Friday, April 16, 2010

Hey check this out. It's a new way to raise funds for our Harwich Folks Festival

Here is an example how we can offer a grassroots way to raise funds for the Harwich Folks Festival expenses for-this year. This idea came forward from Liz Viera's son, Evan Viera, a young filmmaker from western Massachusetts. So check this site out !


If we, as the Harwich Folk Festival Committee can work with the present and long established Harwich Cranberry Festival Committee, they already have a non-profit 501 (c) 3 agency we may work under as our sponsoring fiduciary agent until we grow into our own artists cooperative.

http://www.kickstarter.com/



What is Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative ideas and ambitious endeavors.
We believe that...
• A good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide.
• A large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement.
Kickstarter is powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands. 


All-or-nothing funding?
Every Kickstarter project must be fully funded before its time expires or no money changes hands.


Why?
  1. It's less risk for everyone. If you need $5,000, it's tough having $2,000 and a bunch of people expecting you to complete a $5,000 project.
  2. It allows people to test concepts (or conditionally sell stuff) without risk. If you don't receive the support you want, you're not compelled to follow through. This is huge!
  3. It motivates. If people want to see a project come to life, they're going to spread the word.

Why do people support projects?
REWARDS! Project creators inspire people to open their wallets by offering smart, fun, and tangible rewards (products, benefits, and experiences).
STORIES! Kickstarter projects are efforts by real people to do something they love, something fun, or at least something of note. These stories unfold through blog posts, pics, and videos as people bring their ideas to life. Take a peek around the site and see what we're talking about. Stories abound. 

 
So this isn't about investing?
Nope. Project creators keep 100% ownership.

Who can fund their project on Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is focused on creative ideas and ambitious endeavors. We're a great way for artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers, writers, athletes, adventurers, illustrators, explorers, curators, promoters, performers, and others to bring their projects, events, and dreams to life.
We know there are a lot of great projects that fall outside of our scope, but Kickstarter is not really for soliciting donations for causes, general business expenses, or raising funds without a specific goal. Learn more about our project guidelines.

How does someone start a project?
Learn more about starting a project.

How It Works

How does funding work?
Every project has a funding goal (any dollar amount) and a time limit (from 1 - 90 days) set by the project creator. When the deadline is reached, there are either of two results:
1. Funding Successful: If a project has met or surpassed its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are instantly charged and funds go directly to the project creator. Project creators are then responsible for completing the project and delivering rewards as promised.
2. Funding Unsuccessful: If a project has NOT met its funding goal, all pledges are canceled. That's it.

How do I make a pledge?
To make a pledge to a project, click the green “Back This Project” button on any project page. You will be asked to pick your pledge amount and select a reward. From there, you will go through the Amazon checkout process. Note that you must finish the Amazon checkout for your pledge to be completed.

If I make a pledge, when is my card charged?
If the project you’re backing is successfully funded, your card will be charged when the project reaches its funding deadline. If the project does not reach its funding goal, your card is never charged. That's why we call them pledges.

If funding does not succeed, do backers pay anything?
Nothing. If funding fails, all pledges are canceled and that's that.

What happens if a project reaches its funding goal before time expires?
Nothing really. Projects continue to accept pledges until the funding deadline.

How does the money stuff work?
Amazon Payments processes all the pledges on Kickstarter. When you decide to make a pledge, we'll quickly send you to an Amazon Payments page to confirm. If you have an Amazon account this takes only a few clicks. If you don't have an Amazon account, Amazon will ask you to register during the pledge process — it's painless. You won't need to do anything annoying like stop in the middle and check your email.

Am I credited anywhere for backing a project?
Every project has a section that shows the Kickstarter usernames of all the backers of the project. Your profile will also show all the projects you've backed or started.

Is my pledge amount publicly displayed?
No. Only you and the project creator will be able to see your pledge amount.

If I make a pledge, what info does the project creator receive?
Project creators see your Kickstarter username, your pledge amount, and the reward you've selected, if applicable. If funding succeeds we'll also give project creators your email address.

How do I know if a project creator is who they say they are?
• Perhaps you know the project creator, or you heard about the project from a trusted source.
• Maybe they have a first-person video. That would be hard to fake. "Is it really U2?!" Well, it is if Bono's talking about the project in the video.
• Still not sure? Ask the project creator a question via the "Send Message" button on their project page.
At the end of the day, use your internet street smarts.

What if I want to pledge anonymously?
We don't currently have an anonymous pledge feature. We have no control over the username you choose, so you could anonymize that way. Otherwise, we hope you're okay with showing your name and support.

I'm not in the US. Can I still pledge to projects?
Yes. You can pledge from anywhere.

I'm a non-US Amazon account holder and I can't make a pledge, what's up with that?
If you are a non-US Amazon Mechanical Turk user you may experience a problem trying to pledge. You'll need to create a new Amazon Payments account during check-out. Sorry this is annoying. We've alerted Amazon about this bug.

Do I get notified if a project I'm backing succeeds? Or what if I've simply forgot that I've made a pledge?
We’ll send you an email when funding ends, no matter the outcome.

Do I have to pay with Amazon? Why can’t I use Paypal? Why can't Kickstarter just take my credit card info?
Kickstarter uses Amazon's Flexible Payments Service, which enables our all-or-nothing funding method. No other credit card processor currently supports our requirements. Paypal has a new service coming out soon; we'll be keeping our eye on it.

How can I change my credit card details before funding ends?
Visit the project page and click “Manage My Pledge.” At the very bottom of the next page, click on “Change Payment Method.”

A project I'm backing just succeeded and my credit card was declined. What should I do?
If your card was declined, look for the "Action Needed" system message on your screen (a big yellow bar across the top of your screen). Follow the instructions there and you should be set.
Alternatively, you will have received an email from Kickstarter with the subject line “Action Needed” that contains the link to correct your pledge. If you don’t see an email, check your spam filter. It may have been caught there.
You have seven days to correct the payment error.

Can I cancel a pledge?
By pledging, you are committing to supporting that person’s project; canceling that commitment is discouraged. If you must cancel, visit the project page and click “Manage My Pledge.” At the bottom of the next page you’ll see the “Cancel My Pledge” button.

Can I pay with a check? Send cash by mail?
Sorry, Kickstarter only supports credit card payments.

Are pledges tax deductible?
If a project creator has 501c3 status, then a pledge may be tax exempt. A project creator will likely tout their tax-exempt status if they have it. If you wish to inquire further, please contact the project creator via the "Send Message" button on their project page.

Rewards

Who creates the rewards for each project?
Project creators sculpt their own rewards, including pricing and quantities. It's completely up to them.

What can be offered as a reward?
Pretty much anything. Rewards inspire support and can be as simple as a download for $5 or as elaborate as a hot-air balloon ride. It's up to the project creator to create, price, and fulfill their rewards.
Investment and loan solicitations are forbidden, as are lotteries, raffles, and sweepstakes. Check Amazon Payments' Acceptable Use Policy for more.

What if project creators need my mailing address or T-shirt size to deliver my stuff?
If the project has been successfully funded, the project creator will query you for whatever information they need. You will be notified by email and an on-site message with the subject "Action Needed." This goes for addresses, shirt sizes, favorite colors, etc.

Who is responsible for making sure project creators deliver what they promise?
Project creators are wholly responsible for their promises. Kickstarter is a venue, like eBay or Etsy.

Starting a Project

Do projects require a funding goal and deadline?
Yes. Every project creator must set a funding goal and a deadline between 1 - 90 days for funding.

If a project is successfully funded, how do project creators receive their money?
Before they launch their first project, project creators set up an Amazon Payments account. If funding succeeds, funds go directly from backers' credit cards to the project creator's Amazon Payments account.
Amazon will hold funds for 14 days after payments are collected. Once this hold is released, project creators can transfer funds to their bank account (which can take 5-7 days).
(Note: Amazon Payments users with a six-month history of receiving credit card payments can apply to Amazon for immediate withdrawals.)

Does Kickstarter take some percentage of ownership or intellectual property of things made through Kickstarter?
Absolutely not. Project creators keep 100% ownership of their work.

What fees does Kickstarter charge?
If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter will apply a 5% fee to the funds raised. If funding isn't successful, there are no charges.

Does Amazon charge any fees?
Yes. When a project is successful, Amazon will apply credit card processing fees.
There is no Amazon fee for backers.

Does it cost money to list a project on Kickstarter?
No. Starting a project is free.

Is there a maximum for how much a project can raise?
No.

Is there a minimum or maximum for how much a reward can cost?
Yes. Rewards can be priced anywhere from $1 to $10,000.

Is there anything that can't be a project?
All projects must comply with the Amazon Payments Acceptable Use Policy, which you can read in full here. This includes things like pornography, violence, firearms, weapons, etc. Investment and loan solicitations are forbidden, as are lotteries, raffles, and sweepstakes.

Is an Amazon Payments account required to start a project?
To start a project, you need to create an Amazon Payments account. We'll send you to Amazon to set your account up when you start your first project. It's not a short form but it's manageable.

Do I have to be US-based to start a project?
Currently, yes. Kickstarter's transactions are handled by Amazon Payments, which restricts the ability to receive money to people or entities with a US bank account and a US address.
Kickstarter will allow international project creators in the future.
Remember that people can pledge to projects from anywhere; it's only project creation that's restricted.

Managing a Project

Is there a way to see all of my project's activity?
Each project has a dashboard accessible from the project page that includes:
1. Activity Feed: A real-time stream of comments, pledges, and other project activity.
2. The Backer Report: A list of all reward pledges broken out by tier and backer.
3. The Message Center: An inbox for all messages with backers.
4. Transaction History: Processing information if the project is successful.
5. Project Editing: Tweak and perfect your project.
Note that the dashboard is only viewable by the project creator.

How can I get my backers' information (shirt size, mailing address) to fulfill rewards?
After your project is successfully funded, you can query your backers from the Backer Report in your dashboard. Click on the "Request Info" button next to each reward tier; you can then customize what questions to ask.
Queries are handled by reward tier (only ask the T-shirt tier what size they wear, etc). The information you receive will be displayed on the Backer Report page, and can be exported as a spreadsheet.

Can projects be edited after launch?
Yes. The only things that cannot be edited after launch are:
  • The funding goal
  • The project deadline
  • Rewards that have already been selected by a backer

Why doesn't the number of backers to my project match the number who have given rewards?
Backers have the option to not receive a reward at all. Some of your supporters may have chosen this option.

Can projects raise more money than their goal?
Yes. Projects continue to accept pledges until their end date regardless of their funding.

Can a creator choose to end a project early?
No. We may add that in the future, though.

If a project changes during the funding process, how should I inform my backers?
Creators should absolutely inform backers of changes to a project in process. Transparency is important.
If a change needs to be communicated, the project description may need editing, and creators should also post a project update or send a group message to their backers (from the Message Center page).

If I am unable to complete my project as listed, what should I do?
If you fundamentally change your project, are unable to fulfill the promises made to backers, or decide to abandon the project for any reason, you are expected to cancel funding. A failure to do so could result in damage to your reputation or even legal action on behalf of your backers.

Can funding be canceled?
Yes. A project creator has the option to cancel funding. When funding is canceled, all pledges are immediately voided. Project creators and backers can continue to post on the project, however.

Can a project be deleted?
Not once it has been launched to the public. Projects remain accessible on Kickstarter, even if funding fails or funding is canceled. We do this for transparency.

Can I edit my project after funding is completed?
No. Creators are encouraged to use project updates to add new information to the project's development.

What happens if a backer's credit card is declined?
If a credit card is declined, an email is sent to the backer and this information appears on the Backer Report page. The backer has seven days to correct payment, and an email is sent every 48 hours during that period with a link for them to do so.

I pledged to my own project from another account, and now my Amazon Payments account is canceled?!
Warning! Credit card rules forbid project creators from paying themselves. Any pledges made by a project creator to themselves may cause Amazon to cancel a project creator’s Amazon account, making it impossible to receive or remove funds.

While Kickstarter prevents project creators from backing their own projects from the same Kickstarter account, Amazon will detect if the project creator uses a new Kickstarter account and/or a new Amazon account to make the pledge. Amazon looks for the credit card info as well as other primary information to determine if a party is attempting to pay itself. This is not an Amazon-specific policy — this type of transaction is considered an attempt to create a "cash advance" and is forbidden by all credit card companies.

Please note that Amazon may not detect this action until a project succeeds and they attempt to collect funds. While the project will appear to succeed on Kickstarter, Amazon will later suspend any Amazon Payments accounts controlled by the project creator, making it impossible to receive/remove funds.

What if people mail me a check or give me cash, how do I reflect their pledges on Kickstarter?
You don’t have any obligation to reflect these amounts on Kickstarter. However, if you are concerned that these contributions are needed to make funding successful, these "outside backers" will need to have a third-party make their Kickstarter pledge for them (see previous question).

Publishing

What are project updates?
"Project Updates" is our fancy name for each project's blog. Some creators may post ten updates a day, others may do it rarely, but it's the best way to keep backers informed of a project's progress.
Creators also have the option to make each post publicly viewable or exclusive to backers. An exclusive update allows you to communicate privately with backers as a group, where backers will be able to see each other's comments.

How will backers know that there's a project update?
Backers are notified by email when a project update is posted.

How should I use project updates?
Project updates can transform projects from simple funding efforts to stories that backers (and other spectators) will eagerly follow. Let backers and spectators be flies on the wall as you make decisions and pursue your goal.

What media types are allowed in updates?
You can post updates with video, audio, and images.

Any tips for shooting great videos?
We suggest starting with this how-to from Kickstarter member Robin Sloan. It contains tons of useful video info specific to Kickstarter.

How do I export and upload my video?
For best results, we suggest encoding your video with standard options using a h264 video codec and either a MP3 or AAC audio codec.
Kickstarter will compress the video down to a resolution of 560x420, which is a 4:3 aspect ratio. But we support any uploaded aspect ratio, such as 16:9, by adding the appropriate padding (letterboxing).

Sharing

Can projects be shared on other sites and social networks?
Absolutely. Kickstarter projects are all-or-nothing — they either happen or they don't. Every project depends on their backers' and creator's networks for its survival.
There are simple buttons for the major social networks in the share section of each project. Just look under the project video slot.

Is there a widget that can be put on other blogs and MySpace pages and other sites to promote a project?
Yep. You can find it right underneath the project's video/image in the share section: "grab the widget."

Is there a way to share a project on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg or via email?
Yes. Click on the icons for email and the major social networks in the project page's share section.

Do projects have RSS feeds?
Each project has an RSS feed of its project updates. You can find it in the project's share section. (Note that backer-only updates are not included.)

Can I sign up for Kickstarter using Facebook?
Yes. Kickstarter supports Facebook Connect, which allows you to easily sign-up using your FacebookFacebook. (For some of us, this is all the time.) account. Once you do this you'll be logged into Kickstarter when you're logged into

Is Kickstarter on Twitter?
Yes. Follow us @kickstarter.

Does Kickstarter have a Facebook page?
Yes, and you should join it.

The Rest

Does Kickstarter have a staff blog?
Yes! Read it here: http://blog.kickstarter.com.

Is there a place where I can request new features?
Yes, through UserVoice. Please share your thoughts!

I have a customer service question not addressed here. Is there a way to get in touch?
Of course. You can contact our small customer service team of two here.

Who is Kickstarter?
Nine people all around the US. Home base is Brooklyn, NY.
Perry Chen (Brooklyn, NY), Yancey Strickler (Brooklyn, NY), Charles Adler (Wilmette, IL), Lance Ivy (Walla Walla, WA), Andy Baio (Portland, OR), Cassie Marketos (Brooklyn, NY), Fred Benenson (NY, NY), Luke Crawford (Brooklyn, NY), Andrew Cornett (Brooklyn, NY).
We are lovingly advised by Sunny Bates (New York, NY).






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