What made these 3 education crowdfunding campaigns successful?

Since crowdfunding became a standard model for fundraising, it has been used as a force for good in the education sector in a variety of ways. This analysis examines 3 successful campaigns from the education sector and dissects the various elements that led to their success.

An Hour of Code for Every Student

The goal: raise $5mil to enable 100 million students to code The result: Over $5mil from 2,877 donors

Code ran a hugely successful campaign which bypassed traditional means of enacting reform in the education sector. Their aim was to provide all students, regardless of background, the opportunity to learn coding: “one of the most valuable workplace skills.”

The project raised a staggering $5 million to set up more Hour of Code lessons in American schools. Code was well-positioned as the market leader in a movement very much part of contemporary culture.

Effective PR

The Hour of Code campaign was referenced in a multitude of publications including TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, The Verge, and The Next Web. For major education campaigns, getting mentioned in various online and offline publications is vital to campaign success. Noble aims alone don’t guarantee crowdfunding success: sound planning and carefully executed PR are essential.

Celebrity endorsement

Celebrity backers such as Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, John and Ann Doerr, and Rich Barton gave the campaign significant momentum and credibility among the target demographic of tech-savvy donors. This made securing match funding considerably easier.

Lobbying

The tech sector had already championed coding education in preceding years through lobbying and teacher outreach. This positioned the issue at the forefront of progressive educators’ minds. Aligning a campaign to a movement part of the cultural zeitgeist enhances both reach and ambition.

The Wayfinding Academy

Goal: $200k for a brand new college for a new model of higher education Result: $206,451 from 801 donors

The Wayfinding Academy project creators aimed to establish a college focused on “real world experience, community support and individual passion” rather than academic success alone. The college was intended to be “an affordable, 2-year college based in Portland, Oregon.”

Create empathy

The campaign page broke down deficiencies in the current U.S. higher education sector in ways many could relate to personally. Explaining issues in terms of people’s lived experiences is a powerful tool for building empathy. The campaign’s detailed vision for a new education model, conveyed through both compelling copy and an emotive video, resonated strongly.

Community news, keep your followers updated

The Wayfinding Academy included numerous pictures and community updates throughout the campaign, lending it a personal touch. This personal connection is fundamental to campaign success as it creates a relationship between creators and donors. People who have already donated are more likely to share a project if they receive regular updates, as they feel part of the campaign journey.

Use straight-to-the-point infographics

Infographics create an easily digestible format to quickly communicate information and illustrate a vision without excessive text.

The Wayfinding Academy opened in September 2016, representing a major achievement. This serves as proof of concept, demonstrating that crowdfunding can become the de facto method for education fundraising going forward.

Christmas Fundraising Album for the University of Oxford’s Exeter College

The goal: fund Exeter choir’s Christmas CD The result: £4,300 from 41 donors

Unlike the major campaigns above, this smaller-scale crowdfunding project was created by students. Exeter College’s student choir sought to raise funds to cover production costs for a new Christmas CD, with proceeds supporting the choir’s performance and outreach work. They successfully raised £4,300 from just 41 donors.

Select few but high quality potential donors

Exeter College ran a small yet effective campaign. Each choir member targeted a carefully selected group of potential donors likely to support the cause. This represents excellent planning and demonstrates that campaign success doesn’t necessarily require a large donor base.

A clear breakdown of where funds are going

The campaign provided a clear and concise breakdown of spending allocation. Donors want to know where their money will be used. This simple due diligence significantly increases donor confidence. A pervasive skepticism exists among some demographics regarding internet-based fundraising; transparent spending breakdowns help reassure potential supporters. Additionally, detailed planning helps project creators gain clarity about what they actually need to raise.