How to set up a crowdfunding page

There’s a number of crowdfunding platforms to choose from. Some crowdfunding sites are based on the model that your “target amount” is all important. On those platforms, If you don’t meet your target, you’ve failed, and all of your donations are cancelled. You DON’T want to set up your #StopTheTories crowdfunder like that. We’re rapidly building up #StopTheTories from nothing. None of us knows how successful this project might become in the coming weeks, but let’s not expect too much of ourselves either. Don’t put at risk getting some money in to make a difference with; don’t put yourself under that pressure.

Our recommended crowdfunder platform with fully flexible funding is YouCaring, which is super user-friendly to set up. All you’ll need to get started is a PayPal account, to withdraw your funds to.

Buttons to press to set up your crowdfunder

1) Go to www.youcaring.com.

2) Click Start a Free Fundraiser.

3) If you’ve not used YouCaring before, you’ll next be asked to set up an account. Either log in with your Facebook account, or enter your full name, email, and your password twice, and then click the Sign up button.

4) In the next window entitled “Set your goal”, change the currency for your crowdfunder from US Dollar to Pound. 

5) Then type in an initial goal for your crowdfunder. It’s best to make this modest – you can always go back and increase it later. Click Next.

6) On the next screen, type a title for your crowdfunder in the top box.

7) In the next box on the same screen, type in your organiser name. This should usually be the name of your group – unless someone has a particular desire to run a crowdfunder in their own name, which is perfectly OK too.

8) In the bottom box on the screen, type in your beneficiary name. This can be “Campaign fund for #StopTheTories Anytown” (replace with the name of your group). Then click Next.

9) On the next screen, select the Nonprofits category.

10) Type United Kingdom as the fundraiser location if you are fundraising for nationwide publishing, or your town or city if you’re fundraising for a local campaign. Click Next.

11) The last stage of initial setup is to connect your PayPal account. This is super-easy. Just enter box-by-box:

• The type of PayPal account you have – personal or business.
• Your first name
• Your last name
• The email address on your PayPal account.

Then click the red Save PayPal informationbutton at the bottom.

If you don’t have a PayPal account yet, no problem: just click on the link to be taken to PayPal, and follow their setup process.

Basic setup done…

You’ll now be taken to your new crowdfunder page.

And that’s basic setup done. You can now start sending your crowdfunder link to friends and family, and start accepting donations.

However, before you start sharing your crowdfund link widely, you’ll want to provide a bit more info about what you’re doing, and make your page look its best. On the next page, we’ll show you how. Continue…