventincreases. Likewise, so does the cost of producing the event.

By removing the ability to host an athletic event in the traditional sense, participants may feel they are losingthepublicculminationoftheirtrainingefforts.Inreimagining these events, we must take care to harness the essence of the competition by empowering and recognizingparticipants,whilegettingcreativewithbuilding a virtual or socially distanced community, eager to take on the challenges of both the activity as well as fundraising.

The nature of competitive events are such that participants are so driven by the activity that some might think taking the actual day-of event component away would cause swift registration declines. The other side of that coin though is that those dedicated either to the activity or the cause are craving connection and are simplywaitingfortheorganizationtoprovideanoutletfor them. This is actually the perfect audience for the reimaginedevent–ifyoubuilditwiththeirinterestsinmind, they will embrace it!

Kickstart Your Reimagination Here are a few things to keep in mind as you create your reimagined competitive experience.

• Survey: The best ideas often come from those closest to the event. Volunteers, team captains, and top fundraisers are the ultimate subject matter experts, andmanywilltakeprideinofferingideasandsupporttohelpreinventyourevent.You’llprobablyevenrealizethatmanyhavealreadyapproachedyourorganizationwithideas,andnowisthetime to listen up!

• Fundraising minimums: Manyorganizationschosenot to enforce fundraising minimums during this time, butwemayfindthatason-the-groundcomponents

CompetitiveThis chapter will cover in-person competitive events, most of which have both athletic and fundraising components. Common examples include cycling rides, runsor5ks,enduranceevents,obstacleevents,Theseevents typically attract a more targeted audience with anaffinityfortheactivityitself,eitherthosewhoareathletic or those who seek to train to become more athletic.

While there are certainly many participants who support theorganizationhostingtheevent,thecausetendsto

take a back seat to the activity itself. The event itself tends to be the draw, and the community aspects of the event revolves just as heavily around the sport as the cause itself. Some participants only learn about the organization’smissionasabyproductofparticipatinginthe athletic event.


be able to get involved in ways that go far beyond logo placement in print and digital materials, and be given exposure beyond a single event day.

• Connect participants to each other: The most successfulcompetitiveeventsstaffspendtheentire event season building community amongst participants through training rides, happy hours, fitnessclassesandmore.Don’tletsocialdistancingstop the fun, and keep in mind that not every community building event should be virtual. Much like the event itself, there will be some participants who are eager to get together in socially distant ways.

• Bring joy and express gratitude: Surprise and delight is the name of the game in this new event paradigm. While you can chat with participants via email, text, Facebook messenger and more, people are also remarkably willing and excited to chat on the phone, receive cards in the mail, or have a surprise visittodeliverajerseyorpersonalizedbib.Also,singthe praises of your participants from the rooftops. Everyone loves to see their name in lights, especially these competitive folks, and it also compels them to do even more.

are added back in that the minimums may return, albeit in a reduced ways. The reimagined event may be limited to a certain amount of people because of celebrityorinfluencerinvolvement.

• Fundraising clubs: If there was ever a time to slim down the number of incentive levels, and simultaneously expand the remaining levels, that time is now. Choose three fundraising incentive levels and create extensive strategy around those three clubs. A combination of wearables, VIP treatment, mission moments and special surprises that increase in perceived value can inspire this group of participants that are competitive in nature.

• Reallocate budget: Budget that was once spent on day-of event activities should be shifted mostly to fosterparticipantengagementandcommunity.Uponregistration, for example, participants may get an “intraining”t-shirtfortheupcomingeventdelivereddirectly to their door. Time and resources will also be dedicated to virtual experiences that allow for ongoingfitnesstrackingandcommunicationamongstparticipants.

• Involve sponsors: The reimagined event provides a wonderful opportunity for sponsors to establish a foothold in the trendiest new event in town. They will


MovingBeyondVirtual–TheReimagined Competitive Event Hybrid The key to driving success in reimagined competitive event is to give participants the freedom to choose their level of involvement and to provide them with the tools, ideas, and the recognition necessary to fuel their motivation. The competitive event hybrid will have two key aspects.

• Virtual event option: This option is entirely virtually and done from home or at the participants own pace.UsingtechnologiessuchasStrava,Zwift,Boundless Motion, or the livestreaming capabilities of TeamRaiser, participants can join together on a virtual course either at the same time or at their own pace. Though virtual, think of all of the small ways youcan“bring”theeventtotheparticipant,suchasphotoshoppingfinishlinephotosforeachparticipant,orsendingthemapersonalizedbiborwaterstopsupplies.

• Socially distant event option(s):Forthoseparticipants with both the desire and the ability to gather in a scaled back and socially distant manner, organizationsarestartingtodevelopmodifiedin-person events. That could be a series of smaller gatherings that observe all appropriate safety guidelines. It could also be a publicly available

route that participants can complete on their own time within a month, for example. Along the way, participants could leave each other notes, take and shareselfies,communicateviaaStravaorFacebookgroup,andcertainlycelebratetheirfinishbypostingtheir name and bib to a dedicated event monument that would live on throughout the event. The options here are endless!

A Reimagined Cycling Event The Ride for Roswell transforms into Summer of the Ride –OriginallyplannedforJune27,thisrideweekendwith10routeoptionswasexpecting8,000participantstoraise$6MfortheRoswellParkComprehensiveCancerCenterinBuffalo,NY.

OnMay1,theyannouncedanewcampaigncalledtheSummeroftheRide,whichwillofficiallykickoffonJune27withatorchlighting,carryingthroughJulywithacelebration of why they ride, and culminating in August withoneoftworideoptions.Theywillbeofferingsixsmall weekend rides, which will follow all current protocol including physical distancing and face masks, with groups of ten riders or less starting every twenty minutes. There willalsobea“rideyourownway”optiontocreatetheperfect ride day experience for each individual rider.


Based on the reactions to their Facebook post announcing the changes, their community is loving it! Theorganizationalsoreportsthatmoreparticipantshave registered in the few days since the announcement was made than during the entire month prior, a testament to how important acknowledging the situation and pivoting the campaign truly is.

Staffandvolunteersaregoingoutoftheirwaytoadapt to the current reality. They have come together

to personally deliver yard signs to participants who haveraised$50.Volunteershavetrulyenjoyedgettingoutofthehouseandbrighteningsomeoneelse’sday.Participantshavebeenspottedtakingselfieswiththeiryard signs! They are also coordinating curb-side pick up ofotherincentivesatdifferentpointsthroughoutthesummer.

“When we reimagined the Ride for Roswell, we wanted to be creative and set

ourselves apart from other events. The goal was to bring the Ride community

together in a meaningful way and provide an opportunity for everyone to be

involved. The hybrid model allows our riders to participate in a barrier free event (no

registration fees and no fundraising minimums) where they can safely ride with us at

a physically distant ride or ride their own way.”

— Andrea Gregory, Roswell Park Alliance Event Fundraising Director


P2Ptoolsandfunctionality,theabilitytocustomizethebranding of pages, thorough reporting on participants and donors, and a streamlined user experience.

What DIY fundraising ISN’T.ThereisoftenafeelingthataDIY’erislefttotheirowndevices and resources to complete the job. Though the style of fundraising is up to the participant, the rest of the communication, encouragement, resources, and supportstillcomefromtheorganization.Weneverwant a fundraiser to feel like they are on their own. And if a constituent is not naturally driven to take on the adventure and challenge that often accompany DIY projects, they may not even make it past the title before skipping to the next section. So, what do we do to prevent that?

DIY–TimeDefined&EvergreenDIY Fundraising?

ThischapterwillcoverDIY(Do-It-Yourself)fundraising,one of the most popular and elusive types of peer-to-peer fundraising. The basic premise of DIY fundraising isthatsupporterscanraisefundsforyourorganizationin their own way, at their own pace, and usually at any timeofyear.It’saneventorcampaigncreatedbyanorganizationthatallowsapersontoregistertofundraise,and allows them to choose from popular fundraiser ideas or to create their own adventure! The audience for DIYtendstobemoreardentorganizationalsupporterswho are dedicated enough to answer the call to take fundraising into their own hands.

Can it really be that easy? See for yourself - Joe DiMaggioChildren’sHospitalFoundation and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana are both great examples of DIY campaigns hosted through Blackbaud TeamRaiser. And this campaign, hosted by North Texas Food Bank through Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, Powered by Just Giving is also a perfect example of how DIY fundraisingcanbenefityourorganizationthroughouttheyear.Bothplatformsprovidenonprofitswithpowerful

Consider REIMAGINING the DIY terminology.Replace‘DIY’with‘Supporter-Driven’.FocusoncreatingaSupporter-Driven Fundraiser that puts thefundraiserinthedriver’sseat.

TraditionalP2PFundraiserOrg action / responsibility• Determineseventspecifics:• Type of event• Date• Time• Location• Creates event site

• Emails supporters

Supporteraction:• Visits event site• Registers and / or donates• Engages through social media and email• Attends event

DIY FundraiserOrg action / responsibility• Creates event site

• Email supporters

Supporter action:• Visits event site• Choosesfromalistofpopularfundraiserideas:• Dedicate a birthday• Honor a loved one• Physical challenge / Sports event• Chooseyourownadventure(Somethingelse!)• Registers and/or donate• Chooses timeframe or date for completion• Engages through social media and email• Hosts event or completes challenge


and how supporter-driven fundraising could help bridgethegap.Bespecific:

• Has the need for your services increased or decreased?(Probably.)

• Has the importance of the mission changed? (Probablynot.)

• Willeffectsofthepandemicpreventyoufromfurtheringyourmission?(Betransparent.)

• Ifyouhaven’tdeliberatelypromotedyourcampaignin the last few months, now is the time. With your message focused on mission, the ask is appropriate for nearly your entire constituent base. Consider sending a separate message to existing fundraisers thanking them for their commitment and reiterate the importance of their support and contribution.

• Updateallcampaignrelatedcontenttoreflectthecurrent reality. From the registration process, to autoresponders, to content the fundraiser can use to help their fundraising, everything must be reviewed and updated as appropriate.

New Campaigns Now is the perfect opportunity to get your creative juicesflowing,stepoutofyourorganization’scomfortzone,ortrysomethingyou’vebeenwantingtodobuthaven’thadthechancetoyet.Withanongoingneedtodiversifyrevenueandaddtoyourorganization’sP2Pportfolio, giving supporters new and exciting ways to get involved this year and beyond is critical.

We would love to tell you that “if you build it, they will come,”butthatisn’tthetypicalexperience.Thistypeofevent requires a fair amount of strategic planning and a healthyamountofclear,concisepromotion.Butitisn’tnearly as challenging as it once was. People are now comfortably familiar with creating individual fundraising pages, so your audience already understands the conceptoffundraisingtheirownway.So,buildoffofthatunderstandingandofferyourconstituentsacustomizedalternative.

How do I reimagine my existing Supporter-Driven Fundraising to work in the new ‘Business as Different’ environment?

Existing Campaigns Supporter-driven fundraisers are motivated to support your mission by creating their very own campaign. Therefore, ensuring your current and potential participants understand how the mission has been and couldbefurtherimpacted(immediateandlong-term)iscritically important.

When your supporters visit any site associated withyourorganizationtoday,theyexpecttoseeanacknowledgement how the pandemic is impacting your organizationandconstituents.Inthesamewayyouwouldupdateatraditionaleventsitewith‘needtoknow’itemsandupdatedchanges,you’llwanttoapplythatsame critical eye to your DIY event or campaign.

• Add messaging to your event/campaign site that discusseshoworganizationhasbeenaffectedin2020


Match Fuels Fundraising Campaign APreciousChildisaColoradononprofitthathatempowers children and families in need. They are on the front lines, providing emergency essentials, such as hygiene items, cleaning supplies, diapers and wipes, clothing and other basic needs. These resources are vitaltohelplimitthespreadofCOVID-19andprovidemuch needed relief to their most vulnerable population. With the loss of revenue from their signature events and the increase in demand, they took a match challenge toandlaunchedanewP2PcampaigncalledMatch 4 Mission. They exceeded their match and inspired the original company, along with several others, to put forth additional matching funds!

Reimagining Habitat for Humanity Given the pandemic, all Metro Denver Habitat for Humanity volunteer opportunities are on hold. Because theneedforsafe,decentandaffordablehomesisasurgent as ever, they created the new Stay Home, Build a Home Challenge! They are encouraging supporters to use what they have on hand to create miniature houses, and to use that as an opportunity to raise funds for real houses. Fundraisers are getting creative by building indoor forts, tree houses, and crocheted homes. This brand-new campaign gives supporters something to get excited about as they await the day they can get more involved in-person.


broughthimflowersinthehospitalaftersurgery.TheGivingDayalsoaddedtheopportunitytosupportCOVID-19-related needs. Reimagining their Giving Day helped Cal Lutheran raise three times as much money as last year.

Anotherdifferencethisyearisthatmanytraditionalvolunteer opportunities have dried up. Those accustomed tovolunteeringinpersonwillneedtofindnewwaystodonate their time while social distancing.

Atthesametime,aswe’veallcravedasocialconnection,we’veincreasinglyturnedtosocialmedia.U.S.adultsocialnetwork users will spend 7 more minutes per day on social networks in 2020 than in 2019.

Giving DaysTheinheriturgencyGivingDaysalreadyhad–givingwithin24hours–hasbeenamplifiedduringthiscrisis.

Formanynonprofits,thepandemichascreatedagreaterneed. More children are hungry, animals are homeless and familiesneedsupport.Forotherorganizations,donationsor event giving have declined this spring.

It’stimetobeastransparentandvulnerableasyou’veever been with your constituents this Giving Day. Let themknowhowthecrisisisjeopardizingyourabilitytoassist those in need.

TheStand&SaluteGivingDayonMay20pivotedmessagingtosaythat,“AfterCOVID-19,itisestimatedthat there will be 10 to 20 times more job applicants than open positions, making the job market even more competitiveforourdeservingveterans,”saidJerriRosen,founder of Working Wardrobes. After raising $90,445 and $91,395thepasttwoyears,Stand&SaluteGivingDayraised $153,094 this year.

What’sdifferentaboutGivingDaysthisyearisthatweallfeelanurgencytohelp.Ourphysicalisolationhasnotonly heightened our need for social interaction, but also social good.

So during this crisis, the problems to solve need to take center stage more than ever.People want to help - and will help - but they need to understand how their gift will help someone. Explain the probleminasimple,butspecific,way.Andmakesuretheproblem and messaging feel relevant to our world.

Cal Lutheran changed their Giving Day from April 1 to May 6 to address the needs of people struggling during the pandemic.

They rebranded it from Cal Lutheran Giving Day to Cal Lutheran Cares Day, focusing on sharing stories of how students, faculty and staff help others.Onestudentsharedhergratitudeforfoodfromtheuniversity’sCommunityCupboardduringthepandemic.A 1990 alumnus recalled how the university president


your constituents to be involved one of these ways well aheadofyourGivingDay.ArizonaGivesDay,forexample,gave fundraisers three weeks leading up to their April 7 givingdaytoraisemoneyandcounttowardsprizes.

And peer-to-peer fundraising should be one of the ways to participate that you promote to constituents.

Nonprofits using peer-to-peer fundraising as part of their Giving Day raised 300% more than those who did not (source: Give Gab). Due to peer-to-peer fundraisers and ambassadors, Giving Days tend to bring in many new donors. Just as your Giving Day messaging needs to feel relevant to our world during this crisis, your new donor welcome series and initial communications should too.

It’s worth setting up a separate Giving Day new donor welcome series that revisits the problem you highlighted in your Giving Day.Anewdonorwelcomeseriessetuponeyearago(orfive!)risks sounding tone deaf to your Giving Day messaging andtheworldwe’realllivingin.

Tell stories of how the problem is being solved thanks toGivingDaydonors.Ensureyourdonorsfeelamazingand part of an incredible community that came together during this time to help people in need. Make the extra efforttocustomizethismessagingandyou’llseemoreofthese new donors back for your next Giving Day.

This perfect storm of increased social media usage and volunteers seeking new opportunities can help expand your Giving Day ambassador team.A key ingredient of successful Giving Days is an ambassador team to help get the word, encourage participationandfindnewdonors.

Thisyear,beyondyourinternalstaff,boardandinfluencers,castawidernetfromyourconstituentpooltofindnewambassadors.Foryourconstituentshurtingfinancially,alargegift–oranygift–mightnotbepossible. But some might bring you a few new donors. Andthey’llfeelinvolvedandconnectedthroughyourGivingDay,despitetheirfinancialhardships.

After the Milwaukee Public Museum closed during the crisis and cancelled in-person events, volunteers played an important role in their April 30th Giving Day. The museum credits the success of their Giving Day totheeffortsofvolunteerambassadors.Afterraising$118,000 last year, thisyear’sGivingDayraisedmorethan $430,000.Withthemuseumclosed,oneprizelate-afternoondonorscouldwinwasaprivatestargazingshowintheirownbackyardwiththeplanetarium’sdirector.

Thinkofambassadorsasanotherflavorofpeer-to-peerfundraising, minus a fundraising page. They encourage their network to donate, fundraise and get involved. Invite


Gaming for GoodLivestream Fundraising is the concept of raising money in while sharing video live on a streaming site or social media platform. This type of fundraising has garnered much attention from the fundraising community in recentyears.Formanyorganizationsthisisabrand-new fundraising channel so adding it into the mix is an exerciseinfundraisingdiversification.ThegoalofthischapteristohelpdefineLivestreamFundraisingandthen discuss how to incorporate it into your fundraising strategy.

Three types of Livestream Fundraising:

Organizational LivestreamingWhen an org posts live video content with a link to a donation form on one of their social channels

like Facebook Live.

If you are using Facebook Live, then you are already engaging in livestreaming. All you need to do is to add a link to your online donation form to the chat or the captionareas.Thisistheeasieswayforanorganizationto livestream fundraise. From a technology perspective, all you need a Facebook page with followers and a smart phone with a camera. There are obviously more sophisticated methods of capturing video, but at its core this is straightforward.

Livestreaming for Existing Events Whenanorganizationprovideseventparticipants

with the fundraising tools like thermometers, donor lists andgiftnotificationsthatcanbeembeddedinthatparticipant’sstreamtoencouragefundraisingfromthatparticipants followers. Thesetoolsaretargetedspecificallyatyoureventparticipants who are already streaming as a hobby or pastime.Organizationsshouldavoidspendingtimecoachingpeopletoteachpeoplewhodon’tstream.

Both Blackbaud TeamRaiser and Blackbaud P2P Fundraising,poweredbyJustGivingoffersolutionstohelp people who livestream leverage that hobby to fundraise. These tools are native within JustGiving, available to anyone who stands up a fundraising page.

For TeamRaiser customers, these tools can be added into the participant center through an engagement with Blackbaud Professional Services.

Stand Alone Livestream Fundraising Programs / Gaming for Good

A separate campaign targeted at people who stream on channels like Twitch. These programs often leverage socialmediainfluencersandgamerstogaintractionamongthestreamingcommunity.Ofallthelivestreamfundraising options, these programs require the largest investmentfromtheorganizationtorecruitandmaintainrelationships with streamers. The most successful programshavededicatedstaffhiredfromthestreamingcommunity.

The same tools mentioned earlier can serve these standalone programs.

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2

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exposure. Captain Tom is one of the most impressive charitable crowdfunders, raising over $41 million in 2020 inresponsetoCOVID-19,supportingtheNHSCharitiesTogether.AsthevirusimpactedtheUnitedStates,wesaw an increase of individuals volunteering their talents inexchangeforgifts.Peopleofferedfitnessclassesin exchange for donations, front porch photography sessions,virtualtriviaquizzesorgamenightswerehosted- all for a good cause.

Now that we removed the fear or uncertainty around thebigbeastofcrowdfunding,let’stalkthroughhowyou can leverage this concept of digital engagement to complement your events and foster connections.

If you are looking for fun, creative and engaging ways to connect with your supporters while maintaining social distancing, project-based or volunteer fundraisers maybejustthe(digital)ticket!We’veroundedupafewideas and examples, based on what we see happening on Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising™, powered by JustGiving™.

• TheOregonZooFoundationhadalmost500supporters crowdfund their Emergency Recovery Fund, after being locked up due to the coronavirus. By providing a timely, project-based call to action partneredwithasenseofurgency(one-dayonlyfundraisingwithamatchinggift),theZoowasabletogain page visitor attention and broaden impact.

• HighPointUniversityrunsanannualuniversitygivingday.InresponsetoCOVID-19,theycreatedadedicated “HPUCaresFund”tomeettheUniversity’smostpressingneedsandsupportfaculty,staff,students and community, exceeding their goal and raisingover$400k.

Charitable CrowdfundingEversinceyoupublishedyourfirstonlinedonationformwith unique funds selectable by your donor, you have been“crowdfunding”.Anytimeyoucollectdonations(typicallyitissmalleramountsofmoney)fromalargenumberofpeopleforaspecificthing(project,fund,oritem),youarecrowdfunding!

We see this as individuals raise money for sick family member’smedicalbills(personalcrowdfunding),start-upsasking for contributions to get their product in the market (venturecrowdfunding)or,inthenonprofitspace,whenorganizationssolicitgiftsforschoolathleticsequipment,research programs, disaster relief, or a new program for thecommunity(project-basedcrowdfunding).

Enthusiastic supporters can take the initiative to create a personal page and raise money for causes they care about. The magic here is that individuals young and old are empowered to take action without intercession from thenonprofit,whichmeansyoucangainunexpected

Captain Tom, c. 1940


• Teachers and mentors can solicit donations for programs or schools in desperate need for supplemental funding. Sharing personal stories and pictures really help drive conversion for page visitors.

• James ran a marathon in his backyard, exceeding his fundraising goal and tiring out his legs for a good cause. The frequent updates and pictures on his personal page cultivated excitement while helping his supporters follow along on his journey! Not to mention, livestreaming his entire run allowed friends and family to return to the page multiple times, increasing the odds of repeat donors. • In response to racial injustice, Kate streamed live

conversations on May 31 to raise $13k for The Bail Project while John played video games for 24-hours to support the Black Lives Matter Foundation. Leveraging video, emotional appeals and frequent calls to action help these pages increase revenue andacquirenewcontactsforthenonprofitstheyaresupporting.

• Nancyraisedover$5,000withavirtualbakesale(Icansmellthecinnamonrollsfromhere).Byquantifyingthedonationamountthatjustifiedthebaked goods, she can inspire a higher gift amount while fostering community.

Kate Welsh, Twitch Streamer

James Marathon Stream


Three Steps to Launch Volunteer FundraisingPromote “Fundraise Your Way” or “Do-it-Yourself” pages with your supporters.

Youmaydecidetocreatea“DIYcampaign”(ofwhichIrecommendyoudonotcreateanassociatedevent)orleverage the default Fundraising Page creation experi-enceforsupportersthroughyourprofilepage/charitypage. Both are great options and if you do not need to havespecificreportingonhowmuchmoneywasraisedthrough DIY fundraising, then it will be fastest and easiest to just use what is already available through your charity page'sorange"FundraiseforUs"button.

In the spirit of quick and easy, we are also providing an email template for you to re-purpose.

ProTip:Astheseareinformalopportunities,thetoneofyour email can also be more casual, if that aligns with your brand.

Celebrate DIY Impact Feature personal pages in your monthly newsletter, social

media channels and celebrate the impact each individ-ual has. You can leverage Facebook Live to conduct an interview on why someone created a page and what they hope to accomplish. Have a board member call a top per-forming page owner, thanking the participant for reaching so many. Make sure you highlight the opportunity on your websiteunder“GetInvolved”oraslideronthehomepage.

Cultivate Fundraiser Success It can be very helpful to provide Fundraiser Tools for individualswhosignup.Someorganizationswillfeaturethese on their website while others will send a personal email after an individual has created a page, sharing an online fundraising guide made of helpful tools and re-sources.Irecommendyouprovidethefollowing:

1. Sample Email that asks for donations from friends and family

2. Sample social media posts fundraisers can apply to theirpersonalaccount(s)

3. Fundraising Page Checklist

4. Optional:

• FundraisingDosandDon’ts(thisiswhereyoucan

reinforce your brand preferences, but this can also be

aturnoffforsomefundraisers)

• Sample images or logos for personal pages

Are we including anything for traditional events like Galas orBenefits?Seemslikeamissedopptopromotehowyou can couple P2P fundraising with a traditional event like that. For example, we see folks use tables as teams or fundraise the ticket price, etc. Example.

About Blackbaud

Blackbaud(NASDAQ:BLKB) istheworld’s leadingcloudsoftwarecompanypoweringsocialgood.Servingtheentiresocialgood community—nonprofits, foundations, companies, education institutions, healthcare organizations, and individualchange agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through cloud software,services, expertise, and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and relationship management, marketing and engagement, financial management, grant andaward management, organizational and program management, social responsibility, payment services, and analytics.Serving the industry for more than three decades, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, and has operationsintheUnitedStates,Australia,Canada,andtheUnitedKingdom.Formoreinformation,visitwww.blackbaud.com . ©January2020,Blackbaud,Inc.

37Fundraising Software 101: A Guide for Nonprofit Board Members

Now,morethanever,itisimportanttostayconnected.Socialeventsofferadigitallinktofacilitaterelationship development. If you are thinking about virtual happy hours, virtual game nights, livestreamingtriviacontestsanddigital“facetime”,thenyouareimaginingagreatonlinesocialevent!Thesesocialgatheringscanbecoordinatedbyanonprofitoranindividual.Forexample,avirtualgala(or“un-gala”)isanorganization-ledsocialevent.ManynonprofitswillconsidersellingticketsandthenprovidingticketholderswithaSETTINGUPFORSUCCESS:VIRTUALFUNDRAISING1015linktotheonlineevent,hostedthroughalivestreamingtoollikeZoomorFacebook.Attendeescanstilldressupand a guest bartender can join the session to teach a signature cocktail recipe.

Manyotherin-personactivities(likeauctions,speeches,etc)canbereproducedusingtechnologyto bring the experience to life. This allows individuals to connect with the community and your organization.Individual-createdsocialgatheringsmaylooklesstraditional.OneofyourconstituentscanhostamovienightviaNetflixParty,askingfriendstodonatetoyourorganizationinsteadofpayaticket fee. Alternatively, the volunteer coordinator can host a virtual happy hour with all the volunteers asawaytoconnectandfosterrelationships.Thefirststeptoempoweringindividualstofundraisethrough these social events is to give them access to the tools they need to work their magic. With Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising™, powered by JustGiving™, individual fundraising pages are built right in- all you have to do is feature them in your newsletters and on social media and encourage your supporters to get creative.

Written by:ShanaMasterson,RobynMendez,MikeSnusz,StephanieThomas,andKathrynHolland

Special Thanks to the following contributors: Christopher Cain, Rob Edwards, Ed Garana, Tim Grailer, Brooke Hansel, Neil Harkins, Hailey Hillebrand, Karl Isaacs, Kristen Martin, Samantha McGuin, John Miller, Jimmy Mitchell, and Marssie Versola


“The dividends of the work done this year to engage your participants will pay off in the years to come. The results will be people doing more to further your cause.”

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