(CNN) Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised $24.6 million over the past three months, her campaign said Friday morning, falling just short of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' massive haul.

Warren's momentum in the polls, in which she has emerged as a front-runner alongside former Vice President Joe Biden, has been mirrored by a continued rise in small dollar fundraising. She brought in only $6 million during a disappointing first quarter, then jumped to $19.1 million in the second before a breakout summer that saw her outpace Biden by more than $9 million

Earlier in the week, Sanders announced a $25.3 million third quarter total, which set the pace for the 2020 Democratic field. Warren landed just shy of that number, but is well-positioned now to expand her campaign, which has $25.7 million in cash-on-hand, according to the campaign, as the first round of caucuses and primaries approach.

Campaign manager Roger Lau, in an email to supporters, said more than 500,000 people made more than 940,000 contributions to the campaign during the third quarter. The majority of those donors -- 300,000 -- gave to Warren for the first time during that period, Lau said, for an average contribution of $26. Since she entered the race on New Year's Eve, an estimated 750,000 people have given to Warren's campaign.

Warren's impressive total underscores the power of small dollar donors in the 2020 Democratic contest. Both she and Sanders have forsworn high-dollar fundraisers, but combined, they outraised Biden, California Sen. Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, all of whom have tapped wealthy donors, by $4 million this quarter: $49.9 million to $45.9 million.

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