Crowdfunding for cooperatives

As one of several efforts to support co-op ecosystem development in the DC region, CrowdWork.Coop partnered with Social Conscience PBC to initiate a pilot program with the goal to alleviate funding barriers for early-stage co-op business and project growth.  To do so, we began developing a direct referral platform for crowdfunding that serves as a non-extractive local alternative to other fundraising platform options.

How does it work?

A campaign page is created with the help of CrowdWork.Coop digital services.

When filling the donation form, the donor has the option to contribute additional amount to help support the platform and additional campaigns for co-ops. 

On form submission, the donor’s entire transaction is sent directly to the campaign holder (no money touches the platform itself).

Form entries are collected in the database, segmenting donations to the co-op campaign vs those to the platform.

The full donor report is sent to the campaign holder, along with a request to return funds in the amount indicated to be contributed to the platform.

These funds are sent back to Social Conscience PBC as the merchant account service provider. These funds will pay for labor and overhead expenses to improve the platform’s functionality and features, and support the successful launch of more campaigns.

• • Developing a prototype of the platform
  • Developing an intake process for nominees or applicants looking to raise funds
    
  • Co-designing personalized landing pages with existing digital assets of the campaign holders
    
  • Free web hosting for the duration of the campaigns
    
  • Multiple digital strategy sessions, and
  • Professional marketing assistance from one or more CrowdWork.Coop members
    

Additionally, so far our partnered effort allowed us to:

• • Develop a first working prototype of a functional crowdfunding vehicle for cooperatively-funded projects and campaigns.
    
  • Host our first successful pilot fundraiser for a worker-owned co-op in the DC region.
  • Hire a local web development training program graduate to build our first campaign’s landing page through a learn & earn model.
  • Provide a direct referral and proof of work to this individual that landed him full-time gainful employment in his target field.
  • Provide technical assistance to multiple co-op groups that applied for free digital service support and fundraiser landing pages to help them get closer to market readiness.
  • Begin integrating the functionality into a plugin for other co-ops to host on their own websites.