What’s a Virtual Challenge?
A Virtual Challenge is a fundraising campaign built around a simple physical activity — “Walk 10,000 steps a day in October” or “Complete 100 press-ups a day in January” — that supporters take on wherever they happen to be, while raising money for your cause.
They originated on Facebook, where they became one of the most effective mass fundraising formats in the charity sector. Today they run across Instagram, JustGiving, and other platforms too, but the core mechanics are the same: a clear concept, a defined timeframe, a motivated supporter base, and a fundraising page.
Why they work
9 out of 10 Virtual Challenge participants are first-time supporters for the charities they fundraise for. Regular donation appeals tend to reach the same people repeatedly. A well-run Virtual Challenge uses social advertising to tap into entirely new networks — people who’d never heard of your organisation but are compelled to take part because a friend did, or because the challenge caught their eye.
The other thing that makes them distinctive is community. Unlike a one-off donation ask, a Virtual Challenge creates weeks of ongoing engagement. Participants share progress, encourage each other, and develop a genuine connection to your cause over the course of the challenge. Participants who feel well-supported during a challenge are more likely to come back for the next one.
How the funnel works
A Virtual Challenge has a clear progression: generate leads through targeted ads, nurture those leads through stewardship before they register, guide registered supporters to create a fundraising page, and then support them through the fundraising period itself.
Each stage matters. Supporters who’ve seen an ad but haven’t registered yet need a different message to those who’ve registered but haven’t started fundraising. GivePanel’s automated email journeys handle this sequencing — the right message goes to the right person at the right time, without your team having to manually manage each stage.
What types of challenge work best
The most successful challenges are simple to explain, achievable enough that most people can take part, and broad enough to appeal beyond a niche audience.
Distance-based challenges are the most consistent performers. Walking challenges have particularly wide appeal, resonating across age groups and fitness levels. Running and cycling challenges attract a slightly different demographic. Challenges with daily targets — run 3km a day rather than a total distance — tend to generate higher average donations, possibly because the daily commitment feels more sponsorship-worthy.
The activity doesn’t have to connect directly to your cause either. Dog walking challenges have worked well for international emergency charities, where the universal appeal of pets drives registrations even when the link to the mission is indirect.
Is a Virtual Challenge right for you?
They tend to work best when you have the capacity to steward participants through the challenge period, a concept that can be communicated quickly in an ad, and some appetite to experiment with social advertising.
They’re also scalable. A first challenge doesn’t need to be a major production — a straightforward concept, a well-built registration form, and a basic email journey will get you started. You build from there based on what you learn.
Want to see how other charities have approached their first Virtual Challenge? Book a demo at givepanel.com/demo and we can walk you through what’s worked.