Crowdfunding campaigns are now an essential tool in the fundraising arsenal to get a project or company off the concept stage and into launch mode. The success of a crowdfunding campaign is largely dependent on how it is marketed; social media marketing and strategic targeting to the appropriate audiences are key factors in reaching a campaign’s funding goal. In today’s economy and with a crowded playing field, it has become increasingly difficult for fundraisers to attract potential donor. As a result, we have seen a steady increase in crowdfunding sites such as gofundme, KICKSTARTER, indiegogo and causes, which have caught on to savvy funding strategists, non-profit organizations, start-up businesses, cause/health initiatives and artistic and scientific projects, to name a few. ‘IF YOU CREATE IT, THEY REALLY WILL COME.’  

Case in point #1: The importance of social media and strategic targeting in raising funds is evident in the multitude of conferences, articles and worldwide attention to social good that exists today. As I write this blog entry, I am at one of several Social Media for Non-Profits conferences being held around the country in 2014 & 2015. Today, I am being inspired at its Chicago conference featuring some of the country’s top experts in the social media and non-profit marketing arena. #SM4NP @SM4Nonprofits #socialmedia #fundraising #nonprofits #marketing #charitablegiving.

Case in point #2: Boulder Story Healers, a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, a nonprofit charity under Section 501(c)3, set out to raise funds to produce and tour the production of its two person autobiographical musical play “A Day For Grace” (ADFG) — which raises suicide awareness — by utilizing the crowdfunding site indiegogo. The needs: raise funds for the tour and its promotion. In addition to traditional fundraising practices to raise awareness for its campaign, such as partnering with other like-minded organizations and hosting special event performances, the ADFG team utilized indiegogo campaign to simultaneously raise funds and maximize its promotion of the show and its message. Targets: #theatre #suicideawareness #music #recovery #nonprofits #drama.

Today, clients can seek funding for nearly everything from social good causes to documentaries to t-shirt manufacturing. There are a myriad of crowdfunding sites an organization can utilize to assist them in their fundraising efforts. According to crowdfunding.com,the top five sites are gofundme, KICKSTARTER, indiegogo, tspring and causes.

BY ABBE SPARKS