WP_Query Object ( [query] => Array ( [name] => peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising [post_type] => resources [resource-type] => blog ) [query_vars] => Array ( [name] => peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising [post_type] => resources [resource-type] => blog [error] => [m] => [p] => 0 [post_parent] => [subpost] => [subpost_id] => [attachment] => [attachment_id] => 0 [pagename] => [page_id] => 0 [second] => [minute] => [hour] => [day] => 0 [monthnum] => 0 [year] => 0 [w] => 0 [category_name] => [tag] => [cat] => [tag_id] => [author] => [author_name] => [feed] => [tb] => [paged] => 0 [meta_key] => [meta_value] => [preview] => [s] => [sentence] => [title] => [fields] => [menu_order] => [embed] => [category__in] => Array ( ) [category__not_in] => Array ( ) [category__and] => Array ( ) [post__in] => Array ( ) [post__not_in] => Array ( ) [post_name__in] => Array ( ) [tag__in] => Array ( ) [tag__not_in] => Array ( ) [tag__and] => Array ( ) [tag_slug__in] => Array ( ) [tag_slug__and] => Array ( ) [post_parent__in] => Array ( ) [post_parent__not_in] => Array ( ) [author__in] => Array ( ) [author__not_in] => Array ( ) [search_columns] => Array ( ) [ignore_sticky_posts] => [suppress_filters] => [cache_results] => 1 [update_post_term_cache] => 1 [update_menu_item_cache] => [lazy_load_term_meta] => 1 [update_post_meta_cache] => 1 [posts_per_page] => 10 [nopaging] => [comments_per_page] => 50 [no_found_rows] => [order] => DESC ) [tax_query] => [meta_query] => WP_Meta_Query Object ( [queries] => Array ( ) [relation] => [meta_table] => [meta_id_column] => [primary_table] => [primary_id_column] => [table_aliases:protected] => Array ( ) [clauses:protected] => Array ( ) [has_or_relation:protected] => ) [date_query] => [queried_object] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9526 [post_author] => 43 [post_date] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_content] => Should your PAC start a peer-to-peer fundraising program? Before you answer that question, consider this: companies using a peer-to-peer approach raise almost twice as much money each year than those that don’t, according to data from the Public Affairs Council. What’s behind the two-fold gain? Fundraising experts say peer-to-peer efforts foster connection in ways that other strategies do not. Having members of your organization reach out to colleagues and have conversations about the mission of the PAC and its role in politics and policy is simply more effective than many other types of fundraising. “Peer to peer is one of the most impactful strategies, and it has been consistently for a long time,” said Victoria Ellington, senior manager for political engagement at the Public Affairs Council and head of the National PAC Conference. “I think it helps put a face to the PAC. It helps to have a conversation, and emphasizes that PACs bring people together—we're all on the same team. We want to support the PAC in order to support our industry.” PACs have had a tumultuous time in recent years, disrupted first by the pandemic and then by the January 6 attacks, two events that made collecting and distributing contributions difficult. Many PACs suspended portions of their activity, and plans for peer-to-peer work were sometimes put on hold. Now, however, PAC experts say many organizations are considering peer-to-peer as a way of dramatically increasing receipts and placing greater emphasis on the PAC as a way to educate your members or employees on the impact of legislation and regulation on your industry. “Now is a really good time because things are much more settled down,” said Claire McDonough, former director of online advocacy for the National Association of Realtors and current senior account executive at Quorum. “I think that people feel like they have a clear lane.”  

Why Peer-to-Peer Fundraising is Effective

Peer-to-peer fundraising usually begins with getting buy-in from company and PAC leadership and putting rules and policies in place. A group of PAC ambassadors, such as executives and members of the PAC board, commit to raising money by reaching out to their peers. They avoid soliciting direct reports and follow PAC rules to steer clear of coercion and negative optics. PAC managers often provide support, such as training materials, lists, and sample solicitations. They also track how each fundraiser is performing. The system brings a number of benefits in addition to increased receipts:

• Personal Connection. Getting solicited by a person is far more engaging than getting an impersonal email from the organization. A peer-to-peer program shows that there are people behind the PAC and that they are investing their time to make it grow. That by itself is a powerful message.
• Industry Education. Peer-based fundraising fosters conversations, and that can help educate donors. People are more engaged—and contributions flow more freely—when they understand the policy landscape in your industry and the PAC’s role in helping to shape it. These conversations can also dispel any myths that surround giving to the PAC.
• Increased Engagement. Events, briefings and other incentives that often accompany a peer-to-peer program make the PAC more interactive for those involved. Contributors get more value and are more inclined to participate.
• Better Recognition. The people who work to contact their colleagues and raise money often gain recognition for their work, as do those who contribute. It provides a path to stand out and support your organization in a unique way.

McDonough said that the response can be different, depending on organizational culture. In some places, she said, involvement is aspirational. “Initially, political engagement may not be the reason they want to join,” she said. “It's social and competitive and trying to be in the important people club. They want the diamond pin, not the sapphire pin.”

Case Study: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has used peer-to-peer fundraising for years, but the organization got more serious about the program after the pandemic shut down in-person gatherings in 2020. The organization’s Board of Councilors, a group of more than 100 orthopedic surgeons who serve as grassroots leaders in all 50 states, was asked to participate. So was the 17-member board that governs The Orthopaedic PAC. Not only did the strategy allow doctors to talk to doctors, but in the highly specialized world of orthopedic surgery it allowed them to talk to people who share their passion. In August of 2020, the PAC raised $100,000 in a single month, and it has had success using peer-to-peer fundraising ever since, said Brittany Starr, senior director for political affairs. In a campaign last year, which combined peer-to-peer with a “PAC match” program that donated money to charitable causes, 16% were first-time donors. Among those who gave in the past, 65% increased their contribution. “Hearing from your peers why advocacy is important is much more effective than hearing from paid staff at your organization,” Starr said. “If peers are the ones reaching out, they are able to give real-life stories.”

Contributions Increase, But So Does Management

Whatever the motivation, there’s no doubt peer-to-peer programs perform. Corporate PACs using peer-to-peer fundraising saw median receipts of $889,000 in 2020, the latest numbers available from the Public Affairs Council. Companies that did not use peer-to-peer posted median receipts of about $447,000. That’s an annual difference of more than $400,000. Increased contributions are also not the only difference. Organizations that use peer-to-peer fundraising are often signing up for an increase in management work such as providing training, materials and lists. That can be a lot given that most PACs are run by a small staff, and often just one person. And that’s just the beginning. Managing the program is an ongoing effort, much of which involves manual processes to track the performance of each fundraiser and how the program is faring overall. “The fundraiser will go out and make phone calls and do all of that stuff,” McDonough said. “And then what do they do? They call the PAC director and say, ‘Hey, how many people gave money? Can you give me a report? What are my results?’ It just becomes a lot of work.”

A Professional Tool Can Help

However, there are ways to make things easier. Professional tools like Quorum’s PAC Classic allow an organization to set goals, provide lists and materials, track individual efforts, and see fundraising performance both for participants and the program overall—all without large amounts of manual work.   Using a professional tool allows PAC managers to get out of spreadsheets and stop relying on email to perform the vital role of reporting. Instead, the system is transparent, allowing all participants to manage their efforts and see their results. It is also simple to run reports for the PAC board’s regular meetings. “You can just click on a button, and it produces a report in a moment on how your peer-to-peer program is working,” McDonough said. “You can look at all the peers that someone talked to and see how much money they raised. You can even look at the variations year-to-year. It allows you to see who among your peer managers is effective.” That kind of insight lends itself to optimization. For example, if a fundraiser is producing solid results using email, you can ask them to share the language they use with other fundraisers in the program. That kind of improvement is extremely difficult to pull off using a manual system. As McDonough put it, “It's giving me actionable intelligence as the PAC director to see who's being effective, find out what their tools are and then use that to help other people do a more effective job.” At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Starr said that using PAC Classic was a big part of the organization’s success. It eliminated the need for dozens of spreadsheets tracking contributors in every state and streamlined the system for more than 100 doctors who were contributing their valuable time to have conversations and raise money.   “My members really like it, because it gives the power to them,” she said. “They don't have to go through me to get lists. They don't have to go through me to get a script.”

How to Start a Peer-to-Peer Program

Experts say that launching a peer-to-peer program starts with buy-in from the PAC board and other leadership. That usually requires presenting a vision of how the program will work and how much it might raise. Start with a small program that anticipates a modest gain in receipts using ambassadors who are already involved in the PAC (in fact, the PAC board is often a good place to start). When you have a greenlight, it then takes a few weeks to get things started. Here are some basic steps involved:

• Gather Information on PAC Performance. In order to create a realistic peer-to-peer program, you need to know basics about the program as it stands, such as the average contribution, who your eligible class is and how many have contributed. That will help you understand the untapped potential.
• Launch a Survey. Knowing how people in your organization view the PAC is valuable information when it comes to training ambassadors and letting them know what to expect. A short survey can be extremely helpful. For example, if the survey shows that most people don’t understand how the PAC works, that can guide your approach to outreach.
• Establish the Rules. The policy documents that govern your PAC must be clear about who fundraisers can and cannot approach and the proper way to solicit contributions. Your PAC must stay within the guardrails set by federal law.
• Implement a Tracking System. Your program will be more efficient—and likely more effective—if you use a professional tool to run it. Take care of implementation and testing and then get ready to train all PAC ambassadors on how to login and use it before you launch. Ensuring that everyone uses the system as intended is one key to an efficient program.
• Recruit the Right Ambassadors. Perhaps more than anything else, recruiting the right ambassadors will drive the success of your program. It is crucial to get people who will work hard to meet your fundraising goal. PAC experts suggest recruiting a C-suite executive to champion the initiative, and then choosing the remaining ambassadors carefully in order to set the program up for success. All should be volunteers who are well respected within the organization, have good social skills and are enthusiastic about the project. 
• Build a Training Program. PAC ambassadors need to understand everything about the PAC in order to answer questions, including its mission, policy positions, funded candidates, and past performance. Briefings, videos and reference materials help a great deal. Some organizations do training virtually and some do it in person at an annual conference of fly-in. Whatever the case, making sure ambassadors are well trained and ready for questions is essential.
• Create Supporting Materials. Making it as easy as possible for PAC ambassadors to reach out only makes sense. Compile the lists of contacts they will need. Give them sample email solicitations and one-page collateral sheets. Choosing great incentives for participating in the PAC, such as unique events and special briefings, can also help.

The last vital aspect of running a peer-to-peer program is reporting. If you are using a professional tool and everyone is trained, then ambassadors should be able to see their progress whenever they like. But sending out regular reports is still important. It gives executive leadership and the PAC board a full view of how the program is going. It also allows ambassadors to monitor progress made by their colleagues, which can be a motivator. Allowing people throughout the organization to see the program progress throughout the year will build a positive narrative and get more people interested in PAC activities over time. That’s part of the power of peer-to-peer fundraising. The number of people involved should expand every year. [post_title] => Can a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Program Double Your PAC Receipts? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://marketing-staging.quorum.us/?post_type=resources&p=9526 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => resources [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [queried_object_id] => 9526 [request] => SELECT wp_posts.* FROM wp_posts WHERE 1=1 AND wp_posts.post_name = 'peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising' AND wp_posts.post_type = 'resources' ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC [posts] => Array ( [0] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9526 [post_author] => 43 [post_date] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_content] => Should your PAC start a peer-to-peer fundraising program? Before you answer that question, consider this: companies using a peer-to-peer approach raise almost twice as much money each year than those that don’t, according to data from the Public Affairs Council. What’s behind the two-fold gain? Fundraising experts say peer-to-peer efforts foster connection in ways that other strategies do not. Having members of your organization reach out to colleagues and have conversations about the mission of the PAC and its role in politics and policy is simply more effective than many other types of fundraising. “Peer to peer is one of the most impactful strategies, and it has been consistently for a long time,” said Victoria Ellington, senior manager for political engagement at the Public Affairs Council and head of the National PAC Conference. “I think it helps put a face to the PAC. It helps to have a conversation, and emphasizes that PACs bring people together—we're all on the same team. We want to support the PAC in order to support our industry.” PACs have had a tumultuous time in recent years, disrupted first by the pandemic and then by the January 6 attacks, two events that made collecting and distributing contributions difficult. Many PACs suspended portions of their activity, and plans for peer-to-peer work were sometimes put on hold. Now, however, PAC experts say many organizations are considering peer-to-peer as a way of dramatically increasing receipts and placing greater emphasis on the PAC as a way to educate your members or employees on the impact of legislation and regulation on your industry. “Now is a really good time because things are much more settled down,” said Claire McDonough, former director of online advocacy for the National Association of Realtors and current senior account executive at Quorum. “I think that people feel like they have a clear lane.”  

Why Peer-to-Peer Fundraising is Effective

Peer-to-peer fundraising usually begins with getting buy-in from company and PAC leadership and putting rules and policies in place. A group of PAC ambassadors, such as executives and members of the PAC board, commit to raising money by reaching out to their peers. They avoid soliciting direct reports and follow PAC rules to steer clear of coercion and negative optics. PAC managers often provide support, such as training materials, lists, and sample solicitations. They also track how each fundraiser is performing. The system brings a number of benefits in addition to increased receipts:

• Personal Connection. Getting solicited by a person is far more engaging than getting an impersonal email from the organization. A peer-to-peer program shows that there are people behind the PAC and that they are investing their time to make it grow. That by itself is a powerful message.
• Industry Education. Peer-based fundraising fosters conversations, and that can help educate donors. People are more engaged—and contributions flow more freely—when they understand the policy landscape in your industry and the PAC’s role in helping to shape it. These conversations can also dispel any myths that surround giving to the PAC.
• Increased Engagement. Events, briefings and other incentives that often accompany a peer-to-peer program make the PAC more interactive for those involved. Contributors get more value and are more inclined to participate.
• Better Recognition. The people who work to contact their colleagues and raise money often gain recognition for their work, as do those who contribute. It provides a path to stand out and support your organization in a unique way.

McDonough said that the response can be different, depending on organizational culture. In some places, she said, involvement is aspirational. “Initially, political engagement may not be the reason they want to join,” she said. “It's social and competitive and trying to be in the important people club. They want the diamond pin, not the sapphire pin.”

Case Study: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has used peer-to-peer fundraising for years, but the organization got more serious about the program after the pandemic shut down in-person gatherings in 2020. The organization’s Board of Councilors, a group of more than 100 orthopedic surgeons who serve as grassroots leaders in all 50 states, was asked to participate. So was the 17-member board that governs The Orthopaedic PAC. Not only did the strategy allow doctors to talk to doctors, but in the highly specialized world of orthopedic surgery it allowed them to talk to people who share their passion. In August of 2020, the PAC raised $100,000 in a single month, and it has had success using peer-to-peer fundraising ever since, said Brittany Starr, senior director for political affairs. In a campaign last year, which combined peer-to-peer with a “PAC match” program that donated money to charitable causes, 16% were first-time donors. Among those who gave in the past, 65% increased their contribution. “Hearing from your peers why advocacy is important is much more effective than hearing from paid staff at your organization,” Starr said. “If peers are the ones reaching out, they are able to give real-life stories.”

Contributions Increase, But So Does Management

Whatever the motivation, there’s no doubt peer-to-peer programs perform. Corporate PACs using peer-to-peer fundraising saw median receipts of $889,000 in 2020, the latest numbers available from the Public Affairs Council. Companies that did not use peer-to-peer posted median receipts of about $447,000. That’s an annual difference of more than $400,000. Increased contributions are also not the only difference. Organizations that use peer-to-peer fundraising are often signing up for an increase in management work such as providing training, materials and lists. That can be a lot given that most PACs are run by a small staff, and often just one person. And that’s just the beginning. Managing the program is an ongoing effort, much of which involves manual processes to track the performance of each fundraiser and how the program is faring overall. “The fundraiser will go out and make phone calls and do all of that stuff,” McDonough said. “And then what do they do? They call the PAC director and say, ‘Hey, how many people gave money? Can you give me a report? What are my results?’ It just becomes a lot of work.”

A Professional Tool Can Help

However, there are ways to make things easier. Professional tools like Quorum’s PAC Classic allow an organization to set goals, provide lists and materials, track individual efforts, and see fundraising performance both for participants and the program overall—all without large amounts of manual work.   Using a professional tool allows PAC managers to get out of spreadsheets and stop relying on email to perform the vital role of reporting. Instead, the system is transparent, allowing all participants to manage their efforts and see their results. It is also simple to run reports for the PAC board’s regular meetings. “You can just click on a button, and it produces a report in a moment on how your peer-to-peer program is working,” McDonough said. “You can look at all the peers that someone talked to and see how much money they raised. You can even look at the variations year-to-year. It allows you to see who among your peer managers is effective.” That kind of insight lends itself to optimization. For example, if a fundraiser is producing solid results using email, you can ask them to share the language they use with other fundraisers in the program. That kind of improvement is extremely difficult to pull off using a manual system. As McDonough put it, “It's giving me actionable intelligence as the PAC director to see who's being effective, find out what their tools are and then use that to help other people do a more effective job.” At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Starr said that using PAC Classic was a big part of the organization’s success. It eliminated the need for dozens of spreadsheets tracking contributors in every state and streamlined the system for more than 100 doctors who were contributing their valuable time to have conversations and raise money.   “My members really like it, because it gives the power to them,” she said. “They don't have to go through me to get lists. They don't have to go through me to get a script.”

How to Start a Peer-to-Peer Program

Experts say that launching a peer-to-peer program starts with buy-in from the PAC board and other leadership. That usually requires presenting a vision of how the program will work and how much it might raise. Start with a small program that anticipates a modest gain in receipts using ambassadors who are already involved in the PAC (in fact, the PAC board is often a good place to start). When you have a greenlight, it then takes a few weeks to get things started. Here are some basic steps involved:

• Gather Information on PAC Performance. In order to create a realistic peer-to-peer program, you need to know basics about the program as it stands, such as the average contribution, who your eligible class is and how many have contributed. That will help you understand the untapped potential.
• Launch a Survey. Knowing how people in your organization view the PAC is valuable information when it comes to training ambassadors and letting them know what to expect. A short survey can be extremely helpful. For example, if the survey shows that most people don’t understand how the PAC works, that can guide your approach to outreach.
• Establish the Rules. The policy documents that govern your PAC must be clear about who fundraisers can and cannot approach and the proper way to solicit contributions. Your PAC must stay within the guardrails set by federal law.
• Implement a Tracking System. Your program will be more efficient—and likely more effective—if you use a professional tool to run it. Take care of implementation and testing and then get ready to train all PAC ambassadors on how to login and use it before you launch. Ensuring that everyone uses the system as intended is one key to an efficient program.
• Recruit the Right Ambassadors. Perhaps more than anything else, recruiting the right ambassadors will drive the success of your program. It is crucial to get people who will work hard to meet your fundraising goal. PAC experts suggest recruiting a C-suite executive to champion the initiative, and then choosing the remaining ambassadors carefully in order to set the program up for success. All should be volunteers who are well respected within the organization, have good social skills and are enthusiastic about the project. 
• Build a Training Program. PAC ambassadors need to understand everything about the PAC in order to answer questions, including its mission, policy positions, funded candidates, and past performance. Briefings, videos and reference materials help a great deal. Some organizations do training virtually and some do it in person at an annual conference of fly-in. Whatever the case, making sure ambassadors are well trained and ready for questions is essential.
• Create Supporting Materials. Making it as easy as possible for PAC ambassadors to reach out only makes sense. Compile the lists of contacts they will need. Give them sample email solicitations and one-page collateral sheets. Choosing great incentives for participating in the PAC, such as unique events and special briefings, can also help.

The last vital aspect of running a peer-to-peer program is reporting. If you are using a professional tool and everyone is trained, then ambassadors should be able to see their progress whenever they like. But sending out regular reports is still important. It gives executive leadership and the PAC board a full view of how the program is going. It also allows ambassadors to monitor progress made by their colleagues, which can be a motivator. Allowing people throughout the organization to see the program progress throughout the year will build a positive narrative and get more people interested in PAC activities over time. That’s part of the power of peer-to-peer fundraising. The number of people involved should expand every year. [post_title] => Can a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Program Double Your PAC Receipts? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://marketing-staging.quorum.us/?post_type=resources&p=9526 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => resources [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 1 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9526 [post_author] => 43 [post_date] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-05-15 20:07:34 [post_content] => Should your PAC start a peer-to-peer fundraising program? Before you answer that question, consider this: companies using a peer-to-peer approach raise almost twice as much money each year than those that don’t, according to data from the Public Affairs Council. What’s behind the two-fold gain? Fundraising experts say peer-to-peer efforts foster connection in ways that other strategies do not. Having members of your organization reach out to colleagues and have conversations about the mission of the PAC and its role in politics and policy is simply more effective than many other types of fundraising. “Peer to peer is one of the most impactful strategies, and it has been consistently for a long time,” said Victoria Ellington, senior manager for political engagement at the Public Affairs Council and head of the National PAC Conference. “I think it helps put a face to the PAC. It helps to have a conversation, and emphasizes that PACs bring people together—we're all on the same team. We want to support the PAC in order to support our industry.” PACs have had a tumultuous time in recent years, disrupted first by the pandemic and then by the January 6 attacks, two events that made collecting and distributing contributions difficult. Many PACs suspended portions of their activity, and plans for peer-to-peer work were sometimes put on hold. Now, however, PAC experts say many organizations are considering peer-to-peer as a way of dramatically increasing receipts and placing greater emphasis on the PAC as a way to educate your members or employees on the impact of legislation and regulation on your industry. “Now is a really good time because things are much more settled down,” said Claire McDonough, former director of online advocacy for the National Association of Realtors and current senior account executive at Quorum. “I think that people feel like they have a clear lane.”  

Why Peer-to-Peer Fundraising is Effective

Peer-to-peer fundraising usually begins with getting buy-in from company and PAC leadership and putting rules and policies in place. A group of PAC ambassadors, such as executives and members of the PAC board, commit to raising money by reaching out to their peers. They avoid soliciting direct reports and follow PAC rules to steer clear of coercion and negative optics. PAC managers often provide support, such as training materials, lists, and sample solicitations. They also track how each fundraiser is performing. The system brings a number of benefits in addition to increased receipts:

• Personal Connection. Getting solicited by a person is far more engaging than getting an impersonal email from the organization. A peer-to-peer program shows that there are people behind the PAC and that they are investing their time to make it grow. That by itself is a powerful message.
• Industry Education. Peer-based fundraising fosters conversations, and that can help educate donors. People are more engaged—and contributions flow more freely—when they understand the policy landscape in your industry and the PAC’s role in helping to shape it. These conversations can also dispel any myths that surround giving to the PAC.
• Increased Engagement. Events, briefings and other incentives that often accompany a peer-to-peer program make the PAC more interactive for those involved. Contributors get more value and are more inclined to participate.
• Better Recognition. The people who work to contact their colleagues and raise money often gain recognition for their work, as do those who contribute. It provides a path to stand out and support your organization in a unique way.

McDonough said that the response can be different, depending on organizational culture. In some places, she said, involvement is aspirational. “Initially, political engagement may not be the reason they want to join,” she said. “It's social and competitive and trying to be in the important people club. They want the diamond pin, not the sapphire pin.”

Case Study: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has used peer-to-peer fundraising for years, but the organization got more serious about the program after the pandemic shut down in-person gatherings in 2020. The organization’s Board of Councilors, a group of more than 100 orthopedic surgeons who serve as grassroots leaders in all 50 states, was asked to participate. So was the 17-member board that governs The Orthopaedic PAC. Not only did the strategy allow doctors to talk to doctors, but in the highly specialized world of orthopedic surgery it allowed them to talk to people who share their passion. In August of 2020, the PAC raised $100,000 in a single month, and it has had success using peer-to-peer fundraising ever since, said Brittany Starr, senior director for political affairs. In a campaign last year, which combined peer-to-peer with a “PAC match” program that donated money to charitable causes, 16% were first-time donors. Among those who gave in the past, 65% increased their contribution. “Hearing from your peers why advocacy is important is much more effective than hearing from paid staff at your organization,” Starr said. “If peers are the ones reaching out, they are able to give real-life stories.”

Contributions Increase, But So Does Management

Whatever the motivation, there’s no doubt peer-to-peer programs perform. Corporate PACs using peer-to-peer fundraising saw median receipts of $889,000 in 2020, the latest numbers available from the Public Affairs Council. Companies that did not use peer-to-peer posted median receipts of about $447,000. That’s an annual difference of more than $400,000. Increased contributions are also not the only difference. Organizations that use peer-to-peer fundraising are often signing up for an increase in management work such as providing training, materials and lists. That can be a lot given that most PACs are run by a small staff, and often just one person. And that’s just the beginning. Managing the program is an ongoing effort, much of which involves manual processes to track the performance of each fundraiser and how the program is faring overall. “The fundraiser will go out and make phone calls and do all of that stuff,” McDonough said. “And then what do they do? They call the PAC director and say, ‘Hey, how many people gave money? Can you give me a report? What are my results?’ It just becomes a lot of work.”

A Professional Tool Can Help

However, there are ways to make things easier. Professional tools like Quorum’s PAC Classic allow an organization to set goals, provide lists and materials, track individual efforts, and see fundraising performance both for participants and the program overall—all without large amounts of manual work.   Using a professional tool allows PAC managers to get out of spreadsheets and stop relying on email to perform the vital role of reporting. Instead, the system is transparent, allowing all participants to manage their efforts and see their results. It is also simple to run reports for the PAC board’s regular meetings. “You can just click on a button, and it produces a report in a moment on how your peer-to-peer program is working,” McDonough said. “You can look at all the peers that someone talked to and see how much money they raised. You can even look at the variations year-to-year. It allows you to see who among your peer managers is effective.” That kind of insight lends itself to optimization. For example, if a fundraiser is producing solid results using email, you can ask them to share the language they use with other fundraisers in the program. That kind of improvement is extremely difficult to pull off using a manual system. As McDonough put it, “It's giving me actionable intelligence as the PAC director to see who's being effective, find out what their tools are and then use that to help other people do a more effective job.” At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Starr said that using PAC Classic was a big part of the organization’s success. It eliminated the need for dozens of spreadsheets tracking contributors in every state and streamlined the system for more than 100 doctors who were contributing their valuable time to have conversations and raise money.   “My members really like it, because it gives the power to them,” she said. “They don't have to go through me to get lists. They don't have to go through me to get a script.”

How to Start a Peer-to-Peer Program

Experts say that launching a peer-to-peer program starts with buy-in from the PAC board and other leadership. That usually requires presenting a vision of how the program will work and how much it might raise. Start with a small program that anticipates a modest gain in receipts using ambassadors who are already involved in the PAC (in fact, the PAC board is often a good place to start). When you have a greenlight, it then takes a few weeks to get things started. Here are some basic steps involved:

• Gather Information on PAC Performance. In order to create a realistic peer-to-peer program, you need to know basics about the program as it stands, such as the average contribution, who your eligible class is and how many have contributed. That will help you understand the untapped potential.
• Launch a Survey. Knowing how people in your organization view the PAC is valuable information when it comes to training ambassadors and letting them know what to expect. A short survey can be extremely helpful. For example, if the survey shows that most people don’t understand how the PAC works, that can guide your approach to outreach.
• Establish the Rules. The policy documents that govern your PAC must be clear about who fundraisers can and cannot approach and the proper way to solicit contributions. Your PAC must stay within the guardrails set by federal law.
• Implement a Tracking System. Your program will be more efficient—and likely more effective—if you use a professional tool to run it. Take care of implementation and testing and then get ready to train all PAC ambassadors on how to login and use it before you launch. Ensuring that everyone uses the system as intended is one key to an efficient program.
• Recruit the Right Ambassadors. Perhaps more than anything else, recruiting the right ambassadors will drive the success of your program. It is crucial to get people who will work hard to meet your fundraising goal. PAC experts suggest recruiting a C-suite executive to champion the initiative, and then choosing the remaining ambassadors carefully in order to set the program up for success. All should be volunteers who are well respected within the organization, have good social skills and are enthusiastic about the project. 
• Build a Training Program. PAC ambassadors need to understand everything about the PAC in order to answer questions, including its mission, policy positions, funded candidates, and past performance. Briefings, videos and reference materials help a great deal. Some organizations do training virtually and some do it in person at an annual conference of fly-in. Whatever the case, making sure ambassadors are well trained and ready for questions is essential.
• Create Supporting Materials. Making it as easy as possible for PAC ambassadors to reach out only makes sense. Compile the lists of contacts they will need. Give them sample email solicitations and one-page collateral sheets. Choosing great incentives for participating in the PAC, such as unique events and special briefings, can also help.

The last vital aspect of running a peer-to-peer program is reporting. If you are using a professional tool and everyone is trained, then ambassadors should be able to see their progress whenever they like. But sending out regular reports is still important. It gives executive leadership and the PAC board a full view of how the program is going. It also allows ambassadors to monitor progress made by their colleagues, which can be a motivator. Allowing people throughout the organization to see the program progress throughout the year will build a positive narrative and get more people interested in PAC activities over time. That’s part of the power of peer-to-peer fundraising. The number of people involved should expand every year. [post_title] => Can a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Program Double Your PAC Receipts? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => peer-to-peer-pac-fundraising [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-11-11 16:38:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://marketing-staging.quorum.us/?post_type=resources&p=9526 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => resources [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 1 [max_num_pages] => 0 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => 1 [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => [is_tag] => [is_tax] => [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => 1 [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => cda7103e8f5a79cb9aef7a6490d2c4af [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) )

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