Skip to main content
Login Book a demo
Login Book a demo
Blog Header Image - How the P2P Professional Forum highlighted the importance of community

Mike Morris
March 24, 2022

The importance of community

The GivePanel team recently attended the P2P Professional Forum in Atlanta. We joined hundreds of non-profit professionals there. We networked and explored the future of fundraising.

Megan Rouse, GivePanel’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development for North America, gives a breakdown of the event and her key takeaways.

💡 Key Takeaways: Community is Everything

What is the P2P Professional Forum?

The P2P Forum is where the top peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising non-profits gather. These are mostly North American organizations. The Forum started in 2007. It provides resources like an annual conference and webinars. It also offers timely data and a vibrant online community. Ultimately, it helps P2P fundraisers access best practices and support.

The mission is simple: Provide P2P program producers with the information and inspiration they need to improve performance. David Hessekiel, President of the P2P Professional Forum, created a safe place for industry leaders. The belief that “we all win when one of us succeeds” is firmly embedded in the culture. Therefore, attendees see no competitors—only peers ready to learn and teach.

GivePanel Across the Pond

David’s team, led by Marcie Maxwell, hosted this year’s forum in Atlanta. GivePanel proudly sponsored the event. My teammates flew in from across the pond to attend.

Excitement levels were very high. Many U.S. attendees geared up for their first conference since 2020. Coincidentally, the 2020 Forum in Austin, Texas, was the last conference many of us attended before lockdown. We are a sociable bunch!

The Overwhelming Theme: Connection

Many amazing things took place during the conference. New relationships formed. Notebooks filled with learnings. The Top 30 rankings shifted. However, I cannot stop thinking about the single overall theme: Everyone was seeking CONNECTION. I know that sounds simple. It might not surprise you after almost two years of virtual everything. Nevertheless, people seeking meaningful connection was absolutely overwhelming.

What We Presented

We proudly sponsored the event. I also co-presented with the amazing Ashly Alberto. Ashly is Senior Director of Individual Giving & Foundations for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Our session focused on AFSP’s first Facebook Challenge: ‘Walk 50 Miles with Your Dog’. AFSP’s challenge raised over $290,000. We were excited to share how the strong community created in the Facebook group led to that success. You can read about why we are passionate about these events in the related resources below.

The sense of community was clearly important. Our session had standing room only. Attendees were ready to learn and asked many great questions. We focused on starting your community off right. This involves utilizing key “champions” to nurture the culture. It also means letting members own the group and letting supporters know they are smashing fundraising goals.

❤️ Human Connection is Irreplaceable

The content in AFSP’s group of thousands of supporters was incredible and very sensitive. The community truly banded together. Hundreds of posts appeared each day. They shared their miles, their connection to the mission, and supported one another.

We saw posts where people directly reached out for immediate help. The AFSP team handled these requests with urgency and care. All this connection-seeking drove home GivePanel’s philosophy: Human-to-human authentic interaction is key to community success. This also drives fundraising revenue goals.

I absolutely cannot imagine any bot replacing my interactions. In both the P2P Forum and the AFSP Facebook Challenge Group, we saw authentic interest, empathy, support, and connection. These elements are too special to leave to automation. Doing so risks an incorrect or ill-timed message delivery.

Obsession and Authenticity

At GivePanel, we are obsessed with our customers. We believe non-profits should be equally obsessed with their supporters. These supporters share personal stories and raise money for the mission. We believe the time and investment to build these communities is worthwhile. You just can’t beat authentic, human interaction. Our world needs this.

The Great Resignation proves people seek deeper connection. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. People want to do something meaningful. This is true for both staff and volunteers. Creating a space where people find others like them strengthens your organization.

Final Takeaways and Homework

Like I said at the beginning, you show up ready to learn at the P2P Forum. My key takeaways from this awesome event are:

The P2P Forum was invaluable. It highlighted the importance of connection to all attendees. So finally, here’s a little homework:

I challenge you to reflect on your non-profit’s community experience. Could it be improved? How can you build on your existing community and engage with your supporters more deeply?

📞 Connect with Us

We are passionate about supporting non-profits and helping them supercharge their fundraising. Book your 30-minute demo with one of our awesome Facebook Fundraising specialists today. See if GivePanel can help you take your supporter stewardship to the next level.