About dealing with crowdfunding campaigns

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Hi. This is serious. What advice can you give about starting, running and writing proposals for crowdfunding campaigns? Has anyone here ever gotten involved with crowdfunding campaigns?

I know they are in common use now. People start and use crowdfunding campaigns on platforms like GoFundMe, Indiegogo and Patreon.

I have never gotten involved with crowdfunding campaigns. Not that long ago I tried getting involved with CustomInk. They had a crowdfunding service called Booster but it involved selling custom t-shirts.

I have not really been over to my nearest local public library too much since the pandemic started and it's been a long time since I did research on and tried to pursue funding for personal use.

I was told and I read somewhere if I am not mistaken that it is easier to acquire funding from crowdfunding campaigns than from grants, awards and other types of monies.

I was told you CAN start crowdfunding campaigns for anything you need money for, it doesn't have to be for personal, public and/or community projects.

Please help. Thank you.

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@JGoldman10,

Yes you can start one of these for anything. Although it might be easier to set up, it is not necessarily easier to get people to provide money. There are so many people and so many reasons for say a go fund me page that unless you have a good network to help promote you ....you are likely to get little or nothing.

Personally the only one I contributed to and that was someone who has a rare blood disorder which she needs a bone marrow transplant costing their family even with insurance a lot of money. I know this family so I know the need is legit.

I had a young adult niece that set one up so she go on a Disney vacation....I did not give to that.

I would only give in the first case...a real financial burden and to one I am confident is a legit need.

It is rare for random people do not fund other peoples start ups on these platforms.

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@Linkat,

I think if you really want to go this route is to reach out to your church group...that is probably your closest social network. You can ask them to forward your information to their wider network and it grows from there. Although keep in mind those further from your personal network are less likely to contribute unless there is some eccentric rich guy that just loves your idea.

Keep in mind that average contribution to a charitable cause within crowd sourcing is 8 separate contributions of about $66 each so a grand total of $528 and that is for a charity not some stray business idea.

1 Reply

@Linkat,

I was not talking about money for projects. I need money for other things.

I need money for driving lessons and to take the road test so I can get my driver's license.

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@JGoldman10,

JGoldman10 wrote:

I was not talking about money for projects. I need money for other things.

I need money for driving lessons and to take the road test so I can get my driver's license.

So you think random people are going to give you money to take driving lessons and a road test?

I think you would be more likely to get money for a good project.

So why should some random person give you money for a road test rather than give money to someone that needs live saving surgery?

I think you should go to your church. Do you regularly donate to them? Often time churches that you are members to - will help out someone to get them back on their feet. Our church helped a single mom to get a quality used car so that she could drive to work for example. That is what being a quality member of a group can help you. But remember you should give back if you do take. when you get on your feet you should find a way to help someone else in return.

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@Linkat,

As I said I was told you can start crowdfunding campaigns for ANYTHING you need money for.

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@JGoldman10,

JGoldman10 wrote:

As I said I was told you can start crowdfunding campaigns for ANYTHING you need money for.

As I stated you can but that doesn’t mean that random people will give you money.

1 Reply

@Linkat,

Why not? Some people can't work regularly for whatever reason and are on fixed incomes.

2 Replies

@JGoldman10,

JGoldman10 wrote:

Why not? Some people can't work regularly for whatever reason and are on fixed incomes.

So I should just give you money - some random person I do not know. Why? The reason being is that if I am to give my money to someone - I am going to give it someone who needs it. Not because they want to get a driver's license. I am going to give it the family that needs a life saving bone marrow transplant for their daughter. That's seems much more important to the average person and an actual need than you getting driving lessons.

Why would I fund you? You would have to give a convincing reason why you cannot work or a really good reason why you would need the money. I gave you the example of the single mom. Her car died and she needed one to get to work. So the church got together and was able to get her a used car.

Now you just saying you cannot work regularly is not a reason - unless you are disabled or a some other really good reason. There are many people out there in need so you have to have a better reason to give money to you than say a single mother who is trying to feed her children or someone that needs life saving surgery.

Explain your story - it has to be good enough that people would actually feel that you need this money to survive.

My mom cannot work and is on a fixed income, but yet she does not expect you or anyone else to give her money. She lives off her income and what she was able to save because that is what she has. Why would I want to better you? And why can you not live of your fixed income?

1 Reply

@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

JGoldman10 wrote:

Why not? Some people can't work regularly for whatever reason and are on fixed incomes.

So I should just give you money - some random person I do not know. Why? The reason being is that if I am to give my money to someone - I am going to give it someone who needs it. Not because they want to get a driver's license. I am going to give it the family that needs a life saving bone marrow transplant for their daughter. That's seems much more important to the average person and an actual need than you getting driving lessons.

Why would I fund you? You would have to give a convincing reason why you cannot work or a really good reason why you would need the money. I gave you the example of the single mom. Her car died and she needed one to get to work. So the church got together and was able to get her a used car.

Now you just saying you cannot work regularly is not a reason - unless you are disabled or a some other really good reason.

Yes, some people are on Disability.

You said "explain your story - it has to be good enough that people would actually feel that you need this money to survive."

If I need to explain WHY I am on Disability and what happened since then that's not a problem.

Driving school lessons costs hundreds of dollars at least.

1 Reply

@JGoldman10,

JGoldman10 wrote:

Linkat wrote:

JGoldman10 wrote:

Why not? Some people can't work regularly for whatever reason and are on fixed incomes.

So I should just give you money - some random person I do not know. Why? The reason being is that if I am to give my money to someone - I am going to give it someone who needs it. Not because they want to get a driver's license. I am going to give it the family that needs a life saving bone marrow transplant for their daughter. That's seems much more important to the average person and an actual need than you getting driving lessons.

Why would I fund you? You would have to give a convincing reason why you cannot work or a really good reason why you would need the money. I gave you the example of the single mom. Her car died and she needed one to get to work. So the church got together and was able to get her a used car.

Now you just saying you cannot work regularly is not a reason - unless you are disabled or a some other really good reason.

Yes, some people are on Disability.

You said "explain your story - it has to be good enough that people would actually feel that you need this money to survive."

If I need to explain WHY I am on Disability and what happened since then that's not a problem.

Driving school lessons cost hundreds of dollars at least.

- FIXED.

People do need to know how to drive out of necessity. There are certain places you can't get to by walking, or by bus or cab.

0 Replies

@JGoldman10,

That's kind of not the point.

No one disputes the following:

You can start a crowdfunding campaign for pretty much anything (although note that the various platforms do have rules).
There are lots of people who cannot work, and that's unfortunate.
This includes folks who are on disability payments, and those payments are often small.

But the following also shouldn't be disputed:

People can have compassion for their fellow humans beings but still be too broke to donate.
The absence of a personal connection to a campaign runner means the potential donors will be a lot more skeptical. As is their right. The crowdfunding campaign runner should work extra hard to win those folks over.
The crowdfunding campaign runner also shouldn't count on those donations. They are bound to be small, and they are certainly going to be reluctant.
Crowdfunding campaigns don't last forever, and there's a reason for that. Having limited time adds a dimension of urgency to a campaign, and that does encourage people to give. However, if the donors don't think the matter is urgent or dire enough, they won't donate.
People have the right to spend their money as they choose. And, presuming their spending doesn't hurt anyone and isn't illegal, they shouldn't be criticized -- in particular if they decide to pass on donating to someone they don't know.
It takes time and energy to make money. Lots of people are prudent in their spending habits due to that very fact. That also means they're a lot less likely to donate when they have no idea if the campaign runner is truly in need... or just a scam artist.

And, finally, we're all bombarded with tons of pleas for money, all the time. Many of those pleas get lost in the shuffle. We just plain can't pay attention to everything out there -- it's impossible. Crowdfunding campaigns, in order to cut through the noise, have to make their point quickly and compellingly.

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