BASICS
What can I fundraise for through Ideas Marketplace?
You can fundraise for any project that provides a public benefit to NYCHA residents and is not aimed at private profit. Leaders have used ioby to fundraise for community gardens, food justice, local site improvements, community organizing, neighborhood events, recycling and composting projects, public art, renewable energy, education events… the sky’s the limit. For your new ideas, we only ask for you to consider two things: 1) that the idea includes NYCHA residents in its planning and implementation; 2) that the idea focuses on sustainability! Check out NextGeneration NYCHA Sustainability Agenda to get more sustainability ideas.
What projects CAN’T be included in Ideas Marketplace?
We cannot currently support for-profit business startups, campaigns that benefit just one individual or family (such as campaigns for medical costs), or international campaigns that benefit non-US residents.
How do I get started?
Simply share an idea anytime at ioby.org/nycha to get started. After you submit your project idea, you can immediately access our Leader Toolkit training materials and begin building your ioby campaign page; within about three business days you will also hear from your ioby Success Strategist, who will set up a call with you to answer any questions and set you on the path toward fundraising success.
If your idea involves hosting an event on or physical alterations to NYCHA property, you will need to work with a NYCHA representative who will guide you through the process. For projects taking place outside of NYCHA property, you may direct all questions to your ioby Success Strategist.
CROWDFUNDING
What services does ioby offer?
ioby provides an affordable online crowdfunding platform, paired with customized one-on-one fundraising coaching from a Leader Success Strategist, one of our experienced crowdfunding coaches. This hands-on, personalized support is available to every single neighborhood leader who fundraises with us. We also regularly provide free workshops and webinar trainings in crowdfunding.
How is ioby’s platform tailored for community projects?
We’ve designed our platform to be ideal for community-benefit projects in several important ways. With ioby, you can:
• be sure that every donor automatically receives a donor acknowledgment letter that they can use to claim a tax deduction
• always keep what you raise with our flexible finish policy
• seek volunteers and donors at the same time
• access all your donor contact info to help you cultivate your local base of support
• fundraise with suggested donation levels instead of cash-value gifts
What is 'crowdfunding'?
Crowdfunding refers to a method of fundraising for a project that uses an easily shareable and accessible online platform to collect many donations. With crowdfunding, even small donations from many people can add up to big impact.
Who will donate to my crowdfunding campaign?
Crowdfunding campaigns are funded by neighbors, friends, family, local businesses, and others who would love to see your project brought to life. Crowdfunding can also help bring in support from outside of your usual networks.
How long is a typical crowdfunding campaign?
Campaign length varies depending on how much is being raised and how quickly you fundraise, but an average ioby campaign lasts 5-7 weeks.
Will ioby fundraise for me?
No crowdfunding platform fundraises for your project, but ioby will provide the tools and coaching you need to run an effective crowdfunding campaign. ioby regularly shares projects with our national audience via our blog and social media, and our network can give your campaign some extra exposure, but know that 90% of donations to online crowdfunding campaigns are made by people in the extended network of the fundraising team. No matter what platform you use, crowdfunding always starts with YOUR crowd. Read more here.
What will make my crowdfunding campaign successful?
The top predictor of a successful ioby campaign is the size of your fundraising team. Having a committed team of at least three or four people--more, if your goal is large--can be the difference between a successful campaign and a fundraising flop. While no two crowdfunding campaigns are the same, we’ve collected several best practices from the 1,000+ projects that have been funded on ioby's platform. Every leader who works with ioby is assigned a Leader Success Strategist, a grassroots fundraising expert who can help craft a stellar campaign page, set the right campaign target, build a winning team, plan campaign communications, and more.
FEES AND DISBURSEMENT
How will my group or organization receive the funds that we've raised on ioby's platform?
When you've finished fundraising using ioby's platform, you'll alert your ioby Leader Success Strategist that you would like to collect your funds.
If you’re working with a 501c3 nonprofit organization, we’ll just ask the leader of the fundraising effort and a representative of the organization to sign an agreement with ioby committing your organization to spending those funds as laid out on the ioby campaign page. This is done using an online e-signature platform and should not take longer than a few minutes to complete. ioby will then write and mail a check to your 501c3 organization.
If you are not working with a 501c3 nonprofit organization, the Fund for Public Housing will serve as your group’s fiscal sponsor. In this case, the leader of your fundraising effort and a representative from the Fund for Public Housing will sign an agreement that commits your group to spending the funds as specified on your ioby campaign page. ioby will then write and mail a check to the Fund for Public Housing, who will oversee the disbursement of funds for your project.
What’s the fee for using ioby?
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 flat fee of $35 that helps us keep our platform running (and we waive that fee if you raise less than $1,000). We also retain a 3% processing fee that pays our secure credit card processor. Your Leader Success Strategist will add your estimated fees into your fundraising goal at the beginning of your campaign so there are no surprises. Read more here.
What if I don’t meet my goal?
You can always keep what you raise on ioby, even if it’s less or more than your original fundraising goal. Our flexible finish policy allows you to edit your campaign deadline and fundraising goal if needed, so you can adjust if things change during your campaign. Read more here.
Are donations to ioby campaigns tax deductible?
Yes, every donation to every ioby campaign is fully tax-deductible. When your donors give, they receive an automated thank you from ioby that provides them documentation of their tax-deductible donation.
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Have a question that's not listed here? Email David Weinberger, ioby's City Partnerships Director, at david@ioby.org.