10th Annual Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence

By Sean Norris

Peer to Peer

15th Annual Celebrity Chili Cook-Off and Oyster Roast
Charleston Animal Society
Submitted by Charleston Animal Society

The Numbers
Recipients: 4,000
Total Cost: $93,000
Income Generated: $269,000
Cost to Raise a Dollar: $0.35

Why It Won
Peer-to-peer fundraising has experienced rapid growth in recent years, with more and more nonprofits adding it to their fundraising toolkits. Races and walks are still the heavy-hitters, but plenty of organizations are branching out, putting their own creative spin on P2P. One of those organizations: South Carolina-based Charleston Animal Society.

The shelter’s annual Celebrity Chili Cook-Off is designed to engage the community and raise awareness for Toby’s Fund—Charleston Animal Society’s medical fund for animals. To compete in the cook-off, teams of participants must raise at least $500. In the lead-up to the event, the shelter held multiple “Captain’s Reception” mini-events, providing information and marketing tools for teams to boost their fundraising efforts. The shelter also advertised the event with a comprehensive media plan and a regular schedule of emails, and produced gorgeous full-color posters promoting the event.

Launched in 2012 with a modest 600-attendee turnout, the cook-off attracted 2,000 attendees in 2013. In 2014, attendance great to more than 4,000—a testament to Charleston Animal Society’s planning and execution. The event generated more than $269,000, exceeding its team-fundraising goals by 45 percent and its overall goals by 35 percent.