This webinar covered what peer-funding is, how it works, who benefits, and how students can raise money using Project Travel and other crowdfunding sites.
Online Fundraising for Int'l Programs (Edu Abroad)
1. Welcome to the Webinar
on Online Fundraising
for International Programs!
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
Wednesday, July 31, 13
2. today
• Intro
• What is Crowdfunding?
• General vs. Niche Crowdfunding sites
• What Makes it Successful?
• Crowdfunding Concerns
• Group Funding
• Working Together (Project Travel’s Approach)
• Q & A
plus your input!
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3. Samantha Martin
Project Travel
Study Abroad Advisor
Gilman Scholar, Cyprus
U. of South Carolina
International Scholarship Advisor
SUNY New Paltz
Program Coordinator
IEP @ Jacksonville U.
Study Abroad Peer Advisor
Project Advisor
Director
MA Peace & Conflict Studies
University of Ulster
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar
Customized Faculty-Led Programs
2006
2008
2009
2013
2012
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4. Meet Our Team of World Citizens.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain
Kathryn Weimann
International Education Advisor
Jennifer Thomas
Founder & CEO
Greg Williams
Development
Veronika Goldberg
Design
Samantha Martin
Director
Michael Pottern
Business Strategy Advisor
Jackie Berkery
Community Strategist
Ezekiel Binion
Experience & Design Strategy Advisor
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6. To crowdfund is to tell a personal story
online and engage the community to
raise money & social support for a
cause, project, creative product,
business, or event.
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7. $2.7B raised
in crowdfunding
in 2012
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
2011
2012
2013
81%
increase over 2011
89%
increase expected for 2013
Financial information provided by Massolution: 2013CF-
The Crowdfunding Industry Report, crowdsourcing.org
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8. Already, crowdfunding curriculums
have been created at Carnegie Mellon
University and Northwestern University.
~Gerber, E. (2012) Easy Money? The Demands of Crowdfunding Work
http://egerber.mech.northwestern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Easy-
Money-_The-Demands-of-CrowdfundingWork-_2012.pdf. Northwestern
University
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9. Create a profile.
Tell a story online
(& offline)
through
words, video, &
photos.
Raise money
& support.
End project or
campaign.
Reach the goal or the
end of the project or
campaign.
Fulfill commitments.
(Go on program.)
Crowdfunding
Process
1
2
3
4
5
6
Ongoing
Thank &
Update
Supporters
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10. WHAT MAKES IT
A SUCCESS?
GENERAL VS NICHE
(a platform that allows you to fund
anything versus a specific purpose )
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11. Poll: Which of these crowdfunding
platforms are you familiar with?
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
Wednesday, July 31, 13
12. Go niche!
(what type of community do you want to be a part of?)
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13. Int’l Education Crowdfunding Sites
• Project Travel(launched public in 2013)
• FundMyTravel (launched public in 2012)
• Volunteer Forever (launched public in 2012)
crowdfunding is new in the
international education space!
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14. • additional resource to traditional
funding
• does not affect financial aid
package
• empowers every motivated
student to create a funding
solution
Students solve a funding problem,
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15. In addition to creating funding goals, creators also learn new skills, such as
budgeting, management, and videography, to complete preparation work.
~Gerber, E. (2012) Easy Money? The Demands of Crowdfunding Work http://egerber.mech.northwestern.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2012/11/Easy-Money-_The-Demands-of-CrowdfundingWork-_2012.pdf. Northwestern University
• digital storytelling
• budgeting
• marketing
• fundraising
• community outreach
learn new skills,
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16. & create awareness about
international education.
• why it is important
• where they are going
• who with
• impact on self & others
• need for social & financial
support
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17. WHAT MAKES IT SUCCESSFUL?
(the do’s and don’ts of crowdfunding)
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19. Poll: What do you think is the
single most important factor in a
successful crowdfunding project?
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
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20. Average Success Rates
68% funded* 32% fully funded*
*Numbers based on 353,003 projects in two separate studies
across platforms and crowdfunding purposes.
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21. Evers, M (2012) Marketing Management & Management of Innovation, Rotterdam School of Management,
Erasmus University, http://cultuurmarketing.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Mart-Evers_Master-
thesis_Main-drivers-of-crowdfunding-success_RSM_Marketing-Management_9-2012_PDF.pdf
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22. Project
Starters
Students
• realistic funding goal (cost of
admin. fees up to $5,000+)
• photos & video
• engagement with supporters
• cause of need
• high positive sentiment
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24. Advisors &
Faculty
Advisors & Faculty
• determine if crowdfunding is
a viable resource for your
students
• give consistent referrals to
crowdfunding options across
campus (financial aid, service-learning,
career services, faculty)
• program verification*
*Specific to Project Travel
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26. Poll: Which is your biggest concern
about crowdfunding?
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
Wednesday, July 31, 13
27. Are these funds really going
towards a program-related
expense?
I get so many
funding requests.
Is this one worth
my support?
Is my credit card
information secure?
Supporters
Advisors & Faculty
What happens if they
cancel their program?
What about legal issues?
Wednesday, July 31, 13
28. Supporters Advisors & Faculty
I can actually
help make this
dream a reality
for this student?
I’ll give!
My information is
secure & won’t be
shared!
We are not liable.
Donations are
legally gifts.
If they cancel, their
Project is canceled and
they return the funds.
Project Travel
won’t open a
Project for funding
until it is verified
that the student
submitted a
program
application.
Wednesday, July 31, 13
29. What if my family &
friends think I am
“begging?”
What if I fail?
Why are there fees to
crowdfund?
Students
Do I have time to crowdfund?
How do I do this?
Wednesday, July 31, 13
30. Students
If this is truly important to
me, I will do the work to
reach my goals!
People who care about
me or connect with my
story will support me.
The small fee retained from gifts given
is worth this platform & the support.
My Project Advisor is
helping me and I have
access to online
resources at any time.
This is a learning
experience and I
have people to
support me.
I pay nothing out of pocket and I
don’t have to pay anything back.
Wednesday, July 31, 13
31. “This was a great learning experience because I
have never really had to do fundraising like this.
~Stephanie, SUNY New Paltz
“I am almost done with my promotional video ...
I'm really excited.”
~Marisol, Bard College
My goal is to raise $3,000 to fund my round trip
plane ticket to NZ this Spring! For every $100 we
raise, I will donate 1 hour of service to a
designated charity.
~Briana, University of South Carolina
Project Starters
(in their own words)
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33. Group Funding for Faculty-Led Programs
will crowdfunding reduce cancellation rates?
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34. Poll: Do you see group funding as
a potential option for reducing
cancellation rates on faculty-led
programs?
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
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36. understand
the needs of
int’l educators
support our
community
start to finish
Three Pillars of Who We Are
mission motivated
and results driven
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37. Ways We Work With Our Community
• Support existing advising structures
• Program verification
• Joint email outreach
• Printed materials
• Unique URL (e.g. www.projecttravel.com/go/academic-studies-abroad)
• (Your ideas here!)
Wednesday, July 31, 13
38. Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
Additional Resources
NAFSA 2013 Poster Session Info on Crowdfunding
http://blog.projecttravel.com/nafsa13-poster-session
Short Video Introduction to Project Travel
http://blog.projecttravel.com/learn-more
Sign up for our monthly newsletter
http://u.gopt.me/community-newsletter
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39. Questions?
Man designed by Nina Machado from The Noun Project
Please contact us at
community@projecttravel.com.
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40. Paper Airplane designed by Benjamin Orlovski from The Noun Project
from
here
to
there
thank you.
(do stay in touch)
Samantha Martin
samantha@projecttravel.com
866 720 7572 x20
@goprojecttravel
www.projecttravel.com
hello@projecttravel.com
f
Wednesday, July 31, 13