Vlog Fundraising and Widgets

I'm thinking about the use of video or vlog posts coupled with fundraising widgets as well as some other possible ways (ad revenue from web videos?) to raise money for sponsoring a college student in Cambodia via the Sharing Foundation.  I did a campaign video.

I'm going to be guest blogging about this effort over at Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog this week.  I'm going share my experiments and what I am learn and of course encourage your suggestions and tips for making this campaign a success.  What a deal!  I'll make all the mistakes, potentially look stupid, and we'll reap the benefits of learning together!

I wanted to capture a few thoughts and pointers about using video for fundraising pitches on the web or grassroots participatory video coupled with grassroots participatory fund raising.  I don't know what I mean yet. I've seen several terms, like "crowd funding" etc.

Coupling a video with group fundraising on the web has been evolving in the last two or three months.  When I wrote about video blogging and nonprofits way back in September, I discovered the Have Money Will Vlog  (see their video here), and it's an excellent example of what Peter Dietz calls micro-philthranthropy.  (Have Money Will Vlog is a group of media makers, creators, and advocates from the vlogger community who help raise money for projects via their blog and vlog posts as well as a wordpress plugin) 

The most recent project this group organized was a campaign for "Lost in Light".  See the video proposal here. They raised $1,500 in two weeks from $10, $20, and $50 donations.   (I contributed ... I love retro film.)

One of the newer entries into the video hosting game is Revver.  Revver actually pays you for your content based on advertising placed on your work and the click thrus.   I read on Netsquared about how Creative Commons is trying to raise money with its video on Revver and am trying it out.  I don't anticipate that it will earn much more than what is in my son's piggy bank.  They take 50%.  And so far, I've earn like .37 cents.  But every little bit helps and even pennies go far in Cambodia.

Chipin, the fundraising widget I'm testing for my campaign, offers video integration. (Peter has written an excellent article about it here)  Right now, it only integrates YouTube videos.  (That's a good thing for me because there is a fairly vibrant khmer community on YouTube and will definitely distribute a version of the video there.)

 

Comments

[sull]

hi, beth.
i know we have crossed paths a few times in the past... and i have read your blog on occasion. very good posts here!

i've been on top of this topic too... i blog about it on Crowdfunding.com and started a wikipedia article for Crowdfunding (btw, it could use some link love to satisfy wikipedia ;)

I've been involved with HMWV and been trying to launch a companion community project at fundavlog.com. I will send you an invitation now. You might find it interesting and I might learn some valuable insight of yours... ping me some time to chat if you like.

thanks,

sull

[John Powers]

This is not exactly the kind of mash up you are talking about, but this post http://thinklab.typepad.com/think_lab/2006/11/teaching_20_ema.html
at Christian Long's think:lab is a must see. A teacher named Drew Murphy left a comment in response to Christian's post of the Vloggies. Oh, see what Drew has made! What's more hear how he's empowered by these tools.

[make more money]

Kids see enough of the dumbing down of America on television, cable- and they listen to music made stylish by short- sighted music mavens whose goal is to mass market to young people CDs peppered with filthy language and often- criminal concepts. Kids didn't just WAKE UP ONE DAY and want this kind of music; the cretins executives who CREATE TASTES ("Why, this is what they want to hear.." B- a- l- o- n- e- y) decided this is what they'd market. They made a CHOICE.