Top Peer-to-Peer Campaigns Decline for Fourth Year in a Row

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a great way to engage with your donors and get them to participate in some healthy, happy, fun physical activity. We are currently surrounded by a world promoting fitness and wellness. Just look around: From fitness tracker watches (FitBit, Apple Watch) to food tracking apps (MyFitnessPal, My Macros+) to the numerous amount of “#fitspos” out there popping up like dandelions—all of these things should keep you motivated to stay healthy and motivate you to find any excuse to engage in physical activity, right?

Well, according to Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Thirty, a study that surveys 30 of the largest peer-to-peer campaigns in the U.S., the top peer-to-peer campaigns have been slowly declining since 2012. The results were unveiled yesterday during the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum in Atlanta.

Together, these 30 campaigns raised a total of $1.53 billion in 2016, down eight percent from 2012. The total amounts raised throughout the years were $1.71 billion in 2012, $1.67 billion in 2013, $1.62 billion in 2014 and $1.57 billion in 2015.

“Peer-to-peer fundraising continues to be an industry in flux. Each year we see a number of novel campaigns burst onto the scene—giving supporters the chance to raise money doing everything from playing video games to engaging in extreme challenges.” — David Hessekiel, founder and president, Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

The top five peer-to-peer campaigns that accrued the most in 2016 were Relay for Life ($279 million, down 9.42 percent from 2015); Heart Walk ($123 million, up 5.16 percent); American Heart Association Youth Programs ($85.8 million, up 8.67 percent); March for Babies ($85.7 million, down 10.54 percent); and Walk to End Alzheimers ($82.4 million, up 6.4 percent).

“The P2P30 reminds us that in our wired, interconnected world, change is the only constant—and today’s charities must be willing to evolve, reinvent and invest to grow. Sustained growth comes from a holistic worldview, authentic branding, cohesive strategy and a well-supported team.” — Jeff Shuck, CEO, Plenty