Celebrity gossip magazines love to remind us: "Stars — they’re just like us!" And while the world of digital creators and streamers can feel like a distant universe, the truth is that these online personalities aren’t so different from the rest of us.

As P2P fundraising increasingly intersects with the creator community, it’s easy to view streamers and influencers as fundamentally different from traditional participants. But while they may bring unique visions, massive reach, and unfamiliar platforms to the table, their core needs remain the same: support, motivation, impact, and authentic relationships.

In this episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell chats with two nonprofit pros who’ve successfully navigated this space — Aimee Yrlas-Simpson, Chief Development Officer, and Angela Ridenour, Development Manager at the Immune Deficiency Foundation. IDF’s journey into the creator world began when they connected with global streamer Ironmouse, who also happens to be a member of the primary immunodeficiency community.

Together, we’ll explore:

• The key differences and surprising similarities between content creators and traditional P2P fundraisers
• Strategies for cultivating relationships in a digital-first landscape
• How to build mutually beneficial, mission-aligned partnerships with content creators

Mentioned Links

Primaryimmune.org

https://primaryimmune.org/get-involved/raise-awareness-and-funds-idf/diy-gaming

Plasmahero.org

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (05:59) - Launching Into Streaming

In the early days of peer-to-peer fundraising events, one of the fastest ways to grow a program was to launch events in new markets. But many organizations scaled back over time, whether due to strategic shifts or limited resources. So what happens when it’s time to grow again? How do you evaluate new opportunities and ensure long-term success?

Expanding into a new market involves much more than adding a city to your event series. It requires significant lead time to build local relationships, experienced mentorship, and the right team in place with boots on the ground.

In this episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell speaks with Cliff Whitlock, National Director of Ride to Defeat ALS at the ALS Association. Cliff shares how his team is expanding their growing ride series into new markets, the criteria they use to assess potential locations, and what it takes to launch successfully, from staff training to local engagement.

You’ll also learn:

• Why local volunteer leadership is essential
• Strategies for building credibility in new communities
• Key lessons learned from first-year hurdles and how to overcome them

Mentioned Links

als.org

als.org/ridetodefeatals

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:20) - Introducing Cliff Whitlock
• (04:30) - The Rides to Defeat ALS
• (10:45) - The Power of the Assessment
• (13:26) - Motivation
• (16:06) - Building Community in a New Location
• (30:00) - Learn More at ALS.org

In the P2P fundraising world, we often look to the spark of organic, supporter-led moments like the Ice Bucket Challenge as examples of what’s possible when passion meets purpose. But when lightning strikes, are you ready to catch it?

This episode dives into one such moment: when four friends, Pat Morissey, Brendan Cusick, Peter Durso, and Scott Forman, decided to row 2,800 miles across the Pacific Ocean to raise funds for The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research. With the right support, strategic partnership and a community rallying behind them, their effort transformed into a powerful campaign that inspired the Parkinson’s community worldwide.

Pat Morrissey, the first person with Parkinson’s to complete this journey, and Liz Deemer, Vice President of Community Fundraising at MJFF, join P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell to share the behind-the-scenes story of Team Human Powered Potential—recipients of the 2025 Cash, Sweat & Tears Award—and the incredible impact of this campaign.

In this episode, we’ll also explore:

• How to recognize and respond to bold, supporter-led fundraising opportunities
• What makes staff–fundraiser relationships thrive under high-stakes pressure
• Practical takeaways for activating your community in powerful and unexpected ways

Mentioned Links

www.michaeljfox.org

www.teamfox.org

www.humanpoweredpotential.org

On Instagram: @humanpoweredpotential

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:22) - Introducingt the Team
• (03:42) - Pat's Journey
• (10:53) - Liz's Journey
• (15:46) - The Story of the Numbers
• (28:30) - On the Water
• (33:57) - Organizational Challenges
• (37:28) - Advice for Professionals
• (42:14) - Learn More about MJFF

In the early days of the P2P industry, most nonprofits concentrated on one tentpole P2P event—typically a walk or cycling program—which allowed them to align staffing, branding, and resources around a single, large-scale initiative, focusing on broad market appeal. However, as the industry has evolved, so too has the need to diversify offerings—both to engage new audiences and to meet the changing expectations of existing supporters.

Expanding into new events definitely comes with its own set of challenges—especially without a clear plan—but it also opens the door to exciting opportunities. With strong internal alignment, consistent branding, and a collaborative approach, building out a mix of P2P campaigns can spark innovation, boost engagement, and drive real growth.

In this episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell is joined by Steve Merker, VP of Corporate and Community Partnerships at the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Canada’s leading cancer fundraising organization, which was recently recognized as the 2025 Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum Organization Of The Year. They explore how Princess Margaret expanded its peer-to-peer portfolio from two events to eight, the growing pains and opportunities that come with that kind of scale, and how collaboration, brand clarity and a strategic mindset have fueled their success.

In this episode, we’ll also explore:

• Smart strategies for expanding your P2P event lineup without cannibalizing your audience
• How to foster internal alignment and reduce “turf wars” as your portfolio grows
• Ways to create synergy across events while keeping each program’s identity strong

Mentioned Links

Ride to Conquer Cancer

Walk to Conquer Cancer

Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer

Journey to Conquer Cancer

Northern Pass to Conquer Cancer

Cricket to Conquer Cancer

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:38) - Introducing Steve Merker
• (07:49) - The Spark of Expansion
• (11:38) - Navigating Challenges of Event Cross-over
• (16:13) - Branding
• (20:13) - Managing Complex Teams
• (22:56) - Advice for Growth
• (26:58) - Learn More

Peer-to-peer fundraising inherently involves a degree of vulnerability—sharing your personal story and hoping others will respond with support and donations. But what happens when the story is difficult to tell? When the cause itself is stigmatized? Or when you’re unsure how your loved ones will react?

This week on the P2P Soapbox, Shannon Greene, representing Shatterproof, joins us to explore these critical questions. She sheds light on the distinct hurdles nonprofits tackling issues like substance use disorder face in peer-to-peer fundraising and beyond. Shannon shares actionable strategies for breaking through societal biases, fostering safe and welcoming event environments and building trust with donors.

You’ll also hear insights on:

• Creating an engaging community experience
• Equipping your staff with the tools and confidence needed to build meaningful connections and navigate stigma effectively
• Understanding a participant’s motivation and goals for their support

Mentioned Links

https://www.shatterproof.org/

http://shatterproofwalk.org/

On Facebook (@ShatterproofHQ), X (@shatterproofHQ), and Instagram (@weareshatterproof).

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:34) - Introducing Shannon Greene
• (05:54) - About Shatterproof
• (07:30) - Shifting Approaches
• (15:30) - Getting Engaged, Feeling Safe
• (22:08) - Donor Trust
• (25:16) - Lessons Learned, Opportunities Ahead

The seasoned event fundraising professional knows that in-person events often bring unexpected challenges—whether it’s extreme weather, political unrest or medical emergencies.

While these worst-case scenarios can take many forms, the key to navigating them successfully lies in two essential elements: a strong external communication plan and an internal strategy to support your team during what can already be a high-stress time.

This week, Marcie Maxwell is joined by Ted McCartan of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation. Ted shares the extraordinary story of how his team faced a cybersecurity attack just three days before one of their largest peer-to-peer fundraising events. Ted dives into how his team shifted into problem-solving mode, the immediate and long-term impact on their fundraising efforts and the lessons they learned through the ordeal.

You’ll also hear insights on:

• Identifying alternate methods of communication.
• Harnessing the power of an empathetic and supportive community.
• Best practices for guiding and empowering your internal team during a crisis.

Mentioned Links

Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Pediatric Medicine

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (00:59) - Introducing Ted McCartan
• (05:14) - About the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation Fundraising Programs
• (08:52) - The Cyber Security Breach
• (31:46) - Learn More

As many P2P programs strive to expand, organizations often grapple with a core question: should they focus resources on deepening engagement with current supporters or invest in acquiring new ones?

The answer isn’t always one strategy over the other—it’s important to consider your mission’s scope. For causes that directly impact millions, investing in participant acquisition can also help drive broader awareness and connect more people to essential services and support. For missions affecting a smaller community, creating deeper connections and boosting engagement may be more effective.

In today’s episode, Marcie Maxwell sits down with industry veteran Megan Gavin, Vice President of Field Campaign and Community Initiatives at the American Diabetes Association. They dive into how her team developed a strategic plan to drive exponential growth for their flagship P2P event, Step Out Walk, aiming to engage more of the 38 million people living with diabetes in the U.S.

Tune in as they also discuss:

- Using data to guide staff toward high-impact activities

- Leveraging AI tools for lead generation

- The critical role of effective event leadership

Mentioned Links

www.diabetes.org

On Facebook (@American Diabetes Association), X (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn)

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:24) - Introducing Megan Gavin
• (04:26) - Tour de Cure and Step Out for Work
• (07:45) - Building New Networks
• (10:22) - ROI on Marketing Investments
• (15:04) - Results
• (19:18) - Learn More

Have you ever stopped to question if your fundraising messaging is ethical? Despite our best intentions as professional fundraisers, it is crucial for us to recognize that certain traditional fundraising methods no longer hold up under scrutiny in 2023.

In our efforts to showcase the serious need for donations with often sad, evocative imagery, we run the risk of contributing to a negative stereotype or, even worse, retraumatizing those we are trying to help. Or we paint a picture of perfect success stories, only to discount the very real challenges our organizations are trying to solve.

While facing financial targets, it can indeed be tempting to prioritize the preferences and desires of donors. However, it is crucial for us to pause and reflect on whether such prioritization is being done at the expense of our mission and the well-being of our community.

In this rebroadcast from Season 1, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell sits down with Covenant House International’s Associate Vice President of Site Development, Meghan Coan, and Associate Vice President of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising. Meghan and Colleen share a passion for ethical storytelling, which informs their work with their signature Sleep Out program. We sat down with them to discuss pivotal moments that triggered transformative change within their team and how they are reevaluating messaging and event experiences to ensure alignment with their mission of providing housing for youth facing homelessness.

In today’s episode, we’ll explore:

• How Covenant House is continuously evaluating and evolving its fundraising events to ensure mission alignment
• How they are reframing their messaging and responding to feedback from supporters
• The importance of respecting personal boundaries in storytelling

Mentioned Links

Covenant House International

Sleep Out

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• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:03) - Introducing Colleen Veldt and Meghan Coan
• (07:44) - Sleep Out at Covenant House
• (11:50) - Evaluating Ethics & Mission
• (23:55) - Ethical Storytelling
• (28:04) - The Public Response
• (32:10) - Learn More