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The tide has turned. The data is here. The results are in.
Peer-to-Peer Facebook Challenges are outperforming everything else on social — and doing it with scalable, repeatable returns.
Nonprofits like yours are seeing the best ROI (300%+) they’ve seen since Facebook Challenges began.
Not long ago, nonprofit marketers were wondering if Peer-to-Peer Virtual Challenges had seen their best days. Performance was declining. ROAS was dipping. Boards were skeptical. Budgets were shifting toward “newer” channels.
Sound familiar?
We get it. We lived through that downturn with you.
But then, something unexpected happened…
The Comeback No One Saw Coming
Let’s look at the scoreboard:
- 4 of the first 6 months in 2025 have outperformed the best month from 2024.
- We’re seeing ROAS consistently above 2.83 for the year, with several months averaging ROAS well beyond 3.0.
- Compare that to the 2025 industry average on Meta for nonprofits: 0.48.
Let that sink in. Most nonprofits are getting $0.48 for every $1 spent on Meta. Meanwhile, our partners are seeing $2.83 or more. That’s nearly 6x the return.
How?
Let’s tell you the full story.
The Pain We All Felt
Let’s rewind. The past two years were tough:
- iOS privacy changes kneecapped conversion tracking.
- CPMs on Meta spiked, driving up acquisition costs.
- Meta made updates to shift focus away from Groups
- Donor fatigue was real. And platform fatigue? Worse.
- Board members asked, “Why are we still investing in Facebook?”
- You tried to explain how these challenges “build community”... and got blank stares.
We’ve sat in those budget meetings with our partners. We’ve helped them justify their spend, even as the data wasn’t in our favor.
We never gave up.
Why It’s Working Again: The 3-Part ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) Equation
We’ve managed over $60 million in spend for social fundraising on Meta. We don’t just have data — we have pattern recognition and analysis.
The resurgence of Facebook Challenges in 2025 isn’t a fluke. It’s a formula.
1. Strategy (60%) – The Secret Sauce
You can’t brute-force Meta anymore. Smart spend wins. And smart spend starts with strategic storytelling, world-class UX, and full-funnel conversion science.
We obsess over:
- Themes that break through noise (e.g., "Walk for Wellness" vs. "End Cancer Now")
- Messaging that moves hearts and wallets
- Creative testing loops that scale what works, fast
- Supporter experience built for frictionless action
Even when the other two factors below don’t play in our favor, our strategy alone drives 3x better ROAS than the nonprofit Meta average. Let that sink in.
2. Economics (20%) – Stability = Generosity
Donors don’t give when they’re worried about their jobs, mortgages, or 401(k)s. The relative economic calm in early 2025 gave donors the space to give again — and they did.
Pro Tip: Economic trends impact individual giving. Don’t ignore macro signals. Years ago we discovered a tight correlation between the S&P 500 index and individual giving performance.
3. Political Climate (20%) – Urgency Drives Action
This is a key reason challenges are finding so much success in 2025. When federal funding is in jeopardy or vulnerable communities are at risk, people rally. And they rally where they already are: on social media.
- From LGBTQ+ rights to veteran mental health, we’ve seen issue-based challenges ignite passion and drive scale.
- Emotional relevance = exponential reach.
But Wait... Is This Just Luck?
If you’re skeptical, good. You should be. Here’s what we suggest:
Don't take our word for it. Take the data’s.
- We run over 400 Challenges per year.
- We track every dollar spent, every comment, every click, every conversion.
- And we use machine learning + human strategy to optimize in real time.
The result? Nonprofits like yours are seeing the best ROI they’ve seen since Facebook Challenges began.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you're still on the fence about Facebook Challenges, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Are your current channels returning even 1x your spend?
- Are your social campaigns building donor lists you own?
- Is your agency giving you ROAS data down to the ad set?
- Are your experiences built for donors, not marketers?
If not, it might be time to rethink your playbook.
What GoodUnited Does Differently
We’re not an ad agency. We’re your co-pilot in social fundraising.
Here’s how we turn challenges into your #1 growth lever:
- Done-for-you creative that’s tested, not templated
- Daily campaign optimization by social experts
- Lead-gen + nurturing flows that maximize lifetime donor value
- Custom strategy for each mission and audience
- Clear dashboards and actual ROAS accountability
Real Talk
This isn’t just a blog post. It’s a moment of clarity.
The tide has turned. The data is here. The results are in.
Peer-to-Peer Facebook Challenges are outperforming everything else on social — and doing it with scalable, repeatable returns.
So here’s the ask:
If you want to see how your org could perform, book a 30-minute strategy call.
Let’s look at your current numbers and map what a 300% ROAS could mean for you.
Not everyone is a fit, but if you’re investing and building into social, you just might be.
There’s no pressure. Just opportunity.
Schedule Your Strategy Session Now
Final Thought
You don’t have to guess. You don’t have to hope. You don’t even have to believe us yet.
You just have to be willing to explore what’s possible — because 2025 is proving that the best days of social fundraising might actually be right now.
Let’s go.
