{"id":13657,"date":"2019-05-03T19:33:24","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T23:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/?p=13657"},"modified":"2023-07-27T10:10:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T14:10:00","slug":"diary-of-a-peer-to-peer-fundraiser-how-to-transition-participants-into-event-mode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/diary-of-a-peer-to-peer-fundraiser-how-to-transition-participants-into-event-mode\/","title":{"rendered":"Diary of a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser: How to Transition Participants into Event Mode"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I had the distinct privilege of participating in my very first peer-to-peer fundraiser (if you\u2019re not familiar with how a peer-to-peer fundraiser works,\u00a0here\u2019s a primer<\/a>)! As much as I\u2019ve written about fundraising and how to use the Qgiv platform, getting to actually raise money myself was a blast. It was also a really great way to learn first-hand what peer-to-peer participants need from the organizations they support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has been a fun way to share my experiences with nonprofits who are considering doing a peer-to-peer fundraiser of their own. If you want to learn about the event,\u00a0check out our write-up on Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine<\/a>\u00a0and their Lakeland Derby!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lakeland Derby is a two-part event. The first part is a month-long fundraising period where 20 local participants raise as much money as possible for the organization. The fundraising period culminates in a huge event where the participants compete (in teams of two) to race across a local lake in swan-shaped paddle boats. There are fireworks, fun vendors, a VIP area, and loads of people dressed up in derby-inspired hats. It\u2019s a free event that\u2019s open to the public, and people love to spread picnic blankets and watch the race and other festivities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of us who participated in the event (and even more so for the staff!), the week of the event was a whirlwind. We were making as many appeals as we could without alienating our friends, trying to cram in last-minute fundraising activities, go to our jobs, and generally fit being a fundraiser into our hectic schedules. And then BOOM! It was showtime. I, anyway, got off work and headed directly to the lake to race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My race was an absolute disaster (more on that later!), but we all had a blast at the event. Here are some steps the LVIM staff took to transition us from fundraising mode to event mode without a hitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n