Top individual giving fundraising strategies for nonprofits

‍Why individual giving matters

When it comes to nonprofit campaigns, individual giving, also known as peer-to-peer fundraising, is one of the most effective ways to grow support. Instead of relying solely on large donors or grants, peer-to-peer empowers your existing supporters to raise funds from their own networks.

Why does this matter? People are far more likely to give when asked by a friend or family member than by an organisation directly. This personal connection fuels generosity and helps nonprofits expand their reach beyond their immediate audience.

Where to start with an individual giving campaign

Launching a successful individual giving campaign begins with

• Clear goals - Decide how much you want to raise and what the funds will support.
• A simple fundraising toolkit - Provide templates, sample messages, and easy-to-use donation pages so fundraisers feel confident.
• Motivation  - Inspire your supporters with stories, videos, and milestones that make them excited to spread the word.

The best individual giving strategies

Here are proven fundraising ideas for peer-to-peer campaigns:

• Personal fundraising pages - Allow each supporter to set up their own page, share their story, and track progress.
• Leaderboards & gamification - Friendly competition can drive donors to give and fundraisers to keep pushing.
• Social media sharing - Make it simple for fundraisers to post updates and invite their friends to give.
• Team fundraising - Encourage groups (schools, clubs, businesses) to raise money together.
• Virtual challenges - From walkathons to social media “give days,” creative challenges inspire participation and giving.

What not to do

Avoid these mistakes when planning your individual giving campaigns:

• Complicated setup - If fundraising pages are hard to create or use, participation drops.
• Lack of communication - Don’t leave fundraisers unsupported, regular updates and encouragement are essential.
• No recognition - Fundraisers who feel overlooked may not return for future campaigns.
• One-time mindset - Treat individual giving as relationship-building, not just a single event.

Individual giving best practices

To maximise success:

1. Empower fundraisers with tools - make it easy for them to tell their story and share their page.
2. Celebrate progress - acknowledge milestones and keep momentum high.
3. Provide sample content - pre-written posts, emails, and graphics help fundraisers spread the word.
4. Say thank you often - recognise both donors and fundraisers to build loyalty.
5. Track and share impact - let people see how their peer-to-peer fundraising efforts make a real difference.

How to make your individual giving campaigns a success

The most successful campaigns create community. Keep your fundraisers motivated with regular updates, highlight top performers, and share stories from the field. Use multiple touchpoints, social media, email, andevents, to keep the excitement alive. Most importantly, make the giving process seamless for both fundraisers and donors.

How Emma can help take your campaigns further

With Emma, your nonprofit has everything it needs to supercharge individual giving:

• Custom fundraising pages for every supporter.
• Built-in peer-to-peer tools like team fundraising and leaderboards.
• Automated communication workflows to keep fundraisers engaged.
• Real-time analytics so you know what’s working and where to improve.
• Personalised donor engagement to make every giver feel valued.

By combining best practices with the right platform, nonprofits can transform individual giving into one of their most powerful charity fundraising strategies. With Emma, your campaigns become easier to manage, more engaging for supporters, and more impactful for your mission.

Empower your supporters. Expand your reach. Grow your mission. With peer-to-peer/individual giving strategies and Emma at your side, you can unlock new levels of fundraising success.