Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising represents far more than charity walks and fun runs—it's a multi-billion-dollar fundraising powerhouse that deserves strategic attention from nonprofits of all sizes. Recent years have witnessed an impressive rebound in P2P programs from pandemic lows, engaging millions of supporters across generations in increasingly creative ways. This article explores why P2P fundraising merits consideration as a strategic revenue stream, supported by recent statistics from 2023–2025 across the US, Canada, and Australia, and examines how innovation continues to drive its growth.

Part two will highlight emerging P2P campaign formats and discuss the risks of maintaining the status quo, drawing on STella’s team's 17+ years of experience with projects like Heart & Strokes’ Jump Rope for Heart, WWF’s CN Tower Climb, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s Light the Night, and Cystic Fibrosis’ Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History, and many more!

P2P fundraising by the numbers

The scope and momentum of P2P fundraising continue to impress as detailed in the “Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Top 30 Survey”.

• In the United States, the top 30 peer-to-peer programs collectively raised $1.14 billion in 2023, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth following the 2020 pandemic-induced decline.
• These campaigns mobilized approximately 2.5 million participants, representing a 3.5% increase in participation year-over-year
• While overall U.S. P2P revenue hasn't quite returned to its 2019 peak of roughly $1.37 billion, it continues to climb steadily with modest annual gains

Canadian nonprofits demonstrate particularly impressive results in the P2P space.

• Canada's top 30 peer-to-peer programs grew 3.9% in 2023, reaching $194.3 million raised, with an extraordinary 4.7 million participants joining these initiatives. (Remarkably, Canadian P2P events engage nearly twice as many participants as those in the U.S., thanks partly to school-based campaigns that involve youth on a significant scale.) Even with only a slight 0.5% increase in Canadian participation year-over-year, the country's P2P landscape has returned to "more predictable pre-pandemic trends" and steady growth

Australia hosts several P2P trailblazers that highlight the global influence of this approach. The Movember campaign (which originated in Australia and invites participants worldwide to grow moustaches) in November-raised USD $90.2 million in 2023 for men's health causes. Since its inception in 2004, Movember has mobilized millions of people across more than 20 countries and raised over $800 million cumulatively. Another innovative Australian initiative, the Shitbox Rally, challenges teams to drive aging cars across the outback to fundraise; this event has collected over $50 million for cancer research across 15 years. These examples demonstrate that peer-driven fundraising thrives globally, from North America's large-scale charity walks to Australia's distinctive outback adventures.

Innovation is driving growth in dollars and participation

P2P fundraising isn't growing by chance—innovation and adaptability fuel these gains. Many established events have modernized their strategies and tools to revitalize their supporter base. As Marcie Maxwell of the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum observed, top programs succeeded by "fine-tuning strategies to keep up with shifting donor behaviors" while maintaining authentic connections with their communities. In practice, this refers to nonprofits embracing fresh approaches to make participation more accessible, engaging, and rewarding for fundraisers.

Examples of traditional events experiencing growth through innovation abound:

• The American Heart Association's Heart Walk maintained its position as the #1 P2P event in the U.S. last year, raising $110 million (up $4 million from the prior year) by consistently investing in participant experience. AHA has complemented its flagship walks with digital tools and school-based youth challenges (like Kids Heart Challenge) to engage the next generation.
• Organizations adopting enhanced fundraising technology have witnessed remarkable results. The National Alliance on Mental Illness introduced a more flexible "Walks Your Way" format and user-friendly fundraising apps-leading to a 59% increase in participation and 12% revenue growth in a single year. Similarly, Team World Vision incorporated innovative recruitment and coaching techniques, resulting in a 160% revenue increase (to $15.2 million) for its endurance team events.
• Many organizations now provide hybrid options for supporters unable to attend in person. Enabling remote participation through fitness apps, live-streamed ceremonies, or DIY "virtual" challenges has expanded event reach. When the MS Society in Canada transitioned its fundraising cycling series to a new digital platform and strategy, one of its bike campaigns experienced a 52.5% revenue increase in the first year.

By meeting supporters where they are-on their phones and online-traditional walks and rides have attracted new audiences beyond local participants. These examples reveal a clear lesson: innovation yields results. Nonprofits investing in fresh approaches—whether leveraging technology or reimagining event concepts—are seeing increased participation and fundraising. After all, peer-to-peer fundraising relies fundamentally on people's enthusiasm; when the experience is engaging, convenient, and meaningful, supporters not only participate but bring their networks along.

Eugene Astone is Director, Digital Fundraising Innovation at STella! – ST’s digital fundraising division. Eugene has 17+ years in the charitable sector helping nonprofits raise more money. Now, he is helping organizations maximize their online fundraising revenue through innovative, donor-centric digital acceleration. He has collaborated with diverse nonprofit organizations across North America throughout his career developing peer-to-peer campaigns, third-party platforms, online donation systems, donor-friendly websites and custom Shopify solutions.

¹Movember Foundation, 2023 Financial Highlights. Movember US.
²Cole, Amanda L., "Top 30 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Events Accomplish Fourth Straight Year of Growth," NonProfit PRO, March 13, 2025; Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Top 30 Survey, 2024 – Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (US and Canada results).
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⁴DonorDrive Press Release (2023), "Top 30 P2P Programs and Innovative Growth."
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