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save the dogs

Save the Dogs and other Animals: Rethinking peer-to-peer fundraising after Meta

peer to peer fundraising
The client

Founded in 2002 in Romania, Save the Dogs and other Animals fights animal abuse and reduces the number of stray animals worldwide. 

Operating internationally, the organisation raises awareness, advocates for legislation, and improves the quality of life for stray dogs and cats.



fundraising-events

Results 

  • Moving beyond reliance on social platforms, rebuilding a stronger peer-to-peer fundraising strategy

  • Strong fundraiser activation driven by relationship-based outreach

  • Higher average donation compared to traditional social campaigns

  • €13,300 raised in 6 months 

peer to peer fundraising

Solution used


peer to peer fundraising

Collaboration since

2021 (donation forms)
2025 (peer-to-peer platform) 

case-study-save-the-dogs-p2p

The starting point: when a key peer-to-peer fundraising lever disappears

For several years, Save the Dogs and other Animals relied on Meta birthday campaigns as one of its main peer-to-peer fundraising tools. This well-established lever activated hundreds of fundraisers every year and generated significant income, with a relatively low operational investment.

On 1 July 2024, Meta’s fundraising tools came to an end for charities based in the European Economic Area.

The disappearance of this strategic lever led to a sharp and immediate drop in peer-to-peer fundraising revenue, challenging the organisation's entire community activation model.

peer to peer fundraising

Rethinking the community fundraising strategy

Faced with the sudden loss of Meta birthday campaigns, Save the Dogs asked a broader question: how to continue activating supporters while keeping relationships central and avoiding reliance on third-party platforms? 

Already using iRaiser’s donation forms, the organisation realised that peer-to-peer fundraising needed a dedicated, controllable space. This led to the adoption, in the first quarter of 2025, of iRaiser’s peer-to-peer platform, not just as a tool, but as the backbone of a renewed community fundraising strategy.

A key factor in Save the Dogs’ decision was the balance between investment and expected outcomes. 

Their new peer-to-peer fundraising platform allowed Save the Dogs and other Animals to activate and nurture their community with minimal financial and operational effort, creating a sustainable peer-to-peer model independent of social media platforms.

Implementation: building a peer-to-peer ecosystem 

peer to peer fundraising

The peer-to-peer platform became a single hub for all community-driven fundraising initiatives. Initially used to rebuild birthday fundraising campaigns, the platform quickly evolved into a space hosting multiple forms of community activation:

  • birthday fundraisers

  • initiatives led by volunteers

  • special occasions

  • early experiments involving corporate engagement

A key insight soon emerged: peer-to-peer fundraising does not succeed in isolation. As a result, Save the Dogs complemented the platform with a structured strategy to guide, support, and motivate fundraisers at every step.

The importance of supporting fundraisers

One of the strongest elements of the strategy lies in the work done before, during, and after fundraiser activation:

  • A dedicated email cycle for birthdays was created, using dates of birth stored in the database, through an integration with their CRM.

  • In addition to email, an SMS was introduced for the first time, with a direct call to action to start a fundraiser. This was not a donor care message, but a true activation tool, designed to prompt timely and personal action.

  • Fundraisers were not left alone: they were supported, thanked, and encouraged to keep their fundraising active.

This integration marked a significant shift compared to the previous setup. SMS was not part of the standard relationship flow, but a targeted conversion lever used strategically.

peer to peer fundraising

Fundraising activation as a strategic lever 

Data shows that over 60% of fundraising pages created between April and October were launched following a direct solicitation, often within 72 hours of the message being sent. 

This clearly highlights that technology alone does not make the difference; impact comes from how tools were embedded within existing donor relationships.

Results: Higher average donations and more intentional online giving

Within the first six months after launching the peer-to-peer platform in early 2025, results became visible. Over approximately six months, Save the Dogs and other Animals recorded:

35 active fundraisers
325 donations
13,000€ raised

These figures bring the organisation close to its 2023 results, despite a completely different context. One particularly interesting insight concerns the average donation, which is higher than in traditional social fundraising campaigns, suggesting greater donor awareness and intentionality.

Quality over quantity in peer-to-peer fundraising

Another key learning is that not all fundraisers perform equally. A significant share of total income is generated by a small number of highly effective fundraisers. This led to an important conclusion: it is better to support a few fundraisers well than to launch many campaigns without proper follow-up.

From disruption to a stronger peer-to-peer fundraising model

peer to peer fundraising

This case shows how an organisation can turn disruption into opportunity. Faced with the sudden loss of a key fundraising lever, Save the Dogs adopted tools that helped maximise impact without requiring significant investment. 

Beyond compensating for the end of Meta birthday campaigns, this shift enabled the organisation to build a more resilient, scalable, and relationship-driven fundraising strategy, laying the foundations for sustainable community fundraising growth.

4 tips for organisations after the end of Meta online fundraising tools

Based on this experience, Save the Dogs identified several practical takeaways for organisations facing the closure of social fundraising tools:

  • Put donor relationships first: Fundraising tools are only effective when they are embedded within an existing relational ecosystem.

  • Plan for support, not just activation: Peer-to-peer fundraising requires ongoing guidance, care, and continuity to perform over time.

 

  • Broaden your activation model: Involving volunteers and companies can open up new opportunities and strengthen community fundraising efforts.

  • Regain control of your fundraising strategy: Investing in a dedicated platform reduces dependency on third-party platforms.

“When Meta fundraising tools came to an end, we realised how fragile it can be to rely on a single external platform. That moment forced us to rethink not just our tools, but our entire approach to community activation. In hindsight, it became an opportunity to build something more resilient.”

Paolo BoassaDigital Fundraising Officer, Save the Dogs and other Animals

“We were already using iRaiser donation forms, but the peer-to-peer platform helped us go further. It allowed us to connect our tools, our activation strategy, and our relationships into a single, coherent ecosystem.”

Paolo BoassaDigital Fundraising Officer, Save the Dogs and other Animals

“This experience confirmed something essential for us: technology alone doesn’t create impact. What really makes the difference is how tools are used within an existing relationship and supported by timely, human activation.”

Paolo BoassaDigital Fundraising Officer, Save the Dogs and other Animals

“We learned that peer-to-peer fundraising isn’t about activating as many people as possible. A small number of well-supported fundraisers can generate far more impact than dozens of campaigns left on their own.”

Paolo BoassaDigital Fundraising Officer, Save the Dogs and other Animals
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