FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

What is Crowdera?

Crowdera is a crowdfunding platform that supports individuals and non profit organizations in their efforts to create a social impact. Organizations start their fundraising campaigns on Crowdera and supporters rally to fund those campaigns.

Crowdera intents to complement organization’s existing fundraising and volunteering activities by offering a user-friendly platform to create visually compelling and viral fundraising campaigns that raise awareness and funding for an organization’s goals and missions.

What is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a popular way to fund projects from a large group of people, mainly via the Internet and social media. It helps individuals and organizations reach their financial goals by receiving and leveraging small contributions from many people.

All you need is a mission to do something good, a funding goal and timeframe, some cool perks to promise to your supporters and show gratitude, and a crowd of family, friends, and fans / followers / customers to promote your campaign to.

Why Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is for people or organizations who have few direct means to fund their initiatives that benefit the community or amplify their goals. Crowdera aims to bridge this gap and help organizations reach out to an even wider audience so as to gain support for their mission. By crowdfunding online with Crowdera, organizations can connect to people around the world who share a passion for their cause.

Who are the people that fund my campaign?

Your funders will consist of your existing supporters, volunteers, friends, family, fans and extended circle of friends on social network, or just call them all collectively ‘crowd’ who like your work and believe in your cause or mission.

Why will someone fund my campaign? Why will people contribute towards my campaign?

People contribute towards campaigns they relate to or if they connect with a cause. They are passionate about what you are doing for the community and society at large. Contributing is their way of showing support for your campaign and organization. So be ready to feel the love!

How does Crowdera work?

  • Crowdera lets you build your fundraising campaign on its platform. You can set a fundraising goal, write your story, and add compelling photos and video.
  • Once your campaign is validated, you can email the link of your campaign to friends, family, colleagues as well as post the link on your social media outlets. The more people who know about your campaign, the more opportunities to help you reach your goal!
  • You can share milestones, photos and updates easily through email and social media right from your campaign page.
  • Your campaign ends once it reaches the campaign end date. Do more good and make your campaign a success with the funds you just raised!

What benefits does Crowdera offer?

  • Fundraising is FREE! Crowdera does not charge any fee, it’s free so do more good!
  • TEAMS - You can form teams to rally your campaign.
  • We help you multiply your impact by cloning your campaign for your teams. All your team works towards a common goal which helps you to get more attention from your team’s crowd.
  • We plan to engage corporate CSR $$ in the most unique fashion to help you reach your goals faster.
  • We are adding some cool new features soon!

How do I register on Crowdera?

Click here to register.

How do I reset my password?

Click here to reset your password.

How can I update my profile?

You can update your profile by following these steps:

  • Log in to your Crowdera account.
  • Click the dropdown on your username.
  • Select Setting.

Can I change my username after registration?

You can change your username by following these steps:

  • Log in to your Crowdera account.
  • Click the dropdown on your username.
  • Select Setting.

How safe is it to login using Facebook?

Please refer to the Personal Information section on our Privacy Policy page.

How can I change my password ?

You can change your password by following these steps:

  • Log in to your Crowdera account.
  • Click the dropdown on your username.
  • Select Setting.

Where and how can I upload/edit my Avatar?

You can change your Avatar by following these steps:

  • Log in to your Crowdera account.
  • Click the dropdown on your username.
  • Select Setting.

How can I subscribe to a Newsletter ?

You can subscribe for the Crowdera Newsletter on our site. Just scroll to the bottom of the home page and provide us with your email!

How can I contact Crowdera Team?

You can contact us by using the "Contact Us" query.

Can I unsubscribe from Crowdera Emails?

We’re sorry you want to unsubscribe but yes you can. Click on unsubscribe link in the bottom of the email received from Crowdera.

Campaign Creation and Management Questions

Creating a campaign

Who can create a Campaign on Crowdera?

Individuals and/or Nonprofit Organizations that want to raise funds for Passion, Innovation, Impact or Need can create a campaign on Crowdera.

How do I create my campaign?

You can start creating your campaign here. Please refer to our Ebook for more crowdfunding guidelines.

What do I need to create a campaign?

  • A story describing your mission.
  • Fundraising Goal.
  • Campaign timeline, including an end date.
  • Video (preferably with a pitch and ask).
  • High Resolution photos/videos.

Will Crowdera assist in creating the campaign?

Yes we do!

  • We guide and provide feedback on the story, photos and video to make sure you create an appealing campaign.
  • Crowdera also provides tips on crowdfunding and you can read more on our blog.
  • Provide recent information on what constitutes a successful crowdfunding campaign.
  • If you need more assistance contact the Crowdera Crew.

Do I have to create a campaign in one go?

No, You can save the information as draft and complete it whenever you wish.

How much does Crowdera charge?

We are a free platform to help you do more good. We do not charge a startup fee, no fee charged on funds raised and no hidden fees. However, please note that the payment gateway (FirstGiving or PayPal) will charge a transaction fee.

What is the minimum amount that I can raise through Crowdera?

There is no minimum funding goal to be on the platform.

What is the maximum amount that I can raise through Crowdera?

The maximum funding goal is $200,000. If you would like to raise more, you may have to go through rigorous approval process so we understand your need better and help you to be successful. In such case, please reach out to one of our crowdfunding experts from the team here to evaluate your situation.

What are the details I need to provide to receive contributions?

To accept contributions, you will need an active and verified PayPal. For country specific PayPal restrictions refer to the following link: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/country-worldwide

Nonprofit Organizations in the USA can also select First Giving as their choice of Payment Gateway.

Can I edit my campaign after I submit it?

Yes, you can edit certain sections of the campaign.

Does Crowdera accept international payments?

Yes, anyone can fund on Crowdera.

How will the funds be transferred?

Crowdera ensures complete transparency. Therefore the funds will be transferred directly into your account associated with the payment gateway you choose while creating a campaign. We will never hold funds.

Image

How many images can I upload?

You can upload 5 images.

What is size and format accepted?

The image should be less than 3 MB and have an aspect ratio of 3:2 (width major). Formats acceptable are jpg and png

Goal

What if I don’t meet my fundraising goal? Do I still get the funds?

Crowdera believes that all effort put into the campaign deserves to be paid off. Therefore, you receive all of the funds you have raised even if you do not meet your fundraising goal.

What if I raise more than my goal?

You keep every fund you raise!

Duration

I have set the campaign duration for 60 days, from when will the countdown start?

The campaign countdown starts once the campaign is validated by Crowdera Administrator.

What is the maximum duration of a campaign?

The maximum duration is 90 days. However, you can reach out to the Crowdera Team to extend your deadline.

Can I extend my deadline?

Deadline can be extended if the cause is genuine and verified by our Team.

Co-owners/Co-creators

Who is a Owner?

The person who creates a campaign is the Campaign Owner.

Who is a co-owner?

People who are nominated by a Campaign Owner to work for a campaign are Co-owners.

I am an Owner how can I nominate a Co-owner for my campaign?

You can add co-owners under the Admin section when you create or edit your campaign.You can add upto 3 co-owners.

How many co-creators can I nominate for my campaign?

You can nominate maximum of 3 co-owners for a campaign.

I have received an invitation for being a co-creator of a campaign, what should I do next?

To access the campaign:

  • Register / Login on Crowdera
  • Click on the dropdown under Username
  • Click on My Campaigns
  • You should be able to see the campaign there

What are the rights of a co-owner?

A co-owner can

  • Validate team requests.
  • Enable/disable teams.
  • Edit campaign.
  • Edit team details.

Perks

Can I offer rewards/perks?

Yes, you can! You can create your own perks as well.

Are perks mandatory?

No, perks are not mandatory.

Can I create a perk after my campaign is live?

Yes, you can create a perk even after a campaign is live by going to “Perks” under “My Campaigns”.

Can I edit or delete a perk after my campaign is live?

You can edit or delete a perk only if has not been selected by a contributor. Once a perk has been selected, it cannot be edited or deleted.

Who is responsible for delivering the perks?

The beneficiary / campaign creator is responsible for shipping the perks.

Validation

My campaign is saved as a draft, what should I do next?

You can edit the campaign or submit it for validation.

I have already submitted my campaign, then why does it show “Pending” ?

Pending banner indicates your campaign is still being verified by the administrator.

Why don’t I see my campaign on Crowdera after submitting?

After submitting, the campaign go through an approval process. Once the campaign is approved , it goes live on the Crowdera platform.

What is the approval checklist or criteria for selection?

Before approving a campaign, we go through all the details provided by you. We will contact you for any missing items or if we feel your campaign needs and can be enhanced. The checklist including but not limited to -

  • Cause - Is it a social good cause that aims to help the community
  • Title - Whether your title is apt and conveys the essence of your campaign
  • Description - Will the contributors understand your aim and the cause you raising funds for
  • Story - Have you provided adequate information for the contributor to make his or her decision to contribute
  • Social Reference - If you have provided details to your social media and whether you or your organization popular
  • Website check - Whether the link to the website or Facebook page is working and related to your cause and/or belongs to you
  • Founder/Management - How motivated and active is the founder and management of the campaign
  • Feasibility - Is it feasible to achieve your goal in the stipulated time
  • Images - Are the images high resolution and appropriate
  • Video - A relevant video

My campaign was rejected. How do I know the reason for rejection?

Please read the FAQ section and our crowdfunding guidelines sections thoroughly to understand the criterion of selection. If you feel you need more information, you can reach out to the Crowdera Crew to find out why your campaign was rejected.

Contributions

Do I get to see my contributors and how much they contributed?

Yes, you do. You have complete access to your campaign and check who contributed and how much by logging into your Crowdera account.

Can I export my contribution report?

Yes, You can download the CSV report from the “Contribution” tab on the Manage Campaign page.

Can I edit the name & amount of the offline contribution?

Yes, name and amount is editable.

Can I edit the name & amount of the online contribution?

No, as the online contributions are made via a Payment Gateway, they cannot be edited.

Teams

Who is a Team?

A Team owner is a person who helps you rally your campaign.

How can I Invite my friend to be a Team for my campaign?

  • Log into your Crowdera Account.
  • Go to My Campaigns.
  • Select the campaign.
  • Click on the Activity.
  • Select Invite Members.

How can someone join as a Team for a campaign?

It’s simple, they go to the campaign detail page via Discover, click on “Teams” and hit Join Us!

Who can Validate/ Discard a Team request?

Owner/ Co-owner have the authority to validate or discard a team request. Follow these steps:

  • Log into your Crowdera Account.
  • Go to My Campaigns.
  • Select the campaign.
  • Click on the Activity.
  • Select Validate/Discard Team.

Can I disable/enable an existing Team of my campaign?

Yes you can disable an existing team by following these steps.

  • Log into your Crowdera Account.
  • Go to My Campaigns.
  • Select the campaign.
  • Click on the Activity.
  • Select Validate/Discard Team.

Who can enable/disable a Team?

Only Owner/Co-owners can enable/disable a team.

I am Owner/Co-owner can I edit a Team’s fundraiser?

Yes, you can edit a Team’s fundraiser page. To edit a Team’s fundraiser go to Teams page from Manage Campaign, select the Team member whose page you want to edit. Now you will be on their fundraiser, go to Teams and click on Activity dropdown. You will see edit fundraiser.

Can I comment specifically on a Team’s fundraiser?

Yes, you can comment on a Team’s individual fundraiser.

Social Media

How can I share my campaign on social media?

Access your campaign through the Discover page. Under the images displayed you will find all the necessary social media tools. Crowdera also provides a short link to your campaign that can be used to share your campaign on social media.

Why do I need to build a strong social network and share my campaign?

We have noticed that the campaigns that can rally about 30% of the funding immediately upon launch have a higher success rate. Therefore, we recommend that the initial 30% funding comes from your existing network and supporters. Share your campaign with your inner network as soon as you create it and encourage them to share it on their social media networks as well.

Campaign Updates

Who can create an update for a campaign?

Campaign Owner/ Co-owner can create updates for a campaign.

How many images can I upload with the update?

You can upload multiple images but recommend not adding more than 3.

Who will receive my campaign updates?

Your contributors, teams and those who have chosen to follow your campaign will receive an email about your latest updates.

After campaign is live

How do I edit my campaign?

Access your campaign from My Campaigns. On the right side of the page you will see the display picture of your campaign, the edit option is under that section.

Can I hide the comments on my campaign?

Campaign Owner/Co-owner can enable/disable the campaign comments.

Can I delete a live campaign?

You can not delete a live campaign.

Contributor Questions

Do I need to sign up to contribute?

No, you do not need to sign up to contribute. However, we recommend you sign up so you can track the progress of campaigns you have funded.

Why should I contribute through Crowdera instead of contributing directly?

  • Crowdera is curated platform, we review every application for its content and story, and approve campaigns at our discretion if we feel mission of the project is aligned to make a social impact.
  • Crowdera gives you diversity in terms of organizations and causes to fund.
  • We encourage campaign creators to update you about the campaign as well as the organization.
  • Funding through Crowdera, you know which campaign you are being part of and where your funds will be utilized.
  • Many organization do not have the option of contributing online.

What is the minimum amount for a fund?

You can contribute a minimum of $1.

I am not from the US, can I contribute to a campaign I wish?

Yes, you can contribute to any campaign.

I am not from India, can I contribute to a campaign?

Crowdera does not accept foreign contributions in India at the moment. But you can contribute on our global site crowdera.co

Can I contribute money to more than one campaign?

Yes, you can.

I can not contribute online, but I wish to contribute for the cause.

You can contribute offline to Campaign Owners/Co-owners/Teams and they can record it as offline contribution. If you want to give a large grant to a project, you can reach out to one of our partnership managers here

What payment method do you provide?

We have partnered with PayPal and FirstGiving as our payment gateway services, Campaign creators can choose either one for their campaigns. You can pay with any credit or debit cards.

How much of the funds raised reach the creator?

100% of the funds reach the campaign creator, however the payment gateway charges transaction fee to the campaign creator.

How do I know the authenticity of organization, individual creating the campaign?

All campaigns go through an approval process. Even though Crowdera carefully goes through all the information prior to approving a campaign, we request contributors to conduct due diligence before contributing.

How do I know my funds have reached the beneficiary?

Crowdera ensures that all the funds are directed from the payment gateway directly to the organization/beneficiary. You can be assured that your funds have reached the organization as the funds do not go through multiple hands.

How do I know that my contribution was utilized for the purpose?

We encourage campaign creators to provide updates to their contributors. If you have any questions related to the campaigns please reach out to the campaign creator.

Does my contribution amount show on Crowdera?

Every contribution is displayed on Crowdera under the contribution tab. Your name, date and amount donated is displayed.

Where can I see my contribution details on the campaign I just supported?

You can see your contribution details under the contribution tab on the campaign detail page.

Do I get tax deductions on my contributions?

Not all contributions will be tax deductible. Contributions made to registered 501 c 3 nonprofits are tax deductible. We recommend you check the details of the organization and contact them with queries about tax deductions.

Transactions

Is your site secure for online credit / debit card transactions?

Yes it is. Donations and contributions are collected and processed by our third-party vendors pursuant to the terms and conditions of its privacy policy, and we do not have access to any billing information with these transactions. For more information refer to - Privacy Policy

I got an error while making an online contribution. How will I know whether the transaction was successful?

If you have received an error while contributing, check your email for a payment confirmation from Paypal or FirstGiving. If you have not received a confirmation for your contribution your card has not been charged.

How can I cancel my contribution?

Crowdera doesn’t hold the payments and money is directly transferred to the beneficiary’s account. You may cancel the transaction by directly reaching out to the beneficiaries.

Anonymous Contributions

Is it possible to make anonymous contribution? Can I do so after being logged in?

Yes it is. You can make an anonymous contribution even after being logged in.

Can I contribute anonymously for a campaign?

Yes you can. Just check the anonymous box that appears when you make a contribution.

What are the visibility options for contributions on Crowdera?

Logged In User

  • Name and Amount Visibility.
  • Name anonymous and Amount visible.

Non Logged in User

  • Name and Amount Visibility.
  • Name anonymous and Amount visible.

If I fund without logging in to crowdera, will my Name and Amount contributed be visible to all?

Yes, we do ask for your name and email to send you a receipt and that name is displayed on the campaign. However, if you don’t want your name to appear on the contribution page, choose to contribute as anonymous.

Social Sharing

How can I share my contribution socially?

After contributing to a campaign, you can use social icons to share your contribution socially.

Perks

How will I receive the perk I selected while funding a campaign?

The campaign owner is responsible for disbursing the perks.

If I contribute anonymously and select perks will it be shipped to me?

Yes, Campaign Owner can check the shipping details that you have provided while choosing a perk. Apart from Twitter Perks you can select all the perks if you contribute anonymously.

Can I receive perks after donating anonymously?

Yes you can. You will need to provide the shipping information required for the delivery of perk.

I have not received my perks, what do I do now?

Please contact the campaign creator.

Team Contributions

Where are individual Team Contribution [Online + Offline] displayed ?

Under Teams Tab, Click on the Team’s Name. The contributions will be visible there.