KUSA - Online crowdfunding is a multi-billion dollar industry, with dozens of sites promising to help you, your family, or your charitable organization, raise money.

In 2013, Forbes reported crowdfunding generated more than $5.1 billion dollars. There are two main types of online fundraising sites: those that are donation-based (think GoFundMe), and those that are for investment.

Crowdfunding has brought us many things: Exploding Kittens, for example. It has also helped hundreds of thousands of families with medical bills, emergency expenses, and their pets, too.

While earning 'free' money for a good cause seems easy and practically too-good-to-be-true, it comes with its own caveats. Each site has different payment methods, fees, and restrictions, so its important to read the fine print before signing up or donating to a cause.

More about this story here: http://www.9news.com/story/money/2015/09/29/heres-what-you-should-know-online-crowdfunding-sites/73042090/

Who are the crowdfunding investors?

Crowdfunding has become a popular alternative finance method, with investors choosing to back a huge variety of projects – but who are these investors?

This infographic, from ChoiceLoans.co.uk, looks at 10 Insights on Crowdfunders, with some of the findings including the following:

· 64% of crowdfunders are men.

· Crowdfunders are most likely to contribute an average of $174.5.

· Games are the most popular project type backed by men (83.9%).

· It also looks at the number of crowdfunders per country and the top 3 reasons why they invest.

It also looks at the number of crowdfunders per country and the top 3 reasons why they invest.

More about this article here: http://www.netimperative.com/2015/09/who-are-the-crowdfunding-investors-infographic/

Developer of the Tiny House on her new venture: equity crowdfunding

Eve Picker is at it again. The pioneer behind downtown Pittsburgh loft space and living, and developer of the first Tiny House in Pittsburgh, she is involved in a new enterprise — a first for Pittsburgh — called equity crowdfunding. The founder and president of Small Change explains the new and innovative concept here.

We’ve all heard the stories.

WidgetCo is spurned by venture capitalist. WidgetCo launches a Kickstarter campaign. WidgetCo raises $10,000, or $50,000 or $11 million.

It’s the story that America loves. David versus Goliath. Crowdfunding versus venture capital. Little guy does good.

Crowdfunding, the sourcing of funds from a crowd of everyday people, entered into our psyches just a decade ago and it has taken us by storm. You probably know someone who has raised (or tried to raise) funds on a crowdfunding platform. And you might have even given $10, $25 or $50 for some project that captured your attention in exchange for a reward that you probably didn’t really want. If you did, you are part of an enormous global crowd, expected to donate $34.4B on 1250 crowdfunding platforms in 2015.

What inspired you to donate? Maybe you know the people behind the campaign? Or maybe you want to support a local company, an industry you are part of or you just love the idea. Whatever the reason, you were willing to give some money to a venture to get it off the ground, understanding that you will never get those dollars back.

Now imagine that you might get those dollars back. And imagine that you might even get a return. This is where the story gets really big.

Welcome to equity crowdfunding.

More about this story here: http://www.nextpittsburgh.com/city-design/developer-of-the-tiny-house-on-her-new-venture-equity-crowdfunding/

Crowdfunding In Every Day Giving

Crowdfunding is no Field of Dreams: If you build it, they might not come. If you build it, you need to push it out and tell everyone about it, and then they will come, according to nonprofit technology and fundraising experts.

If your organization is dipping its toes in crowdfunding, it probably has some base of support from traditional fundraising efforts. But, what if it doesn’t have that base?

The process and results from two organizations were showcased during a session at fundraising conference.

One organization started in Washington, D.C., with seed money from a few foundations and corporate partners. When organization leaders wanted to start a crowdfunding program, they found themselves hampered by having no prior donors. The problem managers had never developed a base of support. Insiders were also concerned about the organization’s image.

More on this article here: http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/crowdfunding-in-every-day-giving/

Bandura Games Launches Crowdfunding Campaignfor Cooperative Games Designed to Build Empathy & Understanding

First Mobile Title RunZoo Connects Players and Creates Friendships via

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bandura Games, the independent game studio start-up that makes cooperative multiplayer mobile games to create empathy and connect people across conflict zones, today kicked off an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for its first game, RunZoo. With its #FunWithoutBorders campaign and initial minimum goal of $37,000, Bandura hopes to complete the game and rally support for its mission to change the world, one player at a time.

“We believe that great things can happen when you bring people of different backgrounds together over a common goal – so much so that we’ve built our diverse and global team using that philosophy”

“Games are so powerful in terms of their universal appeal, and ability to bring people together,” said Justin Hefter, CEO and co-founder of Bandura Games. “Studies have shown that cooperative play and working together creates strong bonds that can last a lifetime. Our team bonded over our love of games, and it occurred to us that with billions of players on smartphones and tablets, we could use broadly popular mobile game mechanics to bring people together who might not otherwise have an opportunity to interact.”

More on that article here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150929006167/en/Bandura-Games-Launches-Crowdfunding-Campaign-Cooperative-Games#.Vg3nEPlViko