Crowdfunding

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Crowdfunding can be an effective means of generating small business support. While not relevant for all business models, crowdfunding can both raise much-needed revenue, as well as a means for brick & mortar small businesses to stay connected to their local community. Crowdfunding can also be effective for business ventures with a social mission, to reach and expand its range of supporters. 

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See below for options through which funders provide monetary contributions in exchange for non-cash rewards, or extend "peer to peer" lending to the business:

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GoFundMe enables small businesses to raise money through campaign donations from its community of neighbors and customers and the wider GoFundMe community ​

 

Indiegogo enables entrepreneurs to fund tech, design, and other projects through financial pledges from supporters, who often receive customer experience perks or products for their contribution towards the project's "keep what you raise" campaign 

 

Kickstarter enables entrepreneurs to fund creative projects through financial pledges from supporters, who often receive customer experience perks or products for their contribution towards the project's "all-or-nothing" campaign. For more information about preparing a Kickstarter campaign, check out this article from Kickstarter support.

 

Kiva enables small businesses to secure loans of up to $15,000 at 0% interest with the support of the entrepreneur's own network as well as Kiva’s wider network of individual lenders

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IFundWomen operates a rewards-based crowdfunding platform exclusively for women entrepreneurs looking to raise capital. Interested business owners can take the platform's online crowdfunding course or attend one of their free weekly 'Crowdfunding 101' webinars to get more information on the organization and their crowdfunding tools. 

 

Mainvest enables small businesses to raise $20,000 - $1,000,000 in investment capital from its community of neighbors and customers, repaying those investors with a pre-negotiated percentage of the business revenue or as a term loan

 

PayPal Generosity Network enables U.S. small businesses who are PayPal customers to create a campaign and raise up to $20,000 in funding over a maximum 30 day campaign period

 

Wefunder enables small businesses to raise $50,000 - $5,000,000 in loans or equity capital from that businesses' community and/or the Wefunder network of investor supporters 

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