Why Team Captains Are Your P2P Fundraising Campaign Fuel

Team captains are the leading indicator of your success as long as you recruit them properly with clear expectations.

Brian Carney • May 16, 2021

Newsletter

Subscribe and stay up to date on all things peer-to-peer fundraising.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

When Blue Sea first began we didn’t understand how important team captains were to the success of a P2P Fundraising event. We spent a lot of time trying to recruit hundreds of individual participants (which was both expensive and exhausting) when all we really needed were a couple dozen team captains.

Why? Because if you get these leaders, you’ll get their followers, and if you get their followers you’ll get their donors. It’s that simple. 

That’s the power of team captains in peer-to-peer fundraising. They are the leading indicator of your success as long as you recruit them properly with clear expectations to:

  1. Lead their team energetically  
  2. Recruit 7+ friends and families successfully 
  3. Make fundraising a priority for themselves and their team

Recruiting Team Captains

So what’s the best way to recruit team captains?

  • Start by tasking everyone on your team to ask 3 people they know well to be a team captain. 
  • Ensure they understand how their personal and team fundraising will impact both your charity and the lives of the people you serve. 
  • Connect their fundraising to your mission. Explain what you do, why it matters and how it’s making a difference in your community. This is the fuel your captains need to remain focused and motivated during the campaign. 

1000% Worth It

Is it worth it? Absolutely – the average team captain recruits  6-7 team members and raises $1,500-$2,000. That’s average but many raise well above that level. Imagine recruiting 15, 20, or 40 of them? Do the math – that quickly gets your event up to the $25k, $40k or $100k level. And better still, team captains who are well cared for and appreciated by you during (and after!) the event will come back year after year because they enjoyed the experience  of leading their team and fundraising for your charity. 

So yes, team captains are worth it. They are 24 carat gold. They’re your campaign fuel. Your number one campaign strategy should be recruiting and encouraging them throughout the campaign.

Key Takeaway

Successful campaigns recruit 25% of their team captains in the first 30 days, 50% in the next 30 days and 25% in the final month.

Brian Carney

Related Articles

How I’ve Used AI Over the Past Six Months as CEO

A few practical examples from the charity leadership trenches.

Brian Carney • February 19, 2026

Your Donors Are Distracted. Here’s How to Design a Fundraising Event They’ll Remember

We live in a heads-down, doom-scrolly, notification-heavy world. The average person checks their phone nearly 200 times a day, bouncing between feeds, pings, texts, and

Blue Sea Foundation • February 17, 2026

Why Your Fundraising Event Isn’t Actually Raising Money (And How to Fix It Before Spring)

When fundraising events fall short, it’s rarely about effort. It’s about structure. Here’s what to fix now, before your spring planning locks in.

Blue Sea Foundation • January 13, 2026

Got Questions about The Grand Parade?

Wondering if The Grand Parade is right for your charity? Join a live Zoom call to learn more about this year’s campaign.

  • Live Experts
  • Free Advice
  • No Pressure
Register to Join

Curious About RIDE 2025?

Wondering if the Ride for Refuge is right for your charity? Join a live Zoom call to learn more about this year’s campaign.

  • Live Experts
  • Free Advice
  • No Pressure
Register to Join

Get Your Questions Answered 

Wondering if the Ride for Refuge or The Grand Parade is right for your charity? Join a live Zoom call to get all the details for a 2025 campaign.

  • Live Experts
  • Free Advice
  • No Pressure
Register to Join