How to Use Peer to Peer Fundraisers to Engage Students (and Raise Lots for your PTO)!
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A Peer to Peer fundraiser works differently than most traditional fundraisers do. First and foremost, it harnesses the power of modern technology and social media to come to life via friendly competition. Next, it doesn't require anything to be purchased, so there are no catalogs to send home, or products to deliver. And it's rather easy to bring in a ton of money for your PTO and get students super engaged at the same time! Let's talk about how to make this happen.
Think Big
The excitement starts with the concept and a goal. Go beyond the somewhat stale "support our school" type of messaging that causes some eyes to glaze over. Instead, set up a goal irresistible for students and contributors, alike. Be specific and have the goal be something everyone would like to have for the students or school, say new playground equipment or a class trip to the state capitol, a safe After Prom experience for the Seniors, etc.
Then layer on some fun incentives for the students, namely something they'll want- Principal for a Day, a Starbucks gift card, a class pizza party, a whole-school Ice Cream party, new Ipad or something else the students would go bananas for. Tweak as needed to be age appropriate and more attractive to the age set of your school's students. This starts the competition, with everyone working towards getting the big incentive you'd laid out as the end goal, as well as towards the smaller individual or class incentives.
Take 5
Next, take five minutes and set up the fundraiser using BetterWorld pre-formatted Peer to Peer fundraiser. Be sure to add in pictures that show your end goal since the picture of what you're all working towards will be a lot more motivating than a picture of your school or an exploding number thermometer. Donors will enjoy seeing what their contribution will actually get for the school as well as the students. So don't skimp on the details!
BetterWorld's platform is an ideal host for your next Peer to Peer campaign. Of course you start with the gorgeous and intuitively designed format, but also have easy social sharing features, the overall goal amount and a goal thermometer baked in.
The home page for the campaign features the group standings by individual students and also classes. And all donations are displayed, highlighting donors by name or with anonymous recognition, so there are three layers of competition prominently displayed for all to see: First, a race to the overall goal, then amongst the classes and last among the individual students. This competitive mix is smart to have since not everyone will be motivated by the same thing. This fundraiser structure gives multiple opportunities for success.
Grab a Bullhorn
Once you have the concept down and the fundraiser all set up, you just have to promote it and inspire the students to spread the word by consistently reminding them of the overall goal and also the smaller incentives. Having the students ask their network of family, friends and other connections for support means the fundraiser will reach a wide audience, which translates into big money!
Peer to Peer fundraisers are also fantastic for reaching well beyond the school walls and into the greater community and world. The social sharing options make it ridiculously easy to share to any network. Two clicks you get a link to drop in your family or book club group chat, making it simple to ask friends and family for their support. And this type of fundraiser format is perfect for appealing to school alumni and going beyond the pool of current students and families to get supporters in the greater world.
Why this works for engagement
Literally everything is more fun when it's a game. And this is a fundraiser that's set up to be a contest from the get go. What's more, it's easy to set up an incentive structure to really motivate students to spread the world and raise more money as a result. Bragging rights are fun enough, but adding in some different prize levels will encourage students to participate and try to best their classmates. This is an easy fundraiser to tweak for different age sets just based on the prizes alone.
Collect more donations with BetterWorld’s Peer-to-Peer fundraising platform!
Engaging donor-led fundraising pages that drive more dollars raised
Let donors know how much they’ve raised with automated fundraising thermometers
Seamless receipts and automated updates in real time
Enjoy professional-grade designs customized with your organization’s branding
Summing It Up
Peer to Peer fundraisers are a fantastic tool for PTOs looking to bring in money without the hassles that come with other types of fundraisers. Because the format makes it easy for students to participate and donors to contribute, it's a winner right from the start. Plus, this fundraising approach is super easy to repeat year over year, making it a smart staple to add into all PTO fundraising plans.
About the Author
Christina Hidek is Founder of PTO Answers, helping thousands of PTA/PTO leaders and volunteers run successful groups.

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