Children‘s Miracle Network Hospitals Wins Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Organization of the Year

Last Week, the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum presented Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals with the Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Organization of the Year award. Between programs like Dance Marathon and Extra Life, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has made a name for itself in the charity landscape by its use of peer-to-peer fundraising. Peer-to-peer fundraising is a method of mobilizing charitable giving that relies on donations from the personal networks of those passionate about an organization’s cause.

A major contribution to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ success in this method of fundraising is due to reaching beyond traditional audiences with their outreach programs. Dance Marathon raised around $44 million USD in 2019, one of the largest peer-to-peer programs in North America, and seems to be on track to continue growing. Extra Life, as one of the newest programs with a history going back to 2008, is the first program to use outreach to the gaming community as a means of fundraising. Extra Life raised over $15 million USD in 2019, putting it in the top 30 peer-to-peer fundraising programs. Extra Life’s own Mike Kinney and Lou Adducci were present to represent the program and talk about how they have built the foundations of its success.

“Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has been one of the most notable peer-to-peer fundraising success stories in recent memory,” said founder of the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum David Hessekiel. “During the past decade, the organization has fully embraced peer-to-peer to not only raise money, but to build valuable, ongoing relationships that will help support its work for decades to come. As a result, it is proving what’s possible when you develop compelling campaigns for nontraditional audiences.”

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has built one of the nation’s most formidable peer-to-peer fundraising programs.

That’s why the #P2P Professional Forum, is awarding #CMN Hospitals as its Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Org of the Year for 2020!

Congratulations! #P2PForum20 pic.twitter.com/EFqkACfPnV

— P2P Forum (@P2PForum) February 28, 2020

In addition to receiving the recognition of the annual Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum, members of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals team were on hand to host talks and make appearances. Maureen Carlson, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ SVP of Strategic Partnerships and Revenue, hosted two talks during the event. The first was a conversation to help others lean how to better evaluate fundraising programs by using industry research data. The second talk hosted by Carlson focused on how to engage corporate partners to bring employees into the fold and increase fundraising.

“Peer-to-peer fundraising has a transformative impact not only on our network, but also on the lives of those who choose to become involved, said Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ chief revenue officer Clark Sweat. “We are certain this is the key to our success, providing powerful communities with the tools, resources, support and inspiration they need to change kids’ health and change the future.”

Talks at the event also hosted representatives from CMNH facilities like the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Tracey McCusker of Lurie Children’s used her platform to talk about how to prioritize third-party fundraising. Kevin McMahon was able to talk about CHOP’s peer-to-peer operations as one of the largest operations in the industry.

Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time and effort to making these recognitions possible! It’s truly amazing what Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals can achieve with the contributions of passionate people volunteering to organize and working hard behind-the-scenes. Let’s make 2020 a year to remember!

Don’t forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!