Your non-profit’s greatest asset is its community. Beyond your staff and board, you have a network of passionate donors, volunteers, and advocates who believe deeply in your mission. What if you could empower this network to become an active part of your fundraising team? That is the simple but powerful idea behind teamwork fundraising. It is a dynamic approach to the popular peer-to-peer fundraising model that leverages social connections, friendly competition, and a shared sense of purpose to dramatically expand your reach and revenue.

Instead of relying solely on your own organization’s ability to ask for donations, teamwork fundraising—also known as team-based p2p fundraising—transforms your supporters into active fundraisers. By recruiting a core group of dedicated “team captains” and giving them the tools to build their own small fundraising teams, you can tap into countless new networks of potential donors. This model does more than just raise money; it deepens supporter engagement, builds a stronger sense of community, and creates a fun, collaborative experience that people want to be a part of. This guide provides a comprehensive, eight-step framework for designing and launching a successful teamwork fundraising campaign, from choosing the right platform to celebrating your collective success.

1. Understand the Power of Teamwork Fundraising

Before diving into the “how,” it is crucial to understand *why* this model is so effective. Traditional fundraising is a one-to-many model: your organization asks many individual donors for support. Peer-to-peer fundraising is a many-to-many model, where you empower many individuals to ask their own networks. Teamwork fundraising adds a powerful layer on top of this. By creating a structure of teams and captains, you introduce several key psychological motivators:

• Social Proof: When people see their friends and colleagues fundraising for a cause, they are more likely to trust the organization and make a donation.
• Gamification: Leaderboards that track team progress introduce an element of friendly competition, motivating teams to work harder to reach the top.
• Community and Belonging: Being part of a team creates a sense of shared purpose and makes the fundraising experience more enjoyable and less intimidating than going it alone.

This model is a perfect fit for events like walk-a-thons, giving days, or specific project-based campaigns where you want to generate broad support and excitement.

2. Choose the Right Platform and Campaign Type

Technology is the backbone of any successful teamwork fundraising campaign. You need an online platform that makes it incredibly easy for your captains to create teams, for members to join, and for everyone to track their progress. When choosing a platform, look for key features:

• Team and Individual Pages: The ability for each team and each individual fundraiser to have their own customizable page with a personal story and photo.
• Leaderboards: Real-time tracking of both top fundraising teams and top individual fundraisers.
• Social Sharing Integration: Easy-to-use buttons that allow fundraisers to share their pages directly to Facebook, X, and other platforms.
• Mobile-Friendly Design: The entire experience, from signing up to donating, must work flawlessly on a smartphone.

Platforms like Anedot, Classy, and Givebutter are popular choices that offer robust team fundraising features. Choose the one that best fits your budget and technical needs.

3. Set Clear Goals and Offer Meaningful Incentives

Every great campaign needs a clear goal. Start with an overall fundraising goal for the entire campaign. This should be ambitious but achievable. Then, break it down. Encourage each team to set its own goal (e.g., $2,500 per team) and each individual to set a personal goal (e.g., $500 per person). These smaller, more manageable goals make the overall target feel less daunting.

Incentives can add a powerful layer of motivation. You do not need to offer expensive prizes. Meaningful, mission-related incentives are often the most effective. Consider offering:

• Branded merchandise (t-shirts, water bottles) for individuals who reach their goal.
• A special recognition event or a private tour of your facility for the top fundraising team.
• Simple bragging rights and a shout-out on your social media channels and newsletter.

4. Recruit Your Team Captains (The Most Important Step)

Your team captains are the heart of your campaign. A small group of motivated, well-connected captains is far more valuable than a large group of unengaged ones. This is not a role you should open to just anyone. You need to be strategic and personally recruit your captains.

Who to Ask:

• Your Board Members: This should be a primary expectation of board service.
• Your Most Dedicated Volunteers: They are already passionate and engaged.
• Past Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers: People who have successfully fundraised for you before.
• Staff Members: Encourage friendly competition between departments.

When you ask, make it feel like a special invitation. Frame it as an exclusive leadership opportunity. A personal phone call or email from your Executive Director is far more effective than a generic, mass email blast.

5. Equip Your Captains and Teams with a Fundraising Toolkit

The golden rule of peer-to-peer fundraising is to make it as easy as possible for your supporters to succeed. Do not expect them to create their own messaging and materials from scratch. You must provide them with a comprehensive fundraising toolkit. This should be a simple, digital resource (like a Google Drive folder or a dedicated page on your website) that contains everything they need.

What to Include in Your Toolkit:

• A Campaign Guide: A simple one-page document explaining the campaign goal, key dates, and how the money raised will be used.
• Email Templates: Pre-written emails that fundraisers can copy, paste, and personalize to send to their friends and family.
• Sample Social Media Posts: Copy-and-paste text and hashtags for Facebook, Instagram, and X.
• High-Quality Images and Videos: A library of compelling, approved visuals they can use in their posts.
• Key Talking Points: A few bullet points with powerful statistics and stories about your impact.

6. Host a Kickoff Event and Provide Training

Once you have recruited your captains, bring them together for a campaign kickoff event. This can be a simple virtual meeting or an in-person get-together. The goal is to build excitement, foster a sense of shared purpose, and provide essential training. During this kickoff, you should:

• Inspire them with a powerful story about your mission.
• Walk them through the fundraising platform and how to set up their pages.
• Review the fundraising toolkit and share tips for making a successful “ask.”
• Facilitate introductions so the captains can get to know each other.

This initial investment in training and community building will pay huge dividends throughout the campaign.

7. Communicate, Motivate, and Support Teams During the Campaign

Your job does not end at the kickoff. During the campaign, your role is to be the head cheerleader, coach, and support system for your teams. Consistent communication is key. Send a weekly email to your captains with:

• An update on the overall campaign progress.
• A shout-out to the top-performing teams and individuals.
• A new piece of content (like a short video or a new story) they can share with their networks.
• A fundraising tip of the week.

Publicly celebrate milestones on your own social media channels. When the campaign hits the 50% mark, announce it! When a team crosses its goal, give them a public shout-out. This constant stream of positive reinforcement and support will keep your fundraisers motivated and engaged through to the finish line.

8. Celebrate Your Success and Steward Your New Donors

When the campaign is over, your work is just beginning. It is absolutely critical to celebrate your success and thank everyone involved. Host a wrap-up event for your captains and fundraisers to announce the final total and hand out any awards. Send a heartfelt thank-you email to every single person who participated, from the top team captain to the person who gave $10.

Most importantly, you now have a list of brand-new donors who were introduced to your organization through a trusted friend. These are warm leads. You must have a plan to steward these new donors and welcome them into your community. Add them to your regular newsletter list. Send them a special welcome email series that tells them more about your work. The goal is to convert these first-time, campaign-driven donors into long-term supporters of your mission. A successful teamwork fundraising campaign does not just end; it builds a foundation for your future fundraising success.

Conclusion: The Power of Community

Teamwork fundraising is more than just a fundraising tactic; it is a community-building strategy. It is a way to empower your most passionate supporters, expand your reach exponentially, and raise the critical funds you need to advance your mission. By following a strategic, step-by-step process—from recruiting the right captains to providing them with the tools they need to succeed—you can unlock the incredible power of your community. It is a testament to the idea that when people come together for a cause they believe in, they can achieve extraordinary things.