From Spreadsheet to Strategy: Making the Most of Your P2P Event Data

A successful peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising event doesn’t just raise money—it builds community. The opportunities for impact live on long past event day. Savvy charities harness the campaign’s momentum and dive into the data to transform new connections into meaningful relationships and transform casual donors into committed champions.

The data you collect while running your P2P fundraising event (think: names, contact info, giving patterns, and more) tells a story. When you take the time to tune in and listen to it, you can unlock serious future-fundraising potential. This article explores what we’ve learned in the last 20 years both hosting P2P fundraising events and helping thousands of charities across North America raise significant funds, the Blue Sea Way. 

Turn Your Data Into Insight

Our WAVES platform logs over a million pieces of data for every campaign. Whether you’re working with a comprehensive dataset from us or manually piecing numbers on your own, one thing remains true: The biggest missed opportunity after a peer-to-peer event is letting that data sit idle. By getting curious and strategic, you can uncover powerful ways to extend your campaign’s impact and deepen engagement.

So instead of letting it collect dust, here’s what we recommend doing with your data: 

1. Get Curious 

Whatever format your data is in post-event, get geeky with it! Search, sort, and scroll through the available entries—what do you see? What does the data reveal to you?

• Who are your top 10 fundraisers?
• Take a look at your averages: donations, raised per team, raised by Captains, raised by first year participants, etc How does this map to your expectations of what would happen? What stands out to you?
• Pull out your first-time donors—do you see any trends?
• Are there workplaces, community groups, or school teams on the list that are new, exciting, or unexpected?

We recommend doing this as soon after the event as possible. Mark-up the data, highlight cells with your custom colour codes, or add tags to your CRM. Really carve out some time to notice the story the data is telling. 

2. Get Serious About Segmenting

Next, divide that data up into meaningful chunks. P2P fundraising events connect you with many different people—donors, walkers, captains, volunteers, “Challengers”, sponsors, etc. Because these groups took different actions in your campaign, you want to be able to think about them differently. 

Whether in your Excel spreadsheet or your CRM system, tag, sort, or segment these people into groups. In the fundraising world, each group is called a segment. We recommend:

• First-time donors 2025
• First-time participants 2025
• Returning participants 2025
• Team Captains 2025
• Volunteers 2025
• High-impact donors (e.g., $250+) 2025
• Top fundraisers 2025
• Challenge participants 2025

Tip: Be sure to Include the year in your tags or segments so you can compare your data with past and future years. 

3. Get Analyzing!

Look at this year’s data in a broader context—ideally side-by-side with past campaigns or other fundraising events you’ve run throughout the year. If you’re short on time, you don’t need to do a deep-dive analysis, but try to spot trends, standout participants, and fresh opportunities for future engagement. Even a small amount of attention here can make a big difference, especially if this is a signature event that you’ll be hosting again next year. 

Looking at your data helps you:

• Recognize new contacts and returning supporters.
• Identify strong team leaders or top fundraisers who you may want to publicly recognize or strategically nurture. 
• Flag possible corporate or community group connections to follow up on. 
• Get a clearer picture of who your event is reaching (and who it’s not).

Try this:

• Filter your list to highlight first-time donors and participants. Flag anyone who stands out as having long-term or deeper engagement potential. 
• If you have it, compare year-over-year data: Who came back? Who increased their gift? Who didn’t?
• Tag people who led teams, gave generously, or brought in many donors. This will make it easier to recognize or reach out to these individuals later in the year.
• Note any interesting patterns (like multiple gifts from the same family or company).

This kind of basic analysis doesn’t just help with stewardship—it sets you up for smoother recruitment, stronger partnerships, and a more focused strategy next year. Not to mention insights that can help integrate new participants and donors into your larger development strategy.

Your Data Has Spoken—Now It’s Time to Act

Now that you’ve got a handle on what your data says and means, it’s time to put these insights into action. We recommend:

1. Say Thank You—Fast

A quick thank you shows people they’re seen and appreciated—and opens the door to deeper connection. It tells people their participation and donations mattered. Aim to send out a thank you email within a few days of the event, then once you’re armed with your segmented data, you can plan tailored post-event communications in the weeks and months to follow.

It may take more time, but we believe this is a worthwhile investment. When you send everyone the same message, it’s easy for people to tune out—or feel like just another name on a list. When your follow-up reflects their unique role it shows that you care not just about their gift or action, but that you care about them. This attention to detail tells your supporters, “We see you. We remember you. We need you.” 

Even a simple tweak to your subject line or opening sentence can make someone feel seen:

• “Thanks for leading a team this year!”
• “You donated to support [Team Name]—here’s what your gift made possible.”
• “You’re one of our top fundraisers—and one of the reasons this work is possible.”

2. Build on Your Connection

Many people who gave to your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign didn’t necessarily give because they care about your mission. They gave because your mission is important to someone they care about.

They were asked by a trusted friend, family member, or colleague and wanted to help. That’s powerful. You now have a chance to build on that trust by telling them more about what you do and why it matters. You have an opportunity here to get them to care in a new, more personal way. 

Try this:
After your “thank you” communication, send a follow-up to new donors or participants:

• Share a short story about someone who was helped because of the event
• Include a short video or photo that shows your work in action
• Introduce your organization’s mission in simple, human terms—no jargon, no acronyms
• Use a real voice: sign the email from a team member, service user, or volunteer

Example:

“Hi, I’m Noor, and I work at [Charity Name]. You may not know us yet, but you just did something incredible. Because of your support during [Event Name], we’re able to provide 40 nights of safe housing to people seeking refuge in our city. That’s a big deal—and we want to say thank you.”

Why It Matters:
If someone participates or donates to your event but doesn’t hear from you again in a meaningful way, their connection to your cause is likely to fade.

When you re-introduce your cause with heart and clarity in your communications, you invite them into something bigger. People remember stories. They respond to real voices. They want to know they helped make a difference—not just that their credit card worked. Donors who understand your mission are more likely to give again. Introduce yourself like you would in person—with warmth, honesty, and a story that sticks.

This is your opportunity to show the why behind the event. To give them a reason to care, not because they should, but because it feels good to be part of something meaningful.

3. Keep the Conversation Going

People are more likely to support your charity again if they hear from you between events. A little communication now makes next year’s outreach easier and more natural. 

Rather than blindly adding everyone to your general mailing list is to follow the steps above: start with a timely, personalized thank-you, follow up with a connection-building message, and then invite them to join your list. If they don’t sign up for your email newsletter, keep them in the loop with a few event-specific follow-ups throughout the year:

• Send one or two updates throughout the year (include a photo, a quote, or a stat).
• Share a milestone message tied to the calendar:
  • “6 months ago, you made this possible…”
  • “Today was the hottest day of the year, but we’re still thinking about the impact you made in this year’s Coldest Night of the Year event”
• Invite them to engage in low-barrier actions—subscribe to your mailing list, follow you on social media, or watch a quick video.

This approach will reduce your unsubscribes and honour the original connection this person made with your charity through your P2P campaign. 

But What About Donor Fatigue?
Donor fatigue is a real phenomenon, but silence can be just as damaging. The key is thoughtful communication, not constant communication. When your message brings value—through a story, a smile, or a meaningful thank-you—people want to stay connected.

Taking Your Data to the Next Level: Seek Out Hidden Gems

If you tackle the items listed above, you’ll be well on your way to juicing every last drop of impact, value, and engagement from your P2P fundraising event. If you’ve been doing this for awhile and are looking for even more ways to make the most of your event data, we recommend that you:

• Scan for donors who gave above your average gift.
• Look up team captains or top fundraisers on LinkedIn to see where they work or volunteer.
• Watch for recurring last names or shared email domains—could be family members, corporate teams, or school groups.
• Ask your event staff or volunteers: “Who stood out?” Often, they’ll have insights that spreadsheets won’t show.

Based on these indicators, create a list of people who you want to nurture this year. Start by sending them a personal thank-you email, a handwritten note, or a phone call (don’t underestimate the power of a phone call!). You may want to invite these people to join your monthly giving program, attend a tour, or share their own “why” with you.

It’s much more effective (and cost-efficient) to retain and grow existing relationships than to start over every year. Your peer-to-peer fundraising event was a milestone in someone’s journey with your cause. Whether they heard about you for the first time, doubled last year’s donation, or decided to be a team captain for the first time, they made a connection with your charity. Now’s your chance to deepen it.

What Comes Next?

At Blue Sea Foundation, we’ve seen it time and again: a donor becomes a monthly giver. A participant starts a team. A team captain sparks a workplace fundraiser.

Peer-to-peer fundraising events aren’t just about a big-buzz, one-day walk. They’re a powerful tool for finding new donors, building relationships with new and existing supporters, and bringing more people into your story—all while raising significant funds.  

When you come together for good, you do more than raise cash, you build community. Remember this: Somewhere in the course of hosting your P2P fundraising campaign, you may have connected with a person who is poised to become a major donor, a long-term volunteer, or a key community advocate. Use your data to help find and connect with these folks. Need help to make this happen? We’re here.