The Art of Crowdfunding 

This session is currently filled. Please contact Mara Miller at mara@mrac.org if you'd like to be added to the waiting list.

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The Art of Crowdfunding
Wednesday, October 15, 2014, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, 2324 University W., Suite 114, St. Paul, MN 55114
Presented by Steve Boland, Next in Nonprofits 
 
Do you have a time-sensitive project that needs revenue to make happen? Have you considered crowdfunding? Crowdfunding in an online way to raise money (and create buzz) for your idea. You probably have heard the term in the news. But how does it work? How do you choose which platform to use? How do you make your campaign standout and be successful? In this session you will:

• learn how crowdfunding differs from other types of fundraising and what kind of projects make the best campaigns
• compare common crowdfunding tools such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Razoo, GiveMN.org and CommitChange for costs, benefits and other considerations
• discuss the importance of partnerships and board buy-in
• learn peer-to-peer fundraising tactics and other strategies for increasing your campaign's reach and engagement (and what pitfalls to avoid)
• think about measurements for effectiveness and spin off benefits such as increasing donor/audience bases and branding efforts.

Using arts and cultural examples, Steve Boland will help you evaluate whether crowdfunding is right for your organization and offer strategies and tactics for making your crowdfunding efforts successful.
 
Steve Boland is a nonprofit leader with expertise in building strong communities, creating effective financial and evaluation strategies, and using technology to further nonprofit fundraising and operational goals. Steve has over 20 years of nonprofit and public sector experience, including executive director positions at Saint Paul Neighborhood Network, Summit-University Planning Council, and Greater Frogtown Community Development Corporation. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Management from Hamline University and serves on the Board of Directors for Outfront Minnesota. You can often find his leading-edge industry opinions in publications of Nonprofit Quarterly, Community Tech Knowledge, and the Minnesota Council on Foundations