Find an exciting project that captures the public’s imagination. Test it out on colleagues or, even better, someone completely disconnected from the organisation so that you can truly gauge public appeal and how the proposition captures people’s imagination.
Go for realistic amounts – it’s better to have a lower and achievable target, rather than an unrealistically high one.
Resources: fundraising takes time and commitment, and crowdfunding should not be seen as an easy means of doing so. It is key to take an all hands-on-deck approach – so make sure you don’t launch a big capital campaign at the same time, and don’t run a campaign when a crucial member of the team is on holiday, particularly during the campaign’s final week.
Passion is key, and you need support from the whole team, including trustees and front of house staff. If a potential donor asks a front of house team member about the campaign and that person cannot talk about the campaign with passion and confidence, then you are potentially losing prospective supporters.
If senior figures, including trustees, don’t fully buy into the campaign, then this project is not going to be seen as an organisational priority.
Have your communications plan set out far before the campaign launches. You need to have all your ducks in a row before launch day. Have a really clear communications schedule mapped out before the campaign starts so you can make sure that momentum and buzz are sustained throughout.
Engage your audiences online and offline: a mix of both – using digital channels, social media as well as on-site presence - works best
Engage your stakeholders, partners and other influencers even before campaign launch – reach out to new audiences through networks, interest groups and partner organisations. You need lots of ambassadors to help spread the word.
The first three days are absolutely crucial for engagement, which is why forward planning is essential. Keep the momentum going and then in the last week keep that foot on the accelerator.
Stay in touch with existing and potential donors throughout the campaign and until the project is finished: regular updates to the donor base are important. One of the incentives to donate is feeling part of the project that you are supporting, so it’s essential that your supporters feel looped in at any stage.
Crowdfunding is hard but completely worth it for the money raised, and the huge audience development potential. So make the most of it and continue cultivating your new audiences and supporters.
Art Happens, hosted by the Art Fund, is a crowdfunding platform for the museum sector.
Go for realistic amounts – it’s better to have a lower and achievable target, rather than an unrealistically high one.
Resources: fundraising takes time and commitment, and crowdfunding should not be seen as an easy means of doing so. It is key to take an all hands-on-deck approach – so make sure you don’t launch a big capital campaign at the same time, and don’t run a campaign when a crucial member of the team is on holiday, particularly during the campaign’s final week.
Passion is key, and you need support from the whole team, including trustees and front of house staff. If a potential donor asks a front of house team member about the campaign and that person cannot talk about the campaign with passion and confidence, then you are potentially losing prospective supporters.
If senior figures, including trustees, don’t fully buy into the campaign, then this project is not going to be seen as an organisational priority.
Have your communications plan set out far before the campaign launches. You need to have all your ducks in a row before launch day. Have a really clear communications schedule mapped out before the campaign starts so you can make sure that momentum and buzz are sustained throughout.
Engage your audiences online and offline: a mix of both – using digital channels, social media as well as on-site presence - works best
Engage your stakeholders, partners and other influencers even before campaign launch – reach out to new audiences through networks, interest groups and partner organisations. You need lots of ambassadors to help spread the word.
The first three days are absolutely crucial for engagement, which is why forward planning is essential. Keep the momentum going and then in the last week keep that foot on the accelerator.
Stay in touch with existing and potential donors throughout the campaign and until the project is finished: regular updates to the donor base are important. One of the incentives to donate is feeling part of the project that you are supporting, so it’s essential that your supporters feel looped in at any stage.
Crowdfunding is hard but completely worth it for the money raised, and the huge audience development potential. So make the most of it and continue cultivating your new audiences and supporters.
Art Happens, hosted by the Art Fund, is a crowdfunding platform for the museum sector.