The Beat

Our most popular post of the past year was our article about raising money on the deals website Groupon. With that in mind, we thought we would look into two other popular ways of creating online fundraising campaigns, the "crowdfunding" websites Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

Because the two sites are somewhat trendy, using them can create a buzz that you might not get from a regular online fundraising campaign. For example, Jenn Cohen, founder of the Circus Project, which trains Portland, OR, homeless youth in the circus arts, last year raised about $2,500 on Kickstarter for a youth performance.

“The value of the campaign went above the money we raised,” she says. “It was an excellent networking opportunity.”

Kickstarter and Indiegogo can be good choices if, like Cohen, you have a specific project or effort you want to raise cash for, as well as a clear message about why that project or effort matters. Cohen was able to hook people’s interest with photos of homeless youth doing complicated circus acts, and with stories of how the program helps young people gain skills and independence.

Here are Cohen's tips on using crowdfunding sites:

Set realistic goals. Though signing up for the sites is free, fundraising campaigns are “all or nothing”--meaning you don’t keep a cent if you don’t reach your goal (unless, in the case of Indiegogo, you opt to pay a higher commission). Cohen says you should set a dollar amount you’re fairly certain you can reach. And since both sites take percentages of whatever money you keep, we suggest you factor that into your budget as well.

Cohen also recommends setting a campaign length, say 30 days, that is long enough to enable you to reach your goal, but not so long that people will lose interest and you will spend too much staff time on the effort.

Spread the word early and often. Having a strong social media presence and a solid email list can help you publicize your campaign, Cohen says. But getting others to share is just as important.

“I asked anyone I knew with a circus or runaway and homeless youth affiliation to post on their Facebook page,” she says.

Also, be sure to thank donors and keep them up-to-date on your progress, even at risk of being annoying, she says, because some people will make two or three gifts over the course of the campaign.

Avoid perk pitfalls. Both sites have you promise incentives you’ll give to people who make a donation (the way public radio stations give out tote bags). Cohen advises you choose your perks carefully. “I made it especially so it wouldn't be time intensive to send rewards," she says.

The cost of items can also add up. Examples of inexpensive, easy-to-deliver perks include artwork created by youth, thank you notes signed by them, thank you tweets, stickers with your logo on them, or tickets to an event your organization is putting on.

Indiegogo vs. Kickstarter

When it comes to helping homeless youth finish high school, research has shown that stable housing plays an important role. But helping students who are on their own find and maintain safe, appropriate housing is easier said than done.

In a number of school districts across the country, educators, youth workers, policy makers and continuums of care for people experiencing homelessness are working together to make housing a reality for unaccompanied young people. The October 2012 update to “Housing + High School = Success,” a report first released by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth in 2009, showcases the successes and illuminates the struggles of several of these partnerships.

Of course, we like to see public and private organizations joining forces to help homeless young people. And organizations that receive funding from the Family and Youth Services Bureau’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs are required to work closely with their local McKinney-Vento liaisons, who are federally mandated to protect homeless youths’ educational rights.

So we were interested to see some of the ways the seven partnerships included in the NAEHCY report collaborated to build relationships among local school boards, administrators, teachers and the district’s McKinney-Vento liaison in search of more stable housing options and better learning experiences for young people. For example:

• Youth workers at a Virginia-based program invite students and teachers to the youth’s intake meeting to help them figure out what services may be the best fit.
• Several programs ask trusted teachers and school personnel to help youth become more comfortable living in a host home (similar to a foster home) and to keep an eye out for any problems adjusting.
• One school district leased a home it owned near a high school to a housing program at no charge.
• After one Washington organization closed its doors, the nearby school district began a search for funding that is expected to lead to the reopening of two youth homes.

If you’re interested in building or strengthening your own community partnerships in the interest of housing homeless students, you can find sample documents used to design and implement these programs on the NAEHCY website.

More From NCFY

"NCFY Recommends: How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools"
"Primary Sources: Engaging Students, From Grade School to Graduation"
"Q&A: Dave Frederick of The Coffee Oasis on Building Community Relationships"
"Creative Community Collaborations: Making Your Community Work For You"

Recently, we spoke to psychologist Melanie Barwick about her research on how to prepare youth workers to use the evidence-based practice motivational interviewing in their work. In a new podcast, we continue the conversation with Barwick and one of the trainers she enlisted in her study. They talk in more depth about their finding that providing intensive, comprehensive training and support to staff members and supervisors makes it easier for them to put motivational interviewing into practice.

Listen to the podcast.

If you've ever bought a box of Girl Scout cookies or paid a high school softball team to wash your car, you know that young people bring an almost irresistible something to fundraising. At the same time, young fundraisers pick up important skills, like setting goals, planning ahead, working as a team and making the case for a cause.

Members of 360 Youth Services’ youth advisory board, in Naperville, IL, wanted to learn those skills raising money for activities and supplies for youth in the program, says Damir Djidic, transitional living program coordinator and advisor to the group.

“Adults tend to respond better to kids than other adults,” Djidic says. “They see other adults as just collecting money, while they see youth as doing more than collecting money. They respond well to commitment and entrepreneurial skills in young people.”

This year the advisory board decided to hold a car wash and a youth art sale, raising more than $1,000 with assistance from adult mentors. The advisory board uses the cash they raise to put on fun game nights, support community organizations that feed the hungry and help veterans, and purchase school supplies and clothing for program participants, Djidic says. Here are some lessons Djidic and the youth advisory board have learned about fundraising:

1. Marketing makes a difference. Youth can’t raise money at a fundraising event if people don’t come, Djidic says. “The only way the fundraiser can be successful is if you put a lot of effort into advertising.”

The 360 advisory board uses social media, old-fashioned paper fliers and word-of-mouth to get the message out. Some great, free places to advertise include coffee shops, grocery stores and community bulletin boards.

2. 'Tis the season. Is there an ideal time to hold a fundraiser? Absolutely, Djidic says. 360 Youth Services has found the best times to be the holidays (the end of November to the beginning of January) and late summer (end of August to early September).

Those are times when people have more free time and are in the spirit of giving and helping others. For winter fundraising events, youth should consider an indoor activity and always try to be the first to ask for funding, Djidic says. For example, if youth are planning a winter fundraiser, they should get a jump on soliciting donations in mid-November.

3. Flexibility is key. Not every young person who volunteers to help with the fundraiser may be as enthusiastic as others all the time. Maybe someone’s personal issues are taking the forefront. Someone else might be busy with school work, or just not interested in the particular activity.

Youth workers or other adult mentors can mediate a conversation among youth about working together, while also helping to find specific roles that fit the busy young person's strengths, like designing fliers, counting up the money in the cash box or handling social media marketing.

More From NCFY

“More Than Flowers Blossom When Youth Become Fundraisers”

“Ten Rules of Events Fundraising”

“Right on the Money: Garnering Community Support for Your Special Events”