How can I crowdfund a gift?
August 26, 2014 4:56 PM Subscribe
I want to organize a pool of several hundred people who benefited from one person's efforts to make their days better. Is there something like Kickstarter to help facilitate crowdfunding a gift?
This person went above and beyond to bring a community of people together in a really amazing (non-trivial) way, did it in their spare time and a their own expense, and really should be thanked.
I've reached out to a couple dozen who are enthusiastic about buying this person a weekend getaway, but the circles of people overlap and no one person can connect them all in the real world and collect the cash to a central place.
Kickstarter and Indiegogo are great for funding projects, but apparently not this sort of thing. What can I do to set something like this up in a hurry (we want to present the gift at an event in a week).
BONUS points for recommendations that can help keep it a surprise.
This person went above and beyond to bring a community of people together in a really amazing (non-trivial) way, did it in their spare time and a their own expense, and really should be thanked.
I've reached out to a couple dozen who are enthusiastic about buying this person a weekend getaway, but the circles of people overlap and no one person can connect them all in the real world and collect the cash to a central place.
Kickstarter and Indiegogo are great for funding projects, but apparently not this sort of thing. What can I do to set something like this up in a hurry (we want to present the gift at an event in a week).
BONUS points for recommendations that can help keep it a surprise.
Best answer: My sister set up a very similar fund for our dad's birthday on PlumFund. She posted it around on Facebook, and I believe she was able to keep it secret by blocking all the posts from him using privacy settings. She seems really satisfied with her experience using the site.
posted by augustimagination at 5:32 PM on August 26, 2014
posted by augustimagination at 5:32 PM on August 26, 2014
If you are someone people will see as trustworthy (or you can choose someone else who people would see that way), how about just using something like Venmo or Paypal to collect donations personally (just make sure everyone chooses "gift to a friend" rather than business options). Then whoever is organizing can purchase the gift using those funds. Any overage could be put onto an Amazon gift card or a Starbucks gift card or [fill in something local and awesome] gift card so that you are not making a profit. I think this will be easiest and incur the least amount of fees.
Of course, it requires a certain amount of trust in the donors that you're not going to run away with the money, but assuming you're embedded in some sort of social or work network where that is unlikely, I don't see the problem. I have certainly given to funds for "going away" or "30th anniversary with our company" sort of gifts where I'll give $20 to a secretary or a person at our church who is organizing the gift-giving.
posted by rainbowbrite at 7:52 AM on August 27, 2014
Of course, it requires a certain amount of trust in the donors that you're not going to run away with the money, but assuming you're embedded in some sort of social or work network where that is unlikely, I don't see the problem. I have certainly given to funds for "going away" or "30th anniversary with our company" sort of gifts where I'll give $20 to a secretary or a person at our church who is organizing the gift-giving.
posted by rainbowbrite at 7:52 AM on August 27, 2014
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posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:02 PM on August 26, 2014 [1 favorite]