About ioby
ioby stands for “in our backyards,” but it also stands for taking care of each other, for civic participation, and for trusting neighbors to know what’s best for the neighborhood.
ioby gives local leaders the ability to crowdfund the resources they need to build real, lasting change from the ground up. We are a 501(c)3 mission-driven nonprofit. Our EIN is 26-3283639.
How ioby is different from other crowdfunding platforms
Fundraising Coaching
You're the experts on your neighborhood, we're the experts on crowdfunding.
ioby's high success rate for crowdfunded projects is rooted in a unique model of fundraising coaching. With ioby, you won't just put up a page, you'll work with our team to craft the most effective campaign whether you’re working on a $500, $5,000, or $50,000 goal.
Fiscal Sponsorship
When you crowdfund with ioby, your donors' gifts to your eligible project are always tax-deductible. ioby is a 501(c)3 driven to help you make lasting positive change in your neighborhood. We offer fiscal sponsorship (most similar to Type C Fiscal Sponsorship) so that you can accept tax-deductible donations whether or not you are incorporated as a nonprofit.
A Network of People Who Believe in You
ioby believes in the power of online and offline connections. When you work with ioby, you’ll join a community of thousands of leaders and changemakers, and share knowledge, challenges, and experiences. You can rely on our years of experience to help craft step-by-step plans that you can follow to successfully raise resources. Our team can also connect you with experts in fields like urban planning, green infrastructure, community organizing, communications, and for help implementing your project.
Match Funds
ioby raises and deploys Match Funds to meet the needs of our community. All live match funds available are here.
How donors can give to your campaign
Donors can make donations to your ioby campaign by making an online donation with a credit card or debit card on your ioby campaign page. Donors can also give by check. Click here for instructions for gifts made by check.
Fees
Our fee is one of the absolute lowest among crowdfunding platforms, and there is no up-front cost for using ioby. At the end of your campaign, we retain a 4% processing fee that pays our secure credit card processor and an optional 8% fee that is only retained if you opt for ioby's fiscal sponsorship service. Your Leader Success Strategist will help you calculate your estimated fees when you begin your campaign, and factor it into your fundraising goal, so there are no surprises. Read more here.
Disbursement
You can receive your funds by mailed paper check or by secure e-payment (via ACH directly to your bank account). Depending on your preference and how fast you (and, if applicable, your fiscal sponsor) complete your paperwork, you'll receive your funds as fast as three (3) business days after signing your Agreement when you use e-payment for disbursement.
Once you've finished crowdfunding, let your Leader Success Strategist know that you're ready to receive your funds. They'll send you a simple Project Agreement for you to sign, which essentially states that you'll use your crowdfunded money for its intended purpose--your project.
Once you've signed your Project Agreement, we'll send you your funds within 7 business days if you opt to receive it by check. Your funds will usually arrive sooner if you opt to receive it by secure e-payment.
If ioby is your fiscal sponsor, we'll send the payment directly to the project leader listed on your ioby campaign. If ioby is not your fiscal sponsor, then we'll send the payment to your nonprofit organization or your fiscal sponsor.
Ways ioby has already adapted our model to better serve mutual aid groups.
Direct Cash Assistance
If ioby is acting as your fiscal sponsor, and you want to disburse cash (as opposed to groceries, basic supplies, etc) to families in need, there are some guidelines that we can offer to ensure that you have a sufficient record of oversight. Please talk to your Success Strategist about these guidelines. Learn more about how ioby can support Direct Cash Assistance.
Other ways that ioby is actively exploring to serve mutual aid groups
In the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned a lot about the ways mutual aid groups could use support from ioby—from fiscal sponsorship to weekly disbursement, to expenditure management support. We are now taking those learnings and adapting them to our model to continue to serve mutual aid groups better. Have specific suggestions on what you'd like to see? Get in touch with us at hello@ioby.org, and be sure to check back on this page for future updates.
Explore currently crowdfunding Mutual Aid projects below
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Community Fundraiser for Sunset Park Survivors
This is a community-led support fund that will be used to directly assist survivors of the shooting that took place in Sunset Park on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
NEEDS: $18,330 of 50,000 -
COVID 19 - Brooklyn! Fight Covid-19 with Fresh Food for All!
Help food-insecure residents, especially Brownsville, get fresh food during COVID 19 + save local businesses by buying their goods for frontline workers + get health supplies to all.
NEEDS: $0 of 19,447 + Volunteers -
Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid - Food Distribution Center
Our Food Distribution Center provides immediate assistance to hospitality workers affected by COVID-19 through the distribution of free food, baby care items, pet necessities, and cleaning and hygiene products.
NEEDS: $0 of 14,427 + Volunteers -
Movimiento's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Immigrants in El Barrio
Movimiento's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Immigrants in El Barrio was created to offer mutual aid support to East Harlem during this global health crisis.
NEEDS: $0 of 70,284 -
Ohio City Riverview Care Package
We haven't had the chance to say hello to our elder neighbors at Riverview Terrace in a while! We want to send them all a care package to let them know we're thinking of them!
NEEDS: $0 of 7,513 -
Astoria Mutual Aid Network
This crowdfunding page is closed, but our work is ongoing.
You can visit our site and make a donation at https://www.astoriafoodpantry.com/NEEDS: $0 of 400,000 + Volunteers -
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid (EBMA) is focused on delivering good and high-quality food and improving the healthy food options in predominantly BIPOC neighborhoods of East New York.
NEEDS: $200,610 of 350,000 + Volunteers -
South Brooklyn Mutual Aid
We're building solidarity not charity and supporting our communities in South Brooklyn during the COVID-19 crisis.
NEEDS: $0 of 400,000 + Volunteers -
EVLovesNYC
Pandemic non-profit to feed NYers hardest hit by COVID. Prepared 72,000+ healthy meals & pantry bags so far.
NEEDS: $0 of 24,704 -
Bed-Stuy Strong’s Mutual Aid Community Fund
Formed in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Bed-Stuy Strong is a mutual aid network of neighbors from all walks of life that support each other in solidarity.
NEEDS: $0 of 620,000 -
GS Mutual Aid
A grassroots mutual aid network supporting the most vulnerable and at-risk members of our community during the COVID-19 crisis– immigrant and undocumented families.
NEEDS: $0 of 6,197 + Volunteers -
Healthy housing in East Davison Village
Housing repairs for and by long-term residents of East Davison Village.
NEEDS: $0 of 9,783 + Volunteers