Explore some of the most effective ways to boost alumni donations to ensure a long-term mutually beneficial relationship with your community
Anwesha Kiran
Published:
July 18, 2025
Discover AI Summary
• Make giving effortless, especially on mobile: Streamline your donation forms with pre-filled fields and digital wallets to prevent frustrating drop-offs and boost conversion rates. This tackles a common pain point in fundraising campaigns.
• Personalize your outreach with smart segmentation: Treat each alumnus uniquely by tailoring messages based on their past interests and giving patterns, making them feel seen rather than just another name on a mailing list. This directly impacts donor participation and engagement.
• Tell compelling stories that highlight real impact: Share emotional narratives about how donations change lives, featuring diverse alumni voices and tangible outcomes to inspire deeper connections and giving. This is key for successful fundraising campaigns.
• Build a vibrant community before asking for gifts: Host local meetups or launch mentorship programs; alumni who feel connected are significantly more likely to donate when the time comes. This strengthens alumni engagement and future donor participation.
• Leverage data to inform your campaigns: Track engagement signals like website behavior and volunteer involvement, and use A/B testing to refine your messaging for maximum impact and higher fundraising results. This helps optimize CRM data usage and campaign effectiveness.
• Don't forget to follow up with gratitude and results: Thank donors promptly and show them the direct impact of their contribution with short videos or updates, transforming one-time givers into loyal, long-term supporters. This is crucial for donor retention and ongoing alumni engagement.
Today's alumni represent far more than potential donors. They're engaged community members, passionate advocates, and partners in your institution's mission. Nowadays, the most effective ways to boost alumni donations are more aligned than ever with forging long-term relationships.
Building meaningful relationships with them requires a strategic blend of personalization, compelling storytelling, targeted outreach, innovative digital tools, and authentic community building. In this blog, we’ll be exploring some of the most effective ways to boost alumni donations to ensure a long-term mutually beneficial relationship with your community.
Nobody wants to feel like just another name on a mailing list. Research from Salesforce reveals that 66% of people expect organizations to truly understand their individual needs and preferences, and alumni are no exception.
The most successful donation campaigns start with smart segmentation that treats each alumnus as a unique individual with distinct interests and giving patterns. Instead of generic appeals, imagine sending messages like: "Remember the library you helped fund five years ago? Here's how students are using it today to launch groundbreaking research." Or: "We know you were passionate about theatre during your time here - would you consider supporting this year's student production?"
💡Behaviorally-targeted email campaigns see conversion rates that are 2.8 to 300 times higher than those using generic messaging. A simple personal touch can deliver remarkable results.
A donation is as much about impact as it is about money. It’s about making a contribution. When alumni understand how their contribution changes lives, they're far more likely to give.
Research shows that 87% of donors are influenced by emotional appeals. Some research even suggests that when people view emotional narratives, their brains release oxytocin, the "connection hormone," leading participants to donate 56% more compared to those who didn't experience this response.
The best alumni stories follow a simple arc: challenge, impact, and hope. "Sarah couldn't afford textbooks. Thanks to alumni donations, she received a scholarship. Today, she's a pediatric nurse saving lives."
Alumni are far more likely to give when they feel part of a vibrant community rather than simply being solicited for gifts. According to RNL's 2024 National Alumni Survey, alumni who feel connected to their alma mater are 23× more likely to donate than those who feel disconnected.
Regional in-person and virtual events such as coffee chats, panel discussions, live webinars re-establish bonds among classmates and with the institution. Alumni who participate in live events are 2.5× more likely to donate compared to non-attendees.
Formal mentoring pairs current students with alumni, fostering intergenerational relationships and affinity. Alumni who serve as mentors are 156% more likely to have donated to their institution.
Feeling part of an alumni "in-group" fosters lasting emotional bonds. Regular non-fundraising interactions build credibility, making alumni more receptive to donation appeals when they come.
Pro Tips:
By prioritizing genuine community building before making asks, institutions cultivate lifelong relationships that underpin sustainable fundraising success.
The most successful fundraising are extremely data-driven. A truly data-driven campaign goes beyond email open rates to leverage the full spectrum of alumni behavior at every stage of your strategy.
Website behavior, such as, time on your giving page, clicks on impact stories can reveal "warm leads." For most nonprofits for example, a good donation-page conversion rate falls between 1% and 4%.
Social media engagement also uncovers high-potential donors. Institutions that adopt integrated social media tools see up to 40% higher fundraising results compared to peers who don't. Social referrals drive 87% of second gifts, making click-path tracking from posts to donation forms essential.
Among Americans who volunteer with a nonprofit, 79% also make a financial contribution to that organization. High-net-worth volunteers are 69% likely to volunteer after giving, creating a powerful cycle of engagement.
Small tweaks in email subject lines, calls to action, or landing-page layouts can yield large gains. A/B testing subject lines can improve open rates by up to 49%. Test one variable per experiment, such as the subject line, the preview text, or sender name,to achieve statistical significance.
💡Use platforms like Almabase to unify event, web, social, and volunteer data into a single dashboard. This enables you to segment audiences by real-time engagement and launch targeted campaigns while reducing donor fatigue.
Adding a competitive edge to your annual giving day can transform a simple fundraising push into an immersive, high-energy event that drives both participation and dollars. Real-time leaderboards, head-to-head challenges, and unlockable goals create urgency, community pride, and social proof that motivate alumni to give and give again.
Not everyone can give $10,000, and that's okay. Micro-impact appeals show donors exactly how their small gift drives real outcomes, making a donation feel both achievable and meaningful.
According to NextAfter’s CaringBridge micro-ask experiment, framing a $25 ask lifted conversion rate by 39.1% and revenue by 32.9% over a control group.
Effective Micro-Impact Examples:
- $50: "Buys textbooks for one undergraduate student"
- $100: "Funds one month of internet connectivity for a remote learner"
- $250: "Underwrites a weekend retreat for four at-risk youth"
By showcasing how every dollar makes a clear difference, you empower more alumni to give and sustain long-term engagement through visible, immediate impact.
Former donors are some of your best prospects. Having given before, they already understand and care about your mission. A separate, impact-focused campaign such as "Here's what's changed since you last gave" could reignite their support.
According to Avid AI, reactivating a lapsed donor is 5× more likely to succeed than acquiring a new one. Blackbaud's research reports a first-year reactivation rate of 8.2% for donors lapsed in the last 1–5 years.
The most effective approach to lapsed donor reactivation starts with sophisticated segmentation using RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) analysis. This method evaluates when donors last gave (Recency), how often they contributed (Frequency), and their total giving amount (Monetary value). Each factor serves as a predictor of future giving likelihood.
Then layer in peer-cohort data (“Class of ’19 peers have funded three new research labs this year”) to harness social proof.
Institutions using RFM segmentation isolate over 90% of dollars likely to be raised in a reactivation campaign, driving highly targeted asks that respect donor history and maximize ROI
Instead of generic appeals, send a concise impact report—“Since your 2019 gift, 1,200 graduates have completed their degrees debt-free, and our new scholarship program supports 45 students each year”—paired with a 60-second video testimonial from a beneficiary. The Association of Fundraising Professionals has found that as many as 87% of donors are influenced by emotional appeals in their decision to give. Universities using video in alumni campaigns see up to 72% quicker giving-day participation.
Just as companies conduct exit interviews with departing employees, nonprofits should reach out to lapsed donors to understand why they stopped giving. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, conducting thoughtful exit interviews with lapsed donors can provide crucial insights into retention issues and help prevent future lapses.
Over half of nonprofit website traffic now comes from mobile devices, yet, mobile donation forms still underperform. If your alumni reach your page and are met with clunky design, tiny buttons, or endless fields to fill, they’ll bounce before you even register their intent.
Optimize your mobile giving flow with these evidence-backed tactics:
💡 Treat your donation form as a product. Use heatmaps to pinpoint drop-off points, and A/B test individual elements like field count, button text, or layout. Check out this blog on creating accessible, high-performance donation forms
Matching gifts don’t just double the donation they double motivation. When alumni know their contribution will be matched dollar-for-dollar, 84% say they’re more likely to give.
To make the most of this:
Matching and challenge campaigns work best when they’re highly visible, time-limited, and framed as collective impact tools. You’re not just asking for a gift, you’re offering alumni the chance to unlock additional funding, spark friendly competition, and amplify every individual contribution into a larger community achievement.
Timely, specific, and authentic gratitude closes the loop and transforms one-time givers into lifelong supporters.
First, thank donors within 24 hours. Nonprofits that acknowledge gifts in under 24 hours achieve a 60% donor retention rate, compared to the industry average which comes in at just under 35%.
Next, send short visual impact updates. This could look like a short 60-second video or an infographic that spotlights exactly what their gift accomplished. Crowdfunding campaigns featuring personal videos raise 150% more on average than those without.
Then, mark donation anniversaries with personal reminders like, “One year ago today, you funded our new reading room—here’s how it’s thriving.” Simply repeating your impact message in a follow-up mailing can boost campaign revenue by 33%, adding new gifts without cannibalizing the original appeal.
Finally, share real stories from beneficiaries: quotes or brief clips from students and faculty, so alumni see their legacy in action. When donors feel consistently seen and valued, they’re far more likely to give again when the next ask comes around.
The most successful fundraising programs have one thing in common: they treat alumni as partners, not prospects. When you combine data-driven insights with authentic storytelling and seamless giving experiences, you create a foundation where donors feel valued, informed, and eager to contribute.
Start with the strategies that align with your current resources—whether that's launching your first giving day competition or implementing micro-impact messaging. The institutions seeing 2-3x higher giving rates aren't doing anything magical; they're simply executing these proven approaches consistently.
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2024 was an interesting year for fundraising professionals. Persistent and emerging challenges in the nonprofit landscape coincided with some. While some issues carried over from previous years, new dynamics reshaped the way organizations navigated their work.
Last year was a year of highs and lows for fundraising and advancement professionals. From staffing struggles to shifts in donor behaviors, the year brought challenges that tested the resilience of nonprofits across sectors. However, these hurdles also paved the way for innovation, collaboration, and strategic rethinking, setting the stage for what 2025 might bring.
The donor landscape in 2024 presented an interesting problem. While overall donations increased, the donor pool continued to shrink. According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), there was a 2% increase in total donations but a 4.5% decline in the number of individual donors. This trend posed a significant challenge for nonprofits reliant on a broad donor base for smaller, recurring contributions.
Staffing shortages and high turnover rates continued to be among the most pressing concerns for nonprofits in 2024. According to a study by NonProfit PRO, nearly 70% of nonprofits reported struggling with staffing challenges, citing underfunding and burnout as primary drivers.
This crisis was compounded by the competitive job market, which made it difficult for nonprofits to attract and retain talent. High turnover negatively impacted team morale and operational efficiency, forcing many organizations to stretch already limited resources to achieve their goals.
The rise of AI and other tech tools has been both a blessing and a challenge for nonprofits. While AI offers powerful capabilities—from predicting donor behavior to automating administrative tasks—it also requires significant investment in training and implementation. Many teams struggled to fully integrate these tools due to lacking technical expertise or financial resources.
The use of AI also brings forward some ethical concerns that increasingly became relevant throughout the year. There exists the risk of over-automating donor communication, which could lead to a loss of the personal touch that is central to alumni engagement. For smaller organizations, the hype around AI could also lead to investments in tools that did not align with their needs, diverting funds from more pressing priorities.
Despite the challenges, nonprofits showcased remarkable resilience. Many embraced hybrid fundraising models, combining virtual and in-person events to engage a broader audience. Charity Digital reported that organizations leveraging digital tools for storytelling and donor engagement saw significant returns on investment.
Additionally, DonorBox emphasized how nonprofits that invested in robust donor communication tools experienced improved retention rates, especially during year-end campaigns.
As we move into 2025, nonprofits more than ever need to build on the lessons of 2024 by focusing on sustainable growth and strategic innovation.
Resilience emerged as a defining characteristic in 2024, and nonprofits should ideally look to build upon it by adopting sustainable strategies and scalable practices, to better navigate uncertainty and a world that’s throwing a lot of innovations at us without leaving us much time or resources to consider our approach to each of them. With all that being said, we’d like to explore some broad focus areas that teams and institutions alike should watch out for in 2025:
The excitement surrounding AI and other technologies in 2024 often led to unrealistic expectations for nonprofits. A research paper published by Lauri Goldkind, Joy Ming, and Alex Fink critically assessed AI’s role in human services, questioning whether it offered genuine value or was simply a trend driven by hype. The study concluded that while AI holds transformative potential, it requires proper alignment with an organization's size, mission, and resource constraints to be effective.
Throughout 2025, Nonprofits should be shifting focus toward scalable and budget-conscious technology solutions. For example, a hypothetical smaller team that only needs a CRM and basic analytics could leverage low-cost digital tools and achieve better outcomes if these tools are customized to their specific workflows and objectives, as opposed to trying to cover all their bases and wasting both resources and time spent on upskilling.
The staffing crisis doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon with 68% of organizations reporting difficulties with recruitment and retention in 2024. Common challenges include toxic work cultures, burnout, uncompetitive salaries, and insufficient training opportunities. Increased investment in professional development, equitable pay structures, and supportive workplace cultures have been big talking points for a while but now they need to become key priorities. Policies aimed at reducing burnout, such as flexible work schedules and mental health support should be a good starting point.
Additionally, peer mentoring and community-building efforts are gaining traction. Nonprofits can leverage mentorship programs and peer support networks to foster a sense of community within their teams, leading to improved job satisfaction and retention.
At the heart of every nonprofit is its people—the staff, donors, and volunteers whose collective efforts drive change. By fostering positive internal cultures and focusing on impactful strategies, nonprofits can inspire trust and loyalty, ensuring their mission thrives in the years to come.
Nonprofits have responded to the recent donor market shifts by focusing on deepening relationships with existing donors. Strategies such as targeted communication and personalized outreach have since become standard practice. 2025 should be a good year for teams to consolidate knowledge of their tools and long-term goals so that they continue fostering donor loyalty seamlessly. A key area of focus will be on small and medium-sized donors and how teams can turn them into loyal donors moving forward.
With federal budget cuts for nonprofits and institutions seeming likely on the horizon, advancement and nonprofit teams especially in the US will need to explore sustainable alternatives to reach their goals.
That’ll just about do it for now but with 2025 seeming a difficult year to predict, there should certainly be a lot more to talk about in the coming months.
Key focus areas for fundraising in 2025
2024 was an interesting year for fundraising professionals. We go over some of the key learnings from last year to figure out key focus areas for 2025.
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The best peer-to-peer fundraising platforms help educational institutions and nonprofits boost donor engagement through personalized giving pages, social fundraising, and CRM integration. These tools streamline campaigns with built-in analytics, gamification, and mobile optimization. While some options are completely free, others cater to large-scale fundraisers that require advanced data synchronization and scalability.
The right tools can make all the difference in modern fundraising. In this blog, we’ll highlight some of the best options on the market and explore what you can expect out of them.
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Peer-to-peer fundraising, or P2P fundraising, is a type of crowdfunding in which your organization encourages its supporters to fundraise for your cause. Typically, these supporters will create an individual fundraising page and share it with their friends, family members, and social media followers to raise money.
A peer-to-peer fundraising site is the software that allows your supporters to create a donation page, share it with their personal network, and collect donations to support your mission.
Typically, most fundraising tools today include features such as:
When shopping for a peer-to-peer fundraising tool, you’ll need to weigh the cost of the tool against the value it provides. However, it can be difficult to know the true cost of using the platform, depending on the software’s pricing structure. Get familiar with these common structures:
To compare tools with different pricing structures, calculate what each platform will cost you, on average, for a certain period of time.
Whether you’re a K-12 school ,higher ed institution, or a nonprofit, in no particular order, here are some peer-to-peer fundraising platforms that you should consider:
(Prices are based on publicly available data at the time of writing and are subject to change over time)
Almabase runs on a philosophy of integrating into your CRM and existing workflows, which remains true for their peer-to-peer fundraising features. Almabase boasts native sync with most higher-ed CRMs due to their TrueSync integration, combined with superior customer support and a willingness to integrate your ideas into their long-term vision. Almabase offers customizable pages and leaderboards powered with inbuilt text and email communication features built to drive donor engagement through organic and personalized communication.
Almabase’s pricing depends entirely on your needs. Learn how Almabase empowers your p2p strategy, Schedule a personalized demo and get a quote.
GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy) is a peer-to-peer fundraising platform optimized for maximum nonprofit impact. It provides ready-to-use templates for scalable, high-impact campaigns and equips supporters with intuitive tools to advocate for the cause.
GoFundMe Pro offers features like campaign templating, embedded videos and livestreams, progress thermometers, team structures, and mobile-optimized pages. The platform also supports recurring gift options and flexible payment processing, and has a mobile- and user-friendly interface.
GoFundMe Pro offers a standard “Essentials” plan and a “Partner” custom plan.
Bloomerang Fundraising (formerly Qgiv) is a fundraising platform offering tools for donation management, event planning, and donor engagement. It provides features like customizable donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, and text-to-give options
Bloomerang Fundraising starts at $40 per month if purchased as part of a bundle with Bloomerang CRM.
Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits, offering peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding, donation pages, and recurring giving options. This tool generates revenue through optional tips that donors can provide in addition to their donation. It allows fundraisers to join as individuals or teams and create their own fundraising pages. The platform is also known for being simple, intuitive, and customizable
Zeffy has no fees and instead runs on optional tips from donors.
Donorbox is a fundraising platform that allows nonprofits to launch peer-to-peer fundraisers in a few steps. It provides customizable donation forms and supports recurring donations via various payment methods.
Donorbox also offers features for managing donors, sending personalized emails, and recording donor communications. The platform provides resources like onboarding emails, courses, and templates to support nonprofits in their fundraising efforts.
For peer-to-peer fundraisers, Donorbox charges a flat 1.75% platform fee for a main campaign and 2.95% for a supporter’s campaign.
Bonfire specializes in fundraising through custom merchandise sales. Nonprofits, schools, and even individuals can design their own custom merch and sell it via Bonfire’s free online stores.
Bonfire supports peer-to-peer campaigns (which it refers to as “giving campaigns”) by allowing your supporters to create and share t-shirt fundraisers on behalf of your organization—then, all of the money they raise is sent directly to your nonprofit.
Bonfire is completely free to use, and your nonprofit keeps 100% of the profits. There’s an 8% processing fee on additional donations, but if you verify your nonprofit status with Bonfire, that fee is reduced to 3.5%
Givebutter provides tools to launch peer-to-peer campaigns, complete with donation forms, fundraising pages, event management, a built-in CRM, and marketing tools to analyze your progress and streamline workflows. Their fundraiser teams offer a great choice for organizations looking to gamify their peer-to-peer fundraisers as well.
Givebutter offers a popular “free forever” plan, as well as a paid option starting at $29/month. If your organization opts out of having donors cover fees, Givebutter charges 1% for donation forms, 3% for pages, and 5% for events and auctions, as well as a payment processing charge of 2.9% + ¢0.30 per transaction.
GiveCampus is a fundraising platform for educational institutions, providing solutions for online giving, giving days, crowdfunding, P2P fundraising, and more. It blends peer-to-peer outreach, social media, and gamification to engage more donors and increase fundraising. The platform allows schools to execute giving days, year-end appeals, and crowdfunding campaigns.
GiveCampus also offers features like matches and challenges to inspire donors and make them feel like their contributions are making a difference
GiveCampus has three platform plans: Essentials, Professional, and Enterprise. Additionally, pricing will vary depending on the modules you require.
As a Blackbaud product, JustGiving is a great choice if you are used to the Blackbaud CRM environment. Compared to other platforms on this list, JustGiving is relatively simple both in its presentation and its scope. This makes it an easy choice for teams just starting out or looking for something simple for a one-off event. However, there may be better choices for teams that want a more comprehensive solution that spans multiple fundraisers and year-long campaigns.
JustGiving charges platform fees and a standard payment processing fee based on your geographical location and payment platform. Crowdfunding pages are free to set up. While UK charities do not need to pay a platform fee, they do have a subscription model.
Gravyty leverages predictive AI technology to provide frontline fundraisers with personalized insights into donor behavior. This innovative approach helps organizations enhance their outreach efforts by automating email drafts tailored to individual donors while integrating seamlessly with existing CRM systems. Gravyty's focus on personalization empowers fundraisers to build stronger relationships with donors.
While some information is available online, interested organizations will need to contact Gravyty for a custom quote.
Bonterra’s peer-to-peer fundraising product (formerly DonorDrive) offers smart and customizable P2P fundraising solutions that empower supporters to create personalized experiences at scale. Its features include an intuitive event builder, personalized coaching for fundraisers, gamification elements like leaderboards, social media integrations, and seamless CRM integration, which enhances supporter engagement significantly
Bonterra offers three tiers—Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise—with pricing based on customer needs.
With so many unique platforms out there, choosing the right one can be a little overwhelming. However, there are several key factors to consider when selecting the right peer-to-peer fundraising software for your team:
Each platform will offer peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities, but you should dig a little deeper to find the right fit for your needs. For example, if you are a small team looking to organize a quick fundraiser, you may end up paying for features you don’t need. On the other hand, if you are looking for a long-term solution, a platform without built-in analytics would be a dealbreaker. Look for features that boost, rather than hamper, your fundraising efforts, and aim for a high return on investment.
Many teams want a tool that scales up alongside them as they engage more donors and alumni, but there is often a point where their needs outgrow the platform. To avoid this, consider both your short-term and long-term goals to determine if the platform’s upgraded pricing tiers will meet your team’s requirements later on. This way, you can simply upgrade to a plan with more advanced features or storage rather than migrating to a completely new platform.
Your staff, fundraisers, and donors should all have positive, smooth experiences when engaging with your fundraising pages. For example, if you want to sell custom merch, both the designing process and purchasing process should be easy and intuitive for supporters. From payment processing to reporting workflows to page load times, there are many aspects you should ask about or test out during a free trial or demo to see if a platform is the right one for you.
Some solutions come with a relatively low learning curve but offer limited functionality. Some, on the other hand, can be the driving force behind all your fundraising strategies but may require in-depth technical and/or coding experience. Try to find a balance between the training time required and potential functionality to ensure high adoption.
Pricing is a key consideration for any tool, but it’s also important to consider the nuances that may arise down the line. Always consider the rates associated with upfront costs, renewals, transaction fees, upgraded plans, and other relevant expenses. Additionally, switching to a new platform inevitably leads to more expenses through database transfers and staff upskilling. Consult with your database managers and other staff members before making a decision.
In the event that something goes wrong, you need to be able to reach the platform provider to resolve the issue. Keep factors like response times on live chat or email support channels in mind. For the long term, you also want to support platforms that onboard customer feedback and have detailed roadmaps for upcoming features.
Both your staff and donors need to be assured that sensitive data like payment information will be kept safe and secure. Always look out for a platform’s data encryption measures, as well as its compliance and authentication processes, to see if it inspires confidence from your donors.
Third-party review sites like G2 and Capterra offer insight into what customers think about specific tools. Keep in mind that these reviews are subjective, but they can be a great indication of how a platform is perceived overall, highlighting positive and negative software trends.
There is no single “best” fundraising website, but you can find the one that is best for your organization. Choose a platform that aligns with your goals, budget, audience, and campaign type.
Yes, a reputable fundraising platform should be able to integrate with your CRM to ensure donor data flows automatically into your central database. This eliminates data silos and the need for manual data transfers.
GoFundMe is a popular tool for personal crowdfunding, but it may lack the tools you need to run a full-fledged campaign. The platforms referenced in this guide offer the specialized tools mission-driven organizations need for branding, tracking donor data, and communications.
Crowdfunding is a centralized process led by your organization using a single donation page. On the other hand, peer-to-peer campaigns decentralize fundraising, empowering many supporters to help you raise money. Peer-to-peer campaigns empower supporters to help you raise money, meaning there are many people fundraising for your cause. Make sure your platform has the tools to support a peer-to-peer campaign.
Look for platforms that include gamification features, such as fundraising thermometers, badges, and leaderboards. These tools spark friendly competition among fundraisers and help them visualize their progress to maintain momentum and engagement.
We hope we’ve given you the tools you need to choose or at least consider some of the best peer-to-peer fundraising solutions out there, as well as the questions you need to ask yourself before adopting one. Whether you’re a higher ed institution optimizing your peer-to-peer fundraisers or a K-12 school just looking to get started, we hope you pick out the right solution and can make a great positive change.
If you’ve had successful peer-to-peer fundraisers before, learn how you can build a peer-to-peer fundraising community to help you keep providing meaningful experiences
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11 great peer-to-peer fundraising platforms for Institutions and Nonprofits 2026
Explore 11 of the best peer-to-peer fundraising sites for schools, higher ed, and nonprofits. Discover how to select the right one for your fundraising needs.
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We’ve talked in length about some good events and the event management or fundraising tools that can make them succeed consistently. This time, we’re taking a step back and at the basics of fundraising event planning.
In this blog, we’re going through the essentials to turn your fundraising ideas into successful events that don’t just reach your targets but create powerful memories to strengthen your cause. Let’s get started.
As with every advancement initiative, the goals are where everything starts and leads back to. We’ve talked about the importance of Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based (SMART) goals in a past blog. While creating the goals that will define your fundraising event, keep the following questions your attendees would have in mind:
Apart from these questions, your available staff time, target audience, budget, and other upcoming institution events will play a big part in shaping your scope for your event. Take your time with this step as the right goals are the foundation of a successful event.
Depending on your audience, budget, and goals, you may choose from a variety of fundraiser ideas, such as:
No two events are truly alike, and depending on the success of your fundraiser, a bold new approach might just be your next hallmark annual event.
As you’re not just planning any event, how you want to introduce fundraising to your event is going to be very important. Remember, a fundraising event can have multiple revenue streams. For example:
Nowadays, institutions usually look to include diverse fundraising methods in their fundraisers. This is also where pairing the right event with the right fundraising method can greatly impact your raised amount.
Now that you know what type of event you want as well as how you’re going to raise funds during it, it’s time to put the right tools to work. Pretty much every modern institution uses a fundraising platform to streamline their events and fundraisers. These tools help you:
and much more.
Platforms like Almabase help streamline these logistical elements, allowing you more time and energy to focus on fostering genuine connections with your donors.
Now that the building blocks are coming into place, it’s time to decide on arguably the most important part of an event, the people. You’ll want to form a committee of people to take on and help with specific parts of the event including but not limited to:
Apart from the above, you’ll want to think about corporations, non-profits, and associations that may want to play a pivotal role in helping you bring your event to life.
Now that all the bits and bobs are there, it’s time to lock in a specific place and time. It seems fairly basic but keep in mind that:
You’ve got all the info ready to go. But it doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t reach the right audience. And even if it does, what type of messaging should they receive and when should they receive it so that they truly feel like attending or giving? That’s where your event marketing comes into play. You’ll want to make use of channels such as:
and much much more to get your event and your cause heard. Make sure that your marketing emphasizes how your fundraiser can help your cause of choice.
Even the most tight-knit plans have a chance of going wrong. A 10-minute delay caused by faulty audio equipment might just be that small little factor that disinterests a potential first time donor.
These are good things to keep in mind but ultimately, your contingencies may have to be just as unique as your event.
Nowadays, the event doesn’t truly end when the last guest leaves. Following up with attendees is crucial to maintaining their engagement and potentially turning them into loyal supporters. Post-event action items include:
Gratitude and proactive follow-ups go a long way in building long-term relationships with your supporters.
The ultimate measure of a successful fundraising event isn’t just the dollar amount raised but also the connections made and how deep those connections go over time. To turn your attendees into loyal supporters, you’ll want to consider some steps such as:
By nurturing these relationships, you're creating a network of passionate supporters who are more likely to advocate for your cause and contribute to future initiatives.
Fundraising events have certainly not gotten any easier to plan and host in the past few years. Donors and alumni in general simply expect more, and you can’t just rely on your long-time donors alone. However, we hope that this guide, despite just scratching the surface, was able to give you some ideas for your next fundraising event.
If you’re looking for a partner to help you manage events, engage alumni, and raise funds, do give us a shout and we’ll happily walk you through how we can help with your own personalized demo! ⤵️
How to Plan a Fundraising Event to Maximize Donations
Learn how to craft successful fundraising events step by step. Maximize donations with actionable strategies and engage donors meaningfully.
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