A Different Take on P2P Fundraising: Looking into the Minds of Volunteers

A few months back, our friends over at Turnkey—Katrina VanHuss and Otis Fulton—sent us a copy of their latest book, “Dollar Dash: The Behavioral Economics of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising.” And because NonProfit PRO’s September issue is our annual P2P issue, we thought it would be the perfect fit.

First off, there is not a huge selection of P2P books out there. And secondly, the ones that are out there give you an overview of what P2P is and layout a recipe for success. Life isn’t that easy. Fundraising is not easy.

What differentiates this book from the rest is their execution. “Dollar Dash” examines the psychology of volunteers and donors, and how understanding them can help create an effective strategy for P2P fundraising campaigns. They even point out and evaluate  specific successful campaigns.

My particular favorite was the chapter titled “Literally Priceless.” One of the ongoing debates in the nonprofit space circles around incentives aka “swag.” The argument is more complex than just whether or not a nonprofit should provide incentives—it’s about how the incentive is presented.

Another aspect of the book I enjoyed is that they included multiple research references and interviews with top-tier nonprofit professionals.

Overall, I for one, learned a plethora of information on P2P fundraising—and effective strategies that can be learned by taking a closer look at the psychology of volunteers and donors. Every fundraiser should pick up a copy of this book. You won’t be disappointed. As an added bonus, you can read the first chapter of “Dollar Dash” by clicking here. Happy reading!