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		<title>Crowdfunder | Stories</title>
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		<description>Start crowdfunding on Crowdfunder UK - where ideas happen</description>
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			<title>Crowdfunder | Stories</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories</link>
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			<title>A brand new dashboard, built with project owners in mind</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-brand-new-dashboard-built-with-project-owners-in-mind</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:17:46 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-brand-new-dashboard-built-with-project-owners-in-mind?p=10081</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[This month we&amp;#8217;re launching something we&amp;#8217;ve been working on for a while. Your new project owner dashboard. When you log in, this is where you&amp;#8217;ll land. It&amp;#8217;s been designed around a simple idea: you shouldn&amp;#8217;t have to go looking for what to do next. The dashboard gets you where you need to go, quickly, and [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-brand-new-dashboard-built-with-project-owners-in-mind">A brand new dashboard, built with project owners in mind</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;This month we&amp;#8217;re launching something we&amp;#8217;ve been working on for a while. Your new project owner dashboard.&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10132&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-embed__wrapper&quot;&gt;
&lt;iframe loading=&quot;lazy&quot; title=&quot;Welcome to our new project dashboard | Crowdfunder&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;281&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/qVWVObrA60k?feature=oembed&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10132&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;When you log in, this is where you&amp;#8217;ll land. It&amp;#8217;s been designed around a simple idea: you shouldn&amp;#8217;t have to go looking for what to do next. The dashboard gets you where you need to go, quickly, and helps you with those ‘what now?&amp;#8217; moments.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Mobile designs of Crowdfunder&#039;s new dashboard&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10130&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What&amp;#8217;s in it&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;At the top, you&amp;#8217;ll always see your primary action, the single most useful thing you can do right now. Setting your draft project live, refining your marketing plan, sending a thank you update to your supporters. Whatever stage you&amp;#8217;re at, that&amp;#8217;s what we surface first.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10131&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-2.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10132&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Below that, a set of context cards gives you important information and actions. These update based on where you are in your crowdfunding journey:&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Since you&amp;#8217;ve been gone&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;Catch up on your project&amp;#8217;s progress since you last logged in&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Match funding&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;See which funds your project might be eligible for, right from your dashboard&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Latest stories&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;inspiration from recent campaigns on Crowdfunder&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tips, help and guidance&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;resources and learning materials surfaced when they&amp;#8217;re actually relevant, not all at once&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The dashboard is built to be modular, so we can keep adding to it over time without disrupting what&amp;#8217;s already there.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Graphic of crowdfunding dashboard features.&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10136&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-launch-notes-3-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Zooming in: Since you&amp;#8217;ve been gone&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#8217;ve stepped away from your project for a few days, which most project owners do, especially mid-campaign, coming back to a blank screen tells you nothing. The &amp;#8220;since you&amp;#8217;ve been gone&amp;#8221; card gives you an instant read on what&amp;#8217;s happened: pledges received, supporters added, any updates that have gone out. A quick catch-up before you decide what to do next.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Zooming in: Match funding — now visible right from your dashboard&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;One of the context cards we&amp;#8217;re most excited about is the match funding card. If your project might be eligible for match funding from one of our partner funds, you&amp;#8217;ll now see that surfaced directly on your dashboard, no navigating away, no separate search.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;This matters more than it sounds. We know from our data that project owners who&lt;strong&gt; discover match funding early raise significantly more than those who find it after they&amp;#8217;ve launched.&lt;/strong&gt; The new dashboard puts it in front of you at exactly the right moment, when you&amp;#8217;re setting up or actively running a project, not as an afterthought.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;In July we shared that a redesign of the match funding step in the project set-up flow had driven a 39% increase in project owners clicking through to apply. The dashboard match funding card builds on that, so whether you&amp;#8217;re mid-campaign or just getting started, you won&amp;#8217;t miss a fund that could double what your crowd raises.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Why we built it&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;We&amp;#8217;ve been talking to project owners, looking at the data, and asking a straightforward question: where does the experience let people down?&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The answer, consistently, was that the platform didn&amp;#8217;t do enough to meet people where they were. Too much to find, not enough pointing in the right direction. The new dashboard is our answer to that, a more personal, more contextual experience that gets you to the action faster.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What&amp;#8217;s coming next&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;We&amp;#8217;re already working on more cards, more personalised actions, and more ways to help you manage not just your current project but your whole fundraising journey on Crowdfunder.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;We&amp;#8217;d love to hear what you think. If you have a few minutes, please &lt;a href=&quot;https://form.jotform.com/262004487701048&quot;&gt;complete our short survey →&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/start-crowdfunding&quot;&gt;Get started on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-brand-new-dashboard-built-with-project-owners-in-mind">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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						<item>
			<title>Can the crowd do the work of a grant? Bristol Community Sauna says yes</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/can-the-crowd-do-the-work-of-a-grant-bristol-community-sauna-says-yes</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:03:48 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/can-the-crowd-do-the-work-of-a-grant-bristol-community-sauna-says-yes?p=10115</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[It started with an Instagram post. Just one word, really: &amp;#8220;SAUNA?&amp;#8221; An invitation to look at an overgrown former council car park behind St Anne&amp;#8217;s House in Bristol and imagine something else entirely.<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/can-the-crowd-do-the-work-of-a-grant-bristol-community-sauna-says-yes">Can the crowd do the work of a grant? Bristol Community Sauna says yes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;It started with an Instagram post. Just one word, really: &amp;#8220;SAUNA?&amp;#8221; An invitation to look at an overgrown former council car park behind St Anne&amp;#8217;s House in Bristol and imagine something else entirely.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Eighteen months later, that invitation had become &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/bristol-community-sauna-expansion#&quot;&gt;Bristol Community Sauna&lt;/a&gt;, a not-for-profit CIC welcoming over 14,000 visitors, building a community of 400 active members, and selling out 81% of its peak-time sessions. It had become, in the words of its own regulars, somewhere people go to feel &amp;#8220;restored&amp;#8221; and &amp;#8220;glowing.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;However, as the sauna has grown, so has its need for more capacity. Not only did the sauna want to accommodate more goers, but also add additional accessibility measures so that the space could remain inclusive for all.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;A different kind of blend&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#8217;s the puzzle Bristol &amp;amp; Bath Regional Capital CIC (BBRC) set out to solve. Blended finance usually pairs two things: a loan, which is the relatively straightforward part, and a grant, which depends on timing, criteria, and finding a funder whose priorities line up with yours. BBRC wanted to know whether the crowd could stand in for that grant element, turning community backing itself into the proof point that unlocks investment.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://bbrcinvestors.co.uk/news/detail/can-crowdfunding-provide-the-grant-element-in-blended-finance&quot;&gt;So they built a pilot with Bristol Community Sauna, and ran it through Crowdfunder.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The mechanics were simple: the first £5,000 raised by the community unlocked £25,000 in loan funding from BBRC immediately. From there, every further pound pledged was matched pound for pound, up to £15,000 more. Reach £20,000 from supporters, and the sauna would have £60,000 to work with in total.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Every pledge was doing double duty: funding the project directly, and acting as the evidence that pulled in three times its value from BBRC.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10122&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/cf-blog-bristol-sauna-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What the crowd actually looks like&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;More than 300 people backed the campaign. They weren&amp;#8217;t just handing over donations, either. They were buying into sauna hats, a golden ticket for free sauna for life, and private hire slots, a real stake in what they were helping build.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;What&amp;#8217;s most telling isn&amp;#8217;t the total, though it&amp;#8217;s a good one. It&amp;#8217;s who showed up. Analysis of the supporter base found that 84% of backers live within five miles of the sauna, and 62% within two. On top of this, two-thirds of the mapped supporters come from the more deprived half of England, which is exactly the kind of evidence that matters when a project&amp;#8217;s whole mission is affordability and access. The people the sauna set out to reach are the people who backed it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Why this matters beyond one sauna&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The campaign succeeded, and Bristol Community Sauna now has the funding behind a bigger sauna, more cold plunge space, and a rest area designed with accessibility properly built in from the start.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;But the bigger story is what it proves about the model itself. This pilot is evidence that community participation can genuinely stand in for the grant element in blended finance, opening a route to funding for organisations that create real social value but don&amp;#8217;t fit neatly into a traditional grant funder&amp;#8217;s criteria.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#8217;s a clear demonstration of what happens when a match funding structure is designed around momentum, giving supporters a reason to act early and Bristol Community Sauna&amp;#8217;s expansion is proof that this can work in practice.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Have a similar project in mind?&lt;/p&gt;



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<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/can-the-crowd-do-the-work-of-a-grant-bristol-community-sauna-says-yes">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Six years, six campaigns: how Guiseley Cricket Club raised over £100,000 on Crowdfunder</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-years-six-campaigns-how-guiseley-cricket-club-raised-over-100000-on-crowdfunder</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:56:19 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-years-six-campaigns-how-guiseley-cricket-club-raised-over-100000-on-crowdfunder?p=10072</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Some fundraisers are one-off appeals. Sean Yeates and Guiseley Cricket Club had a different idea: treat Crowdfunder as part of the club&amp;#8217;s yearly toolkit, not a last resort. Since 2021, Sean has launched six campaigns for the West Yorkshire club, ten miles north of Leeds. Between crowd pledges and match funding from Sport England, they [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-years-six-campaigns-how-guiseley-cricket-club-raised-over-100000-on-crowdfunder">Six years, six campaigns: how Guiseley Cricket Club raised over £100,000 on Crowdfunder</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;Some fundraisers are one-off appeals. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/sean-yeates/profile/projects&quot;&gt;Sean Yeates and Guiseley Cricket Club&lt;/a&gt; had a different idea: treat Crowdfunder as part of the club&amp;#8217;s yearly toolkit, not a last resort.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Since 2021, Sean has launched six campaigns for the West Yorkshire club, ten miles north of Leeds. Between crowd pledges and match funding from Sport England, they have brought in more than £109,000. Along the way, the club has grown from 250 members to 400, with playing numbers across junior, ladies and men&amp;#8217;s sections nearly doubling.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Here is how it happened, one campaign at a time.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2021: Practice Nets Appeal — £38,730 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The first campaign tackled the club&amp;#8217;s biggest problem: nets that were twenty years old, torn, and prone to flooding. The target was £30,000. Guiseley raised £38,730 from 148 supporters, hitting 129% of target, and Sport England&amp;#8217;s Active Together fund added £9,000 in match funding on top. The money paid for a new three-lane artificial practice facility and secure fencing to stop the vandalism that had been plaguing the ground.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guiseley-cricket-club-nets-appeal&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2021.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2021&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10101&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2021.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2021-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2021-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2022: Funding Appeal 2022 — £10,290 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Material costs had risen since the original nets budget, leaving the club roughly £10,000 short and with a construction site of leftover spoil to clear. This campaign, backed by 61 supporters, covered the landscaping, a new welcome entrance, and equipment for the junior section. Sport England matched a further £3,000.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guiseley-cricket-club-nets-appeal-2022&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2022.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2022&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10102&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2022.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2022-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2022-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2023: Scorebox Appeal — £12,300 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Next on the list: an ageing electronic scoreboard that had become unreliable, plus new ground-maintenance kit. Seventy-nine supporters helped raise £12,300, funding a digital scoring system that links to Play-Cricket, along with a brush cassette and growth mats to keep the wicket in shape. A mid-campaign emergency, the club&amp;#8217;s twenty-year-old heavy roller breaking down, became the stretch goal.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guiseley-cricket-club-2023-scorebox-appeal&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2023.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2023&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10103&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2023.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2023-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2023-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2024: 2024 Guiseley Cricket Club Fundraising — £10,352 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Rather than fund a single project, this campaign asked supporters to help cover the club&amp;#8217;s running costs directly. Against a £4,000 target, 79 supporters gave £10,352, reaching 258% of goal, keeping subs affordable while membership kept growing.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/2024-guiseley-cricket-club-fundraising&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2024.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2024&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10104&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2024.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2024-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2024-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2025: 2025 Guiseley Cricket Club Fundraising — £11,300 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The same model, repeated: a £6,000 target for annual running costs, met and passed by 105 supporters giving £11,300 (188% of target). By this point the club fielded three senior men&amp;#8217;s teams, three ladies&amp;#8217; teams, nine junior sections and a girls&amp;#8217; under-13 side.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/2025-guiseley-cricket-club-fundraising&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2025.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2025&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10105&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2025.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2025-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2025-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;2026: 3rd Practice Lane — £14,135 raised&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The latest campaign is aiming higher again: a third lane on the practice facility, so up to thirty players can train safely at once instead of the current twenty. Against a £10,000 target, 118 supporters have already pledged £14,135, 141% of goal, with a few days still to go as of August 3 2026.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guiseley-cricket-club-3rd-practice-lane&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2026.png&quot; alt=&quot;Guiseley Cricket Club - 2026&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10106&quot; style=&quot;width:452px;height:254px&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; height=&quot;254&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2026.png 960w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2026-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Guiseley-Cricket-Club-2026-768x432.png 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The bigger picture&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Add it up and Guiseley Cricket Club has brought in £97,107 directly through Crowdfunder pledges across six campaigns, plus £12,000 in Sport England match funding, for a combined total north of £109,000. That is new nets, a digital scoreboard, ground equipment, a heavy roller, annual running costs covered twice over, and now a third practice lane on the way.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;What stands out isn&amp;#8217;t any single campaign, it&amp;#8217;s the pattern: a club that came back year after year, always with a clear, specific ask, and a community that kept saying yes.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Got a project like this?&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot;&gt;Get started on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-years-six-campaigns-how-guiseley-cricket-club-raised-over-100000-on-crowdfunder">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>The Community Right to Buy is here. Here’s what it means for your campaign.</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/the-community-right-to-buy-is-here-heres-what-it-means-for-your-campaign</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:21:21 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/the-community-right-to-buy-is-here-heres-what-it-means-for-your-campaign?p=10074</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[On 16 June 2026, the government announced a new Community Right to Buy, and if you&amp;#8217;re trying to save a pub, a community centre, a sports ground, or any other local asset, it&amp;#8217;s worth understanding what&amp;#8217;s changed and what it means for how you raise money. The short version: community groups in England now have [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/the-community-right-to-buy-is-here-heres-what-it-means-for-your-campaign">The Community Right to Buy is here. Here’s what it means for your campaign.</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;On 16 June 2026, the government announced a new &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pubs-shops-and-local-assets-protected-with-communities-in-charge&quot;&gt;Community Right to Buy&lt;/a&gt;, and if you&amp;#8217;re trying to save a pub, a community centre, a sports ground, or any other local asset, it&amp;#8217;s worth understanding what&amp;#8217;s changed and what it means for how you raise money.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The short version: community groups in England now have stronger legal protections than ever before when a cherished local asset comes up for sale. But the fund that comes with it will be heavily oversubscribed, and the groups that succeed will be the ones who don&amp;#8217;t rely on it alone.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Part of a bigger picture: Pride in Place&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The Community Right to Buy doesn&amp;#8217;t sit in isolation. It&amp;#8217;s the government&amp;#8217;s latest initiative within the wider £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme, which is designed to hand power and money to local communities who know their areas best. The £61m Community Right to Buy Fund forms part of a broader £301 million package for the regeneration of high streets and community spaces.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Pride in Place is the government&amp;#8217;s flagship policy for community-driven local regeneration, committing funding to create safer, healthier neighbourhoods through programmes decided at a local level. The Community Right to Buy is the ownership piece of that strategy — the legal and financial mechanism that lets communities act, not just advise.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;For groups already thinking about saving a local asset, this is the most significant shift in community ownership law since the original Right to Bid in 2011. The Pride in Place framing matters because it signals government intent: this isn&amp;#8217;t a one-off fund. It&amp;#8217;s part of a long-term programme, and community ownership sits at its centre.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What&amp;#8217;s actually changed&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Until now, communities had a &amp;#8220;Right to Bid&amp;#8221; under rules introduced in 2011. If a listed asset came up for sale, you could register your interest and get a six-month pause, but the owner could still sell to anyone. You were competing in the open market with whoever else wanted to buy it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The new Community Right to Buy, introduced through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, goes further in two important ways.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First refusal.&lt;/strong&gt; Once a locally listed Asset of Community Value (ACV) comes up for sale, the community group gets first refusal. The owner can&amp;#8217;t sell to a commercial buyer while the moratorium (breathing period) is running.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More time.&lt;/strong&gt; The moratorium has been extended from 6 months to 12. A full year to get your funding in place, your governance sorted, and your offer ready.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Alongside the legal right, the government has announced a £61 million Community Right to Buy Fund, roughly £51m for purchases and £10m for capacity-building support (business planning, legal costs, community share offers). This is targeted particularly at groups in deprived areas.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What the fund looks like&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;£61 million sounds significant. In practice, the previous Community Ownership Fund was more than twice this size and still couldn&amp;#8217;t meet demand.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Several sector commentators, including Co-operatives UK and CLES, have already noted that the new fund is likely to be heavily oversubscribed. Full application guidance hasn&amp;#8217;t been published yet (as of early July 2026), and Locality, the national body for community ownership, is still working with government on the detail.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#8217;s not a reason to ignore the fund. It&amp;#8217;s a reason not to wait for it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The groups that move fastest and build the strongest cases, with a mixed funding stack already in place, will be in the best position when guidance drops. The ones who put everything on one pot will be left behind when it&amp;#8217;s oversubscribed.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Where community shares fit in&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/community-shares&quot;&gt;Community shares&lt;/a&gt; are one of the most powerful tools available to a group trying to buy a local asset, and the new Right to Buy makes them more relevant, not less.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#8217;s why.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You now have 12 months.&lt;/strong&gt; The extended moratorium gives you real time to run a community share offer properly. A community share offer done well takes about 3 to 5+ months; scoping, a share offer document, a launch, a campaign, a close. Six months was tight. Twelve months is workable.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community shares demonstrate demand.&lt;/strong&gt; A live community share offer, with real investment coming in from real members, is a strong signal that you can send to a fund assessor, a lender, or a local council. It shows the community wants this to happen and is willing to back it financially.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;They diversify your funding stack.&lt;/strong&gt; If the Community Right to Buy Fund is oversubscribed, and it will be, a group that&amp;#8217;s already raised £50,000 through community shares and secured a matched loan from a lender like Triodos or Unity Trust is in a fundamentally different position to one that applied to the fund and waited. A mixed stack (shares, grants, loans, fund) is more resilient than any single source.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grants are available alongside shares.&lt;/strong&gt; Certain grants, including Locality&amp;#8217;s Community Ownership Fund support and some local authority grants, can sit alongside a community share offer.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.uk.coop/CommunityShares&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;92% of businesses&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that have used community shares are &lt;strong&gt;still trading successfully&lt;/strong&gt;, compared to 55% for normal businesses.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Community shares statistic and project images&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10088&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-stat.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What to do now, step by step&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Check the asset&amp;#8217;s ACV status.&lt;/strong&gt; If the pub, shop, or space you&amp;#8217;re trying to save isn&amp;#8217;t already listed as an Asset of Community Value, you need to nominate it to your local council. Explain why it has social, economic, or sporting value to your community. Under the new rules, sporting value now explicitly counts. If you&amp;#8217;re turned down, you can now appeal; that&amp;#8217;s new too.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get it listed before it comes up for sale.&lt;/strong&gt; Listing is what gives you the rights. Without it, you don&amp;#8217;t get the moratorium or the right of first refusal. You can still nominate after a For Sale sign goes up, but the sooner it&amp;#8217;s listed, the safer you are.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. When it is up for sale. &lt;/strong&gt;Use the 12-month window to build your funding stack. Once the asset comes up for sale, the clock starts. Use that time to: get a valuation, build your business plan, structure your community share offer, and identify your grants and loans. The Community Right to Buy Fund will be one part of that, not the whole of it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Launch your community share offer.&lt;/strong&gt; A Crowdfunder community share offer lets you raise investment from your members, capped at £100,000 per investor, with investors becoming co-owners of the asset. It sits alongside your other funding sources and builds the community mandate that funders want to see.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Apply for the Community Right to Buy Fund when guidance is published.&lt;/strong&gt; Locality will publish further detail as it becomes available. Sign up to their updates and be ready to move when the application window opens.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Real community ownership on Crowdfunder&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Community groups have used Crowdfunder to raise millions towards buying and saving the assets that matter to them, from village pubs to music venues to community centres. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/drewearms&quot;&gt;The Drewe Arms in Devon&lt;/a&gt; raised £547,210 through a community share offer on Crowdfunder, entirely from their local community with no match funding. The community became co-owners. The pub stayed open.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#8217;s the model the new legislation is designed to enable more of. Crowdfunder is how you help build the financial case to make it happen.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;A crowd of community investors outside the pub they&#039;ve invested in&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10089&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/comms-shares-drewe-arms-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Get started&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#8217;re working on a community asset purchase and want to understand how a community share offer could work alongside the Community Right to Buy Fund*, we&amp;#8217;re here to help.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-admin/post.php?post=10074&amp;amp;action=edit#:~:text=Start%20a%20community,a%20new%20tab)&quot;&gt;Start a Community share on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Useful links&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pubs-shops-and-local-assets-protected-with-communities-in-charge&quot;&gt;Read more about the Community Right to Buy announcement&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.locality.org.uk/&quot;&gt;Find out about Locality&amp;#8217;s Community Ownership Unlocked programme&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;*Disclaimer: This article is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. The Community Right to Buy is newly introduced, and full application guidance for the fund has not yet been published. Rules, deadlines and eligibility may change — always check GOV.UK and Locality for the latest position, and take independent legal and financial advice before relying on any timeline or right described here.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/the-community-right-to-buy-is-here-heres-what-it-means-for-your-campaign">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
			</item>
						<item>
			<title>A complete guide to crowdfunding for musicians</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:46:30 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians?p=10007</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[The music industry has always asked independent artists to do more with less. Record deals that once covered recording, distribution and promotion are rarer and more conditional than they&amp;#8217;ve ever been. Streaming pays fractions of pennies. Touring costs more than it returns for most artists at the early and mid stages of a career.<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians">A complete guide to crowdfunding for musicians</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;How to plan, build and run your music crowdfunding project&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The music industry has always asked independent artists to do more with less. Record deals that once covered recording, distribution and promotion are rarer and more conditional than they&amp;#8217;ve ever been. Streaming pays fractions of pennies. Touring costs more than it returns for most artists at the early and mid stages of a career.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Crowdfunding doesn&amp;#8217;t fix any of that. What it does is give you a direct line to the people who care about what you make, and a way to fund your work on your own terms, without giving up creative control, ownership or the relationship with your audience.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;This guide is about doing it well. Not just setting up a campaign page, but understanding how to plan, build and run something that actually works — from defining your goal and designing rewards through to keeping your crowd engaged long after the campaign ends.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h4 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Quick links&lt;/h4&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#numbers&quot;&gt;Music and Crowdfunder: the numbers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#why&quot;&gt;Why crowdfund?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#planning&quot;&gt;Planning your campaign&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#building&quot;&gt;Building a project page that converts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#designing&quot;&gt;Designing rewards that fans actually want&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#prize&quot;&gt;Prize draws for musicians&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#match&quot;&gt;Match funding&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#promoting&quot;&gt;Promoting the campaign&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#fans&quot;&gt;After the campaign: delivering and building long-term fa&lt;/a&gt;ns&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians#stories&quot;&gt;Success stories: how musicians are using Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;numbers&quot;&gt;Music and Crowdfunder: the numbers&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Total raised by music projects on Crowdfunder: £34,262,508&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Number of music campaigns run: 8,779&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Average raised per music campaign: £5,464&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Largest single music campaign: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/own-our-venues-2022&quot;&gt;Own our venues &amp;#8211; £2,600,552&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Musicians have used Crowdfunder to fund everything from debut EPs and vinyl pressings to grassroots music venues and community orchestras. Sister Midnight, a grassroots music venue in London, raised &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sistermidnight&quot;&gt;£107,030&lt;/a&gt; from supporters to secure their future. Global Grooves, a community music organisation, raised &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/global-grooves&quot;&gt;£203,851&lt;/a&gt; to keep their work going. At the other end of the scale, independent artists regularly raise £5,000–£25,000 to fund albums, EPs and tours on their own terms.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Statistics of music crowdfunding projects&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10011&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-impact-of-music-crowdfunding-on-Crowdfunder.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:0px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;why&quot;&gt;Why crowdfund?&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Crowdfunding is more than a fundraising mechanism. When you run a campaign, you retain creative control and full ownership of your music — no commissioners, no label gatekeepers, no one else&amp;#8217;s vision to accommodate. The tradeoff is that you carry the full weight of the campaign yourself: the planning, the promotion, the communication, the follow-through.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The other thing worth understanding early is that your crowd — the people who back your campaign — are an asset that lasts well beyond any single project. Musicians who manage their backers well find they become repeat supporters, advocates, and the core of future audiences. The campaign funds the album or the tour; the crowd is what you build for the long term.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;planning&quot;&gt;Planning your campaign&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Most campaign failures are planning failures. The project idea is rarely the problem — the problem is launching without the right foundations in place.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Define exactly what you&amp;#8217;re raising for&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Be specific. &amp;#8220;Recording costs&amp;#8221; is not specific. A list that breaks down studio time, mixing, mastering, pressing costs and contingency is specific — and it matters, because backers want to know what their money is doing.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Common music campaign goals include recording and producing an album or EP, manufacturing physical formats (vinyl, CDs, cassettes), funding a tour, producing a music video, supporting a residency or commissioned project, or covering venue and rehearsal space costs.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Many musicians now fund in phases rather than all at once — a campaign for recording, then a separate one for pressing and distribution. This keeps individual targets realistic and lets your crowd participate in multiple chapters of the story.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/matmalbum2&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Crowdfunding target breakdown
&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10013&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Financial-breakdown.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:0px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Work out your target honestly&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Calculate your actual costs, including the ones easy to overlook: instrument hire, session musicians, transport, insurance, hard drives, packaging design, and postage for physical rewards. Build in a contingency of around 10–15%.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Choose your funding type&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;All or nothing means you only receive funds if you hit your target — helpful for when you need a minimum budget to execute your plan. Keep what you raise means you receive all pledges even if you fall short, which works well when every pound genuinely helps regardless of the total.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Set your timeline&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;A typical campaign runs for four to six weeks. Much longer and it loses focus; much shorter and you don&amp;#8217;t have time to build momentum. Map your campaign period against any fixed dates — recording sessions already booked, release windows, tour starts — and work backwards from those to set your launch date.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;One clear rule: don&amp;#8217;t launch before you&amp;#8217;re ready. A campaign that goes live before the page is finished, before the pitch video is done, before early backers have been lined up, is already behind.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Line up early support&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Having 10–20% of your target already pledged before you go public is one of the most commonly underestimated parts of the process. New visitors to a campaign page make quick judgments based on social proof. A campaign that has raised £2,000 in its first two days looks credible and alive. A campaign sitting at £0 after a week looks like something is wrong, even if it isn&amp;#8217;t.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Before launch, get commitments from people you know: friends, collaborators, existing fans, family. Ask them to pledge in the first 48 hours, and ask them to share it with two or three people who might care.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Hill&lt;/strong&gt; — a folk musician&amp;#8217;s Highland landscape album project — launched their Crowdfunder after already securing&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/thehillalbum&quot;&gt; £8,500 from Creative Scotland&lt;/a&gt; as a matched contribution. By the time the campaign went public, 34% of the target was already in place. The campaign went on to raise £25,780 in total. Starting with secured funding — whether from a match funder, a trust, or committed early backers — changes the psychology of every person who sees your campaign afterwards.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Develop your story&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Music campaigns succeed when they feel honest, transparent and emotionally compelling. Talk about who you are as an artist, why this project matters now, and what supporters are making possible by backing it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;building&quot;&gt;Building a project page that converts&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Your project page is doing several jobs at once: it&amp;#8217;s your pitch, your storefront and your storytelling medium. Visitors will skim it on mobile in seconds before deciding whether to back or leave.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The top section has to work immediately&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The title, main image and opening sentences need to land before anyone scrolls. Be clear about what you&amp;#8217;re doing, why it matters right now, and what supporters are making possible.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Avoid vague openers like &amp;#8220;We&amp;#8217;re a band trying to make our dreams come true.&amp;#8221; Try instead: &amp;#8220;We&amp;#8217;re pressing our debut vinyl, 500 copies of the record we&amp;#8217;ve spent three years making. Help us get it into people&amp;#8217;s hands.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Create a short pitch video&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;As a musician, video is your home territory. A pitch video doesn&amp;#8217;t need to be polished — authenticity matters more than production quality. Keep it under three minutes. Show your face, share your story, play something if it makes sense, and end with a direct ask. Subtitle it — a large proportion of mobile video is watched on mute.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Use images and scannable copy&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Include rehearsal shots, gig photos, artwork and tracklists. Break your copy into clear sections: what you&amp;#8217;re creating, how the money will be used, and who you are. Short paragraphs over long ones. Headers help people find their way around.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bad crowdfunding project example&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10014&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Bad-project-example.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Good crowdfunding project example&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10015&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Good-project-example.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:0px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;designing&quot;&gt;Designing rewards that fans actually want&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Rewards are where a lot of campaigns get tripped up — either by over-promising things that are expensive or time-consuming to fulfil, or by offering things nobody actually wants.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The principle to hold onto: money-can&amp;#8217;t-buy, low-cost rewards outperform generic merchandise almost every time. A signed test pressing, an invitation to a private listening session, a video call where you play something new — these cost you very little but feel genuinely special to someone who cares about your music.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Physical rewards carry hidden costs. Packing and posting 200 CDs takes more time and money than most people anticipate when they&amp;#8217;re setting up reward tiers. Limit physical items to higher tiers where the per-unit economics make more sense, and at the lower end, lean into digital and experience-based rewards.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benedict Please&lt;/strong&gt;, a pianist and composer, raised&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/benedictpleasepianoalbum&quot;&gt; £20,124&lt;/a&gt; for his debut piano album using a clear reward ladder — early digital access at the lower end, signed physical copies in the middle, and a private house concert for superfan backers at the top. Simple, scalable, no fulfilment nightmares.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;A straightforward reward ladder might look like this:&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;£5–£15:&lt;/strong&gt; digital perks — thank you credits, behind-the-scenes updates, early demos&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;£20–£40:&lt;/strong&gt; music and merch — early downloads, signed CDs, limited edition items&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;£50–£100:&lt;/strong&gt; experiences — tickets to launch shows, online listening parties&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;£250+:&lt;/strong&gt; superfan rewards — signed instruments, house concerts, studio visits&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Examples of crowdfunding rewards&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10022&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Rewards-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;prize&quot;&gt;Prize draws for musicians&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Prize draws are one of the most underused tools available to independent musicians and worth understanding properly.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Supporters buy entries — typically for a small amount like £5 — for a chance to win something special. The entry cost is low enough to attract a wide audience, including people who wouldn&amp;#8217;t pledge at a normal reward tier. The prize needs to be genuinely desirable: not generic merchandise, but something with real scarcity or personal value.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Prize draws work best when the prize is genuinely exciting and hard to replicate, the entry cost is low enough to be impulse-friendly, you can promote through partners, venues or communities beyond your existing audience, and the closing deadline is clear and creates urgency.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nordoff and Robbins&lt;/strong&gt; ran a prize draw offering a limited edition guitar signed by Mark Knopfler, raising £28,035 for the music therapy charity. The prize was specific, scarce and genuinely tied to the artist — the kind of thing a fan couldn&amp;#8217;t buy anywhere else.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;One more example: a prize draw run to win a drumskin signed by Frank Turner at his 3,000th show, run in support of Help Musicians, attracted supporters well beyond Turner&amp;#8217;s immediate fanbase. The combination of a meaningful prize, low entry cost and a clear cause made it shareable in a way a standard campaign wouldn&amp;#8217;t have been.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Prize draw mechanic versus crowdfunding mechanic&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10025&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-mechanic-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;match&quot;&gt;Match funding&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Match funding means a fund partner adds money to your campaign on top of what your crowd raises. If your project qualifies, every pound your supporters contribute may be matched, significantly increasing what you end up with.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Available match funding pots change over time and are tied to specific themes: arts and culture, community wellbeing, education, climate and more. Music projects — especially those with a community, youth, health or social impact dimension — regularly qualify. The key is to check what funds are currently live and whether your project fits their criteria before you set your target.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Hill&lt;/strong&gt; received £8,500 from Creative Scotland, which matches up to £10,000 for creative projects in Scotland. By the time the campaign launched publicly, a significant portion of the target was already secured. &lt;strong&gt;Show of Hands Festival&lt;/strong&gt; raised&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/showofhandsfestival&quot;&gt; £28,712&lt;/a&gt; for their annual folk festival, combining crowd support with match funding to reach a target that crowd donations alone would have struggled to hit.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;But match funding isn&amp;#8217;t just something you have to apply for. You can also bring your own.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If you have a relationship with a venue, a music charity, a trust, a local authority or a brand that supports independent music, they can add their own pot of funding directly to your campaign. When they do, every donation from your crowd triggers a matched contribution from them, up to a limit they set. It turns a two-way transaction between you and your backers into something bigger — a three-way partnership that gives funders a tangible, public way to support music they believe in.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;This is more common than most independent musicians realise. Help Musicians, arts councils, local music funds and venue networks have all run matched campaigns this way. A venue that believes in your project might not be able to write you a cheque, but they might be willing to match the first £2,000 of public donations — which effectively doubles what your crowd raises up to that point.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Graphic showing match funding&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10027&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;promoting&quot;&gt;Promoting your campaign&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Once you&amp;#8217;re live, the job becomes communication. Daily. For the full length of the campaign.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Most campaigns follow a predictable arc: a strong start driven by early backers, a quieter middle section, then a final surge as the deadline approaches. Knowing this in advance helps you plan your content and avoid panic during the slow period — it is normal, and it doesn&amp;#8217;t mean the campaign is failing.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Launch hard.&lt;/strong&gt; The first 24 hours set the tone. Have your early supporters ready to go on day one. Send personal emails and messages to your inner circle — not a broadcast, but direct individual asks that explain what the project is and why their support matters. Ask them to share it with two or three people who might care.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stay visible throughout.&lt;/strong&gt; Regular updates on social channels and direct to backers keep the campaign alive. Content that works well: short updates on progress and challenges, clips of the music being made, milestone posts (&amp;#8220;We&amp;#8217;re 50% there&amp;#8221;), public thank-yous. Keep your campaign link in your bio throughout.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reach beyond your existing audience.&lt;/strong&gt; Think about who else cares about what you&amp;#8217;re making. Music blogs, local radio, community organisations, venues you&amp;#8217;ve played, fan forums, online communities around your genre. A feature that frames the campaign as a story works better than a bare announcement.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Make the final 48 hours count.&lt;/strong&gt; The closing deadline creates urgency. A final push to your whole network, a clear countdown, reminders to anyone who said they&amp;#8217;d back it but hasn&amp;#8217;t yet.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grassroots Rising&lt;/strong&gt; raised&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/grassroots-rising-presents-where-it-all-began&quot;&gt; £118,828&lt;/a&gt; for their grassroots music project, a campaign that succeeded in large part because of sustained community promotion over its full run — regular updates, milestone moments and a story that kept developing in public as the funds grew.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Graphic showing typical campaign arc&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10028&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Match-funding-mechanic-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;fans&quot;&gt;After the campaign: delivering and building long-term fans&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;When the campaign ends, three things need to happen.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get the money sorted.&lt;/strong&gt; Funds are paid to your linked bank account within around seven working days. Use this moment to finalise your budget against what you actually raised.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fulfil your rewards.&lt;/strong&gt; Digital rewards should go out quickly, within days if possible. For physical rewards and experiences, communicate clear timelines and stick to them. Being organised here protects your reputation for future campaigns.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keep talking to your backers.&lt;/strong&gt; This is the part most people underestimate. Your backers are not just people who gave you money — they are the core of your future audience. Share updates as the project progresses: photos from the studio, artwork reveals, the first test press, the release date, the tour. Tell them first. They backed you before anyone else had heard it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The musicians who get the most from crowdfunding are not the ones who run a single successful campaign. They are the ones who treat each campaign as a chapter in an ongoing relationship with a growing crowd.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;stories&quot;&gt;Success stories: how musicians are using Crowdfunder&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;These real Crowdfunder campaigns show the range of ways musicians and music projects are successfully using crowdfunding — from album releases and live performance to community impact and artist development.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/marisaandthemoths&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Marisa and the Moths&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; raised £23,412 from 221 supporters to fund the release of their second album. The campaign worked because the goal was specific, the storytelling was honest, and the rewards gave fans genuine ways to be part of the moment. Rewards ranged from early digital downloads to signed vinyl and personalised experiences for superfans.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;A group shot of rock band&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10017&quot; style=&quot;width:363px;height:204px&quot; width=&quot;363&quot; height=&quot;204&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Marisa-and-the-moths.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/singingwithnightingales&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Singing with Nightingales&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; raised £17,545 from 183 supporters for a series of site-specific live music performances combining sound and nature. The project offered experiences rather than recordings, and the storytelling focused on something shared and ephemeral rather than a product to be delivered — attracting backers from wellbeing, live art and environmental communities as well as music fans.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;A group sat around a fire eating food&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10018&quot; style=&quot;width:363px;height:204px&quot; width=&quot;363&quot; height=&quot;204&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Singing-with-nightingales.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/return-from-helsinki---tune-book-and-album&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Return from Helsinki&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; raised £37,674 with no match funding — entirely from the crowd — to produce a tune book and album. A strong example of a purely crowd-led music campaign: no institutional backing, just an artist with a specific project, a clear story, and an audience willing to fund it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;A man with his thumb up surrounded by letters&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10019&quot; style=&quot;width:363px;height:204px&quot; width=&quot;363&quot; height=&quot;204&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Return-from-Helsinki.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-new-jazz-bar-saving-the-music&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The New Jazz Bar&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; raised £43,619 to save their venue and the music community built around it. Not a record or a tour, but a space — and proof that crowdfunding works as well for the infrastructure of music as it does for the music itself.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;A stage with musical instruments&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10020&quot; style=&quot;width:363px;height:204px&quot; width=&quot;363&quot; height=&quot;204&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/The-jazz-bar.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Ready to start?&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The practical first step is to cost your project properly and decide on your target. Everything else follows from that.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#8217;re not sure whether your project is right for crowdfunding, or whether you might qualify for match funding, the best thing to do is look at what&amp;#8217;s already been funded — there&amp;#8217;s a lot to learn from campaigns that have already worked.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/start-crowdfunding&quot;&gt;Start your campaign&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h4 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Useful links&lt;/h4&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/music&quot;&gt;Browse music projects on Crowdfunder →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/funds&quot;&gt;Check live match funding opportunities →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/prize-draws&quot;&gt;Find out more about prize draws&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/funds&quot;&gt; &lt;/a&gt;→&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/a-complete-guide-for-crowdfunding-for-musicians">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Why this artist is running a crowdfunder and a prize draw at the same time</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-this-artist-is-running-a-crowdfunder-and-a-prize-draw-at-the-same-time</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:52:25 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-this-artist-is-running-a-crowdfunder-and-a-prize-draw-at-the-same-time?p=9963</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[When Ella Starling launched her fundraising campaign for Ceasefire, a large-scale oil painting reinterpreting Picasso&amp;#8217;s Guernica in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza — she didn&amp;#8217;t choose between a crowdfunder and a prize draw. She ran both, simultaneously, for two different reasons. It&amp;#8217;s a smart approach that more creative projects should know about. The [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-this-artist-is-running-a-crowdfunder-and-a-prize-draw-at-the-same-time">Why this artist is running a crowdfunder and a prize draw at the same time</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;When Ella Starling launched her fundraising campaign for &lt;em&gt;Ceasefire&lt;/em&gt;, a large-scale oil painting reinterpreting Picasso&amp;#8217;s &lt;em&gt;Guernica&lt;/em&gt; in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza — she didn&amp;#8217;t choose between a crowdfunder and a prize draw. She ran both, simultaneously, for two different reasons.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#8217;s a smart approach that more creative projects should know about.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:5px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The project&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Ella Starling is a figurative painter, mother and activist from Pembrokeshire, Wales. Her previous project, &lt;em&gt;Raising Her Voice: A Collective Portrait of Motherhood&lt;/em&gt;, was funded by Arts Council Wales and culminated in two solo exhibitions in Spring 2026.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ceasefire&lt;/em&gt; is her most ambitious work yet: a large-scale oil painting filling her studio wall, reinterpreting Picasso&amp;#8217;s &lt;em&gt;Guernica&lt;/em&gt; as a painted response to events in Gaza. The project began with a study trip to Madrid, supported by a bursary from a-n The Artists Information Company, to study &lt;em&gt;Guernica&lt;/em&gt; in person. Nine months of making, documenting and sharing the process publicly will follow, with completion and a public exhibition planned for Spring 2027.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;To fund it, she needs £5,500 — covering materials, studio costs, documentation and the time to make something at this scale properly.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-embed__wrapper&quot;&gt;
&lt;iframe loading=&quot;lazy&quot; title=&quot;Crowdfunder video for &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Ceasefire&amp;#039;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;281&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/ARvfv7nXrts?feature=oembed&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:5px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Two campaigns, two different jobs&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Ella has two live projects on Crowdfunder running alongside each other.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The crowdfunding campaign&lt;/strong&gt; —&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ceasefire&quot;&gt; Ceasefire: A painted response to genocide in Gaza&lt;/a&gt; — is her main fundraiser. Supporters can donate and choose from a range of rewards: prints, original studies, studio visits, and a chance to have their name in the exhibition. The rewards give people a meaningful way to connect with the work itself, not just the cause behind it. At £5,500 target, with 33 days left, the campaign is at 28%.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The prize draw&lt;/strong&gt; —&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ceasefire-prize-draw&quot;&gt; Win &amp;#8216;That Feeling&amp;#8217;&lt;/a&gt; — offers something different. For £5, anyone can enter to win &lt;em&gt;That Feeling&lt;/em&gt;, an original oil painting from her previous &lt;em&gt;Raising Her Voice&lt;/em&gt; project, professionally framed and ready to hang. It&amp;#8217;s a one-of-a-kind work, not a print. The prize draw exists to reach people who might not back a crowdfunding campaign but will enter a draw for an original painting — widening the audience beyond Ella&amp;#8217;s existing supporters.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The two campaigns can&amp;#8217;t be combined on a single page — prize draws and crowdfunding are separate products on Crowdfunder. But running them simultaneously is entirely possible, and in this case it&amp;#8217;s a deliberate strategy.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9972&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Project-profile.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:5px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Why it works&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The crowdfunder converts committed supporters.&lt;/strong&gt; People who care about Ella&amp;#8217;s work, who want to follow the process of making &lt;em&gt;Ceasefire&lt;/em&gt;, who want a print or a study or their name in the exhibition — they back the campaign. The rewards give them something specific to connect to.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The prize draw broadens the crowd.&lt;/strong&gt; A £5 entry point is accessible to people who&amp;#8217;ve never heard of Ella Starling and might not be ready to back an arts crowdfunder. But an original oil painting as a prize? That travels. It reaches art collectors, people who follow prize draws, people who share it because the prize is genuinely desirable.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Together, they build two different supporter relationships.&lt;/strong&gt; The crowdfunder backers become part of the project — they&amp;#8217;re invested in seeing it completed. The prize draw entrants become part of Ella&amp;#8217;s audience. Some of them will follow her work long after the draw closes.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9973&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-supporter-comments-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:5px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;broader point&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Most people assume crowdfunding is an either/or decision. Either you run a donation campaign, or a rewards campaign, or a prize draw. Either you go all-in on one approach or you split your attention and dilute the impact.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Ella&amp;#8217;s approach shows that&amp;#8217;s not the case. The two products do different things, reach different people, and sit alongside each other without competing. One deepens relationships with existing supporters. The other opens the door to new ones.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;On Crowdfunder, you can run a prize draw and a crowdfunding campaign at the same time. You can have rewards on your crowdfunder and a separate draw for something special. You can design a fundraising approach that fits the project, rather than fitting the project into a single fundraising format.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ceasefire&lt;/em&gt; is still live. If you&amp;#8217;d like to back the campaign or enter the draw, both pages are open now.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ceasefire&quot;&gt;Back the Ceasefire crowdfunder →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ceasefire-prize-draw&quot;&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ceasefire-prize-draw&quot;&gt;Enter the prize draw →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/start-crowdfunding&quot;&gt;Get started on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:32px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:0px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-successful-prize-draw-on-crowdfunder&quot;&gt;Learn more about prize draws&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-this-artist-is-running-a-crowdfunder-and-a-prize-draw-at-the-same-time">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Why regular donations are an underused tool on Crowdfunder</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-regular-donations-are-an-underused-tool-on-crowdfunder</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:42:38 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-regular-donations-are-an-underused-tool-on-crowdfunder?p=9925</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Most crowdfunding campaigns are built around a moment. A target, a deadline, a push to get there. And we know that works; it creates urgency, it gets people moving, and when it goes well, it&amp;#8217;s one of the most satisfying things in fundraising. But what happens after the campaign closes? For a lot of organisations, [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-regular-donations-are-an-underused-tool-on-crowdfunder">Why regular donations are an underused tool on Crowdfunder</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;Most crowdfunding campaigns are built around a moment. A target, a deadline, a push to get there. And we know that works; it creates urgency, it gets people moving, and when it goes well, it&amp;#8217;s one of the most satisfying things in fundraising.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;But what happens after the campaign closes?&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;For a lot of organisations, the answer is: you start again. New appeal, new target, new ask to the same people who already backed you once. Regular donations are a different approach, and for organisations with ongoing costs, they&amp;#8217;re often a better one.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What regular donations actually do&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;When a supporter makes a regular donation on Crowdfunder, their contribution repeats automatically on the same date each month. They don&amp;#8217;t need to do anything again. You don&amp;#8217;t need to ask again. The money arrives, month after month, for as long as they choose to keep giving.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#8217;s a meaningfully different relationship to a one-off gift. A one-off donation is a transaction. A regular donation is a commitment — and the supporters who make them tend to feel more invested in what you&amp;#8217;re doing, not less, over time.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;For organisations running ongoing services — a food bank, a community space, a youth programme, a conservation project — that steady income changes what&amp;#8217;s possible. You can plan further ahead. You can budget for the things that don&amp;#8217;t stop when a campaign ends: staff time, rent, running costs, the work itself.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;blockquote class=&quot;wp-block-quote&quot;&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Research shows the average UK donor gives regularly to around two or three causes at a time. People want to feel like they&amp;#8217;re doing good — and a standing monthly commitment is how many of them do that. The question isn&amp;#8217;t whether your supporters are already giving regularly to something. It&amp;#8217;s whether your project is one of the things they&amp;#8217;ve chosen.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9948&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-1-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The number that matters&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Over £1 million has been raised through regular donations on Crowdfunder, across 68,000 individual payments from 6,750 supporters. The average monthly gift is £17.93.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#8217;s not a headline number. It&amp;#8217;s a quiet, reliable one — which is exactly the point.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;277&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2-1024x277.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9942&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2-1024x277.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2-300x81.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2-768x208.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2-1536x416.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-set-up-2.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;How to make it work&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Switching regular donations on is the easy part. You can do it during project set-up or at any time afterwards from your project dashboard.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The harder part — and the more important part — is giving your supporters a reason to choose monthly over once.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The projects that do this well are specific. Not &amp;#8220;support us every month&amp;#8221; but &amp;#8220;£10 a month covers one food parcel every fortnight, for as long as you choose to give it.&amp;#8221; Not &amp;#8220;help us keep going&amp;#8221; but &amp;#8220;£5 a month plants a tree every month and funds the volunteer days that keep them alive.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The difference between a vague ask and a specific one is the difference between a supporter thinking &amp;#8220;maybe&amp;#8221; and thinking &amp;#8220;yes.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;In your project description, try covering three things: what ongoing costs a regular donation covers, what their gift adds up to over time, and what keeps happening because they stayed.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Blog graphics showing a crowdfunding project page update about regular donations&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9944&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Regular-donations-updates.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Give your supporters a way to stay&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Your campaign runs exactly as it would. You set a target, tell your story, share it with your crowd. Regular donations simply give supporters one more option when they go to back you — monthly instead of once.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Switch it on during set-up or at any time from your project dashboard. The relationships you build during a campaign don&amp;#8217;t have to end when it does.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/regular-donations&quot;&gt;Switch regular donations on&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/why-regular-donations-are-an-underused-tool-on-crowdfunder">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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						<item>
			<title>Match funding, TikToks and more: what we’ve shipped this month</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/match-funding-tiktoks-and-more-what-weve-shipped-this-month</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:18:14 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/match-funding-tiktoks-and-more-what-weve-shipped-this-month?p=9927</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[July 2026 We ship updates to Crowdfunder regularly, and most of them don&amp;#8217;t come with a fanfare. Here&amp;#8217;s a quick roundup of what&amp;#8217;s landed recently. TikToks and YouTube Shorts on your project page If you&amp;#8217;ve already got a video on TikTok or YouTube Shorts that captures exactly what your project is about, you can now [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/match-funding-tiktoks-and-more-what-weve-shipped-this-month">Match funding, TikToks and more: what we’ve shipped this month</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;July 2026&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;We ship updates to Crowdfunder regularly, and most of them don&amp;#8217;t come with a fanfare. Here&amp;#8217;s a quick roundup of what&amp;#8217;s landed recently.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;New ways to show off your project on your project page&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Frictionless password setup&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Updated ways to liven up your story&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;TikToks and YouTube Shorts on your project page&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#8217;ve already got a video on TikTok or YouTube Shorts that captures exactly what your project is about, you can now add it directly to your project page. No re-uploading, no downloading and re-hosting elsewhere, just paste the link and it appears. Most people tell their story on social first anyway. Now your project page can keep up.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9966&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Tiktok-on-project-page-2.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Live password validation&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Small but satisfying. When you&amp;#8217;re setting or changing your password, the rules now tick off in real time as you type, so you know before you hit submit whether you&amp;#8217;re good to go. One less reason to end up stuck at the login screen.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Emojis in projects, rewards and updates&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;You can now use emojis in your project description, reward tiers and campaign updates. It&amp;#8217;s a small thing, but your project page is yours, and if a 🎉 or a 🌱 fits the story you&amp;#8217;re telling, it should be there.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9951&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/emojis-in-projects.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;hr class=&quot;wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity&quot; /&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Coming soon&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;We&amp;#8217;re working on some bigger things that we&amp;#8217;ll be sharing in August — including a new project owner dashboard built to give you a much clearer picture of how your campaign is performing and what to do next.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/start-crowdfunding&quot;&gt;Get started&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;div style=&quot;height:100px&quot; aria-hidden=&quot;true&quot; class=&quot;wp-block-spacer&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you want to help shape the future of the platform? Give us some feedback!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://form.jotform.com/262004487701048&quot;&gt;Feedback form&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/match-funding-tiktoks-and-more-what-weve-shipped-this-month">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
			</item>
						<item>
			<title>How to run a prize draw for your zoo or wildlife park</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:26:59 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park?p=9930</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Prize draws are one of the most effective fundraising tools available to zoos and wildlife parks in the UK, yet still one of the most underused. They lower the barrier to entry for supporters, reach audiences far beyond your existing visitor base, and can be built around the thing you already have that no other [&amp;hellip;]<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park">How to run a prize draw for your zoo or wildlife park</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;p&gt;Prize draws are one of the most effective fundraising tools available to zoos and wildlife parks in the UK, yet still one of the most underused. They lower the barrier to entry for supporters, reach audiences far beyond your existing visitor base, and can be built around the thing you already have that no other charity does: direct access to extraordinary animals.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;This guide covers everything you need to know to run a successful prize draw on Crowdfunder, from choosing your prize to promoting it and picking your winner.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h4 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Quick links&lt;/h4&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#why&quot;&gt;Why prize draws work so well for zoos&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#what&quot;&gt;What makes a great zoo prize draw prize?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#how&quot;&gt;How to set up your prize draw on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#free&quot;&gt;The free entry route: what you need to know&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#entry&quot;&gt;Setting your entry price and target&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#promote&quot;&gt;How to promote your prize draw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#winner&quot;&gt;Picking your winner&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#repeat&quot;&gt;Making it repeatable&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#meta&quot;&gt;Retargeting with Meta Pixel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park#stories&quot;&gt;Real zoo prize draws on Crowdfunder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;why&quot;&gt;Why prize draws work so well for zoos&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Most fundraising asks require a supporter to give with nothing in return. A prize draw changes that equation. For £5 or £10, someone gets a chance to win something genuinely exciting; and your zoo gets a supporter, a new contact, and funds raised.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;For zoos and wildlife parks specifically, the prize draw format has three particular advantages.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You have prizes no one else can offer.&lt;/strong&gt; A behind-the-scenes experience with your keepers, a chance to feed an endangered animal, a private after-hours tour; these are money-can&amp;#8217;t-buy prizes that no voucher or product giveaway can replicate. The exclusivity is the point.&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Your cause resonates.&lt;/strong&gt; Wildlife conservation, animal welfare, and habitat protection are causes people care deeply about. A prize draw that connects entry to a tangible conservation outcome, &amp;#8220;every £5 entry helps fund our red panda breeding programme&amp;#8221;, gives supporters a reason to enter beyond just winning.&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can run them repeatedly.&lt;/strong&gt; Edinburgh Zoo ran twelve consecutive prize draws on Crowdfunder over several years, raising over £400,000 in total across those campaigns with 16,745 supporters. A well-run draw builds a list of engaged supporters you can return to again and again.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9957&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-impact.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;what&quot;&gt;What makes a great zoo prize draw prize?&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The prize is everything. A good zoo prize draw prize has three qualities: it&amp;#8217;s exclusive, it&amp;#8217;s experiential, and it&amp;#8217;s connected to your animals or mission.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Behind-the-scenes experiences:&lt;/strong&gt; Keeper-for-a-day, animal feeding sessions, private guided tours outside public hours; these are the gold standard for zoo prize draws. Edinburgh Zoo built an entire multi-year campaign around their Giant Panda Magic Moment, and Wild Planet Trust in Paignton ran a draw around an exclusive meet and greet with Mo, their sloth. The animal is the prize.&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Once-in-a-lifetime encounters:&lt;/strong&gt; The further the prize goes from what a normal visitor can access, the more compelling it becomes. WWF, Fauna &amp;amp; Flora and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund ran a joint prize draw on Crowdfunder for a seven-day trip to Rwanda and Uganda to track mountain gorillas in the wild, with a £2,000 flights voucher included. That prize raised significant funds precisely because it was genuinely irreplaceable.&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Multiple prizes to widen appeal:&lt;/strong&gt; Edinburgh Zoo&amp;#8217;s Christmas Magic Moment draw offered 12 winners a choice of animal encounter at either Edinburgh Zoo or Highland Wildlife Park. Multiple prizes lower the barrier further: better odds, more winners, more buzz when results are announced.&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Partnerships and donated prizes:&lt;/strong&gt; If your zoo has a relationship with a hotel, a travel company, or a wildlife tour operator, a donated prize partnership removes cost from your end entirely. Edinburgh Zoo partnered with the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh for an overnight stay alongside their private zoo access prize. The hotel got visibility, the zoo got a world-class prize at no cost.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9958&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Supporter-comments-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;how&quot;&gt;How to set up your prize draw on Crowdfunder&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Setting up a prize draw on Crowdfunder is free and takes about 20 minutes. There are no platform fees for not-for-profit organisations.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What you&amp;#8217;ll need before you start:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Your prize clearly defined (what it is, who it&amp;#8217;s for, any age restrictions or access requirements)&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;A fundraising target and closing date&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Terms and conditions for the draw (Crowdfunder provides a template)&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;A free entry route — this is a legal requirement (more on this below)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Step by step:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Go to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/prize-draws&quot;&gt;crowdfunder.co.uk&lt;/a&gt; and create a project&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Select prize draw as the project type&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Describe your prize, your cause, and how the funds raised will be used&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Set your entry price (£5 per entry is standard; you can allow multiple entries)&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Set your closing date — a minimum of 14 days is required&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Upload your terms and conditions&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;Publish and start promoting&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9959&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Add-a-prize-draw-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;free&quot;&gt;The free entry route: what you need to know&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Every prize draw on Crowdfunder must include a free entry route. This is a legal requirement under UK gambling law; without it, a prize draw can be classified as a lottery, which requires a licence.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;A free entry route means anyone can enter without paying, typically by sending a postcard or email. The free entry route must be as accessible as the paid route, and free entrants must have the same chance of winning as paid entrants.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The free entry route must offer the same chance of winning as paid entry, be no harder to use, and be clearly signposted. Free entrants must be added to the pool of entries before you pick a winner.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9960&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Prize-draw-free-entry-route.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;entry&quot;&gt;Setting your entry price and target&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Entry price:&lt;/strong&gt; £5 per entry is the standard for most zoo prize draws and the format Edinburgh Zoo used consistently across their campaigns. A lower price point makes the draw accessible to families and maximises the number of entrants. You can allow multiple entries, which increases both revenue and individual supporter investment.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fundraising target:&lt;/strong&gt; Set a target based on the size of your audience and the appeal of your prize. A behind-the-scenes animal encounter with a moderate social following might target £1,000–£3,000. A high-profile partnership prize draw with a large email list can target significantly more. Edinburgh Zoo&amp;#8217;s draws consistently raised tens of thousands across their monthly series.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All or nothing vs keep what you raise:&lt;/strong&gt; If you choose all or nothing, you only receive funds if you hit your target, and all entries are refunded if you don&amp;#8217;t. Keep what you raise means you receive everything pledged regardless. For prize draws, keep what you raise is often more appropriate; you&amp;#8217;re awarding the prize either way, so there&amp;#8217;s no reason to risk returning the funds.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Edinburgh Zoo prize draws&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10048&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-ed-zoo.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;promote&quot;&gt;How to promote your prize draw&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Your existing audience first:&lt;/strong&gt; Your email list is your most valuable asset. A prize draw email to your existing supporter database, members, past visitors, and newsletter subscribers should be the first thing you send before promoting anywhere else. People who already care about your zoo are most likely to enter and most likely to share.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Social media:&lt;/strong&gt; Prize draws are naturally shareable. The prize should do most of the work; a video of the animal encounter you&amp;#8217;re offering as the prize is worth a hundred text posts. Instagram and Facebook tend to work best for zoo audiences; TikTok is increasingly strong for wildlife content.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Repeat communications:&lt;/strong&gt; Don&amp;#8217;t just send one email and one post. Plan a promotion schedule: a launch announcement, a midpoint reminder with a progress update, a final week countdown, and a closing day push. Each touch point should have something new, an update on funds raised, a story from a keeper, a piece of animal content.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Press:&lt;/strong&gt; Local press will often cover a well-framed prize draw, especially if the prize is genuinely unusual. &amp;#8220;Win a private night at the zoo with [celebrity keeper name]&amp;#8221; is a story. Lead with the prize and the conservation cause, not the fundraising mechanics.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Partner amplification:&lt;/strong&gt; If your prize involves a hotel or travel partner, ask them to promote the draw to their own audience. Their guests and followers are a warm audience who may never have heard of your zoo. This is one of the most powerful reach extensions available to a prize draw and costs nothing extra.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Any advertising or promotional material for your draw must comply with the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/08.html&quot;&gt;CAP Code&lt;/a&gt;, including making clear that a free entry route exists.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Promoting your prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10049&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-promoting.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;winner&quot;&gt;Picking your winner&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;When your draw closes, use Crowdfunder&amp;#8217;s free&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/random-number-generator&quot;&gt; random number generator&lt;/a&gt; to select your winner.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Before you run the draw, make sure all free entry route entries have been added to your list alongside the paid entries; every entrant must have an equal chance.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Record your inputs and outputs (the range of entry numbers, how many winners, and the winning number drawn) as your evidence of a fair draw.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Notify your winner promptly and announce the result publicly, on social media, in your next email, and on the prize draw page itself. A celebratory post with a photo of the winner enjoying their prize (with permission) is excellent content and builds trust for your next draw.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Prize draw winner generator&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10050&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/prize-draw-winners.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;repeat&quot;&gt;Making it repeatable&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The zoos that raise the most from prize draws don&amp;#8217;t run one and stop. &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/christiannee-mckenzie/profile/projects&quot;&gt;Edinburgh Zoo&lt;/a&gt; ran twelve consecutive draws and built a community of over 16,000 supporters in the process. Each draw added names to their list, each winner became an advocate, and each campaign was easier to promote than the last.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;A quarterly or seasonal draw, a spring animal encounter, a summer family experience, a Christmas magic moment, gives supporters something to look forward to and gives your fundraising team a reliable, repeatable income stream that doesn&amp;#8217;t depend on a single campaign going viral.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The animal changes. The prize changes. The format stays the same. And it works every time.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10051&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Supporter-comments-2.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;meta&quot;&gt;Retargeting with Meta Pixel&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If your zoo runs paid social advertising, adding the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-wwf-achieved-a-3x-return-on-ad-spend-with-crowdfunder&quot;&gt;Meta Pixel&lt;/a&gt; to your prize draw campaign page lets you retarget everyone who visits but doesn&amp;#8217;t enter. For organisations with a recognised brand and an existing audience, zoo members, past visitors, and conservation supporters, this is one of the most cost-effective ways to convert warm interest into entries. Someone who&amp;#8217;s visited your zoo three times and clicked your draw page twice is far more likely to enter with a gentle retargeted reminder than a cold audience seeing your ad for the first time.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Crowdfunder supports Meta Pixel integration directly on your project page, so you can run retargeting campaigns without any custom development. For larger organisations already running social ads, it&amp;#8217;s a meaningful lever, particularly in the final week of a draw when urgency is highest.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;384&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets-1024x384.png&quot; alt=&quot;WWF prize draw success story&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10052&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets-1024x384.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets-300x113.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets-768x288.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets-1536x576.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-headers-and-assets.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot; id=&quot;stories&quot;&gt;Real zoo prize draws on Crowdfunder&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/christiannee-mckenzie/profile/projects&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edinburgh Zoo (RZSS)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; ran twelve prize draws on Crowdfunder, raising over £400,000 from thousands of supporters. What made their approach distinctive was consistency and variety: prizes ranged from private overnight zoo access and a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel stay, to monthly Giant Panda Magic Moments, Christmas animal encounter draws offering 12 winners their choice of keeper experience, and a towering giraffe sculpture alongside a behind-the-scenes day with keepers. By running draws regularly and building a list of engaged supporters over time, Edinburgh Zoo turned prize draws into a reliable, repeatable income stream rather than a one-off campaign.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/ed-zoo.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Edinburgh Zoo prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10053&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/ed-zoo.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/ed-zoo-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/ed-zoo-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sloth-meet-and-greet-prize-draw&quot;&gt;Wild Planet Trust&lt;/a&gt; (Paignton Zoo) ran a sloth meet and greet draw offering an exclusive encounter with Mo the sloth, from £5 per entry. The draw raised funds for the zoo&amp;#8217;s conservation work and demonstrates how a single, well-loved animal can anchor an entire campaign.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1532152.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Paignton Zoo prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10055&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1532152.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1532152-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1532152-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/win-a-sloth-feeding-experience&quot;&gt;Drusillas Park&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;ran a prize draw on Flash the sloth&amp;#8217;s birthday — a 30–40 minute non-contact sloth feeding experience for two people, with 100% of proceeds going to the Sloth Conservation Foundation. A good example of a draw with dual purpose: engaging visitors and directing funds to a named conservation partner.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1547300.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Drusillas Zoo Park&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10056&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1547300.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1547300-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1547300-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/zsl&quot;&gt;Whipsnade Zoo&lt;/a&gt; is currently running a draw giving supporters the chance to help name their new elephant calf, from £5 per entry. The naming hook is a clever mechanic that gives entrants a sense of personal investment beyond just winning.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1708202.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Whipsnade Zoo prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10057&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1708202.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1708202-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1708202-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-rescue-ukrainian-lions&quot;&gt;Yorkshire Wildlife Park&lt;/a&gt; ran a prize draw tied directly to a rescue mission: supporters could win a £1,500 family getaway to the park, including a luxury stay, meals and VIP perks, while helping fund the rescue and rehoming of a Ukrainian lion family. A strong example of how a prize draw can be built around a specific, urgent conservation story rather than a generic fundraising ask.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1632331.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Yorkshire Wildlife Park prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10058&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1632331.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1632331-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1632331-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/win-a-lifetime-membership&quot;&gt;Bristol Zoo Project&lt;/a&gt; offered lifetime membership for two as their prize, raising funds for their conservation and education charity. Lifetime membership is one of the highest-value prizes a zoo can offer at near-zero cost, and it connects the winner directly to the organisation&amp;#8217;s long-term mission.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1670874.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Bristol Zoo Project prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10059&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1670874.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1670874-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1670874-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ultimate-capybara-experience&quot;&gt;Twycross Zoo&lt;/a&gt; is running a draw for the first-ever Ultimate Capybara Experience, as part of a wider campaign to raise £500,000 towards a world-class Bornean orangutan habitat. A great example of a prize draw used as a stepping stone toward a much bigger goal: the capybara experience generates excitement and funds while raising awareness of the orangutan project the money ultimately supports.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-full is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1668368.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Twycross Zoo prize draw&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10060&quot; style=&quot;width:300px;height:169px&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;169&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1668368.jpg 848w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1668368-300x169.jpg 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/1668368-768x432.jpg 768w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Ready to start?&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Running a prize draw on Crowdfunder is free. There are no platform fees for not-for-profit zoos and wildlife parks, and support is available at every stage.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/prize-draws&quot;&gt;Start your prize draw&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9998&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Blog-divider-1.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Useful links&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/programmes/prize-draw-guidelines&quot;&gt;Read our prize draw guidelines →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/prize-draws&quot;&gt;Find out more about prize draws →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;



&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/donate?query=zoo%2520prize%2520draw&amp;amp;map=off&quot;&gt;Explore live zoo prize draws &lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/prize-draws&quot;&gt;→&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/how-to-run-a-prize-draw-for-your-zoo-or-wildlife-park">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
			</item>
						<item>
			<title>Six and Out: How the Bob Willis Fund raised £2.5 million for prostate cancer research</title>
			<link>https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-and-out-how-the-bob-willis-fund-raised-2-5-million-for-prostate-cancer-research</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:38:47 +0100</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rebecca Hughes]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-and-out-how-the-bob-willis-fund-raised-2-5-million-for-prostate-cancer-research?p=9850</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[The genius of #BlueForBob as a fundraising mechanic is that it uses cricket, a sport Bob loved and defined, as both the occasion and the audience. Every year, Edgbaston hosted an England men&amp;#8217;s match. Every year, the fund asked supporters, players and broadcasters to wear blue. Every year, the crowd responded.<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-and-out-how-the-bob-willis-fund-raised-2-5-million-for-prostate-cancer-research">Six and Out: How the Bob Willis Fund raised £2.5 million for prostate cancer research</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;How the Bob Willis Fund raised £1.5 million on Crowdfunder over 6 years&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;In the summer of 2021, Edgbaston turned blue for the first time. England played Pakistan in a One Day International, and thousands of fans in the stands wore blue, not for the team, but for Bob. For Bob Willis, the former England captain, the hero of Headingley 1981, the voice of Sky Sports cricket for three decades, who had died of prostate cancer in December 2019 at the age of 70.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;While that day raised more than an incredible £300,000, it was also the beginning of something even bigger. The Bob Willis Fund knew it could do something special using the power of cricket.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/adam-askew-1/profile/projects&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bob Willis crowdfunding projects&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9853&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-28.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;The fund and its mission&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The Bob Willis Fund was established by his wife Lauren Clark, daughter Katie and his brother David to fund research into prostate cancer and raise awareness of the disease, to achieve a national screening programme&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Prostate cancer is the number one diagnosed male cancer in the UK, killing 12,000 men a year. Yet, there is still no national screening programme and the current test (the PSA test) is unreliable.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;It didn&amp;#8217;t work for Bob. Bob had been a healthy 66-year-old when he was diagnosed in April 2016. His PSA was only very slightly raised. A urologist told him there was nothing to worry about. Six weeks later, a biopsy told a different story: advanced prostate cancer that had spread into his bones. He died three years and eight months after his diagnosis. Bob&amp;#8217;s story proves there is still so much research needed. That conviction became the fund&amp;#8217;s driving force.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/adam-askew-1/profile/projects&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bob Willis crowdfunding projects&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9852&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-22.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;#BlueForBob: building a campaign from grief and cricket&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The genius of #BlueForBob is that it uses cricket, a sport Bob loved and defined, as both the occasion and the audience; made possible by partners Sky, the ECB and Edgbaston.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The Fund has now raised over £2.5m since it began, raising £1.5m of that on Crowdfunder through campaigns and prize draws, funding groundbreaking research at the Institute of Cancer Research, Imperial College, the University of East Anglia, Prostate Cancer Research and Prostate Cancer UK, developing blood and urine tests and genetic mapping to enhance early detection methods.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Every campaign lived on Crowdfunder.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;How they built the campaign&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;h3 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;A hashtag with meaning&lt;/h3&gt;



&lt;p&gt;#BlueForBob is more than a fundraising slogan. It gave the campaign a visual identity, the colour blue, Bob&amp;#8217;s colour, that could travel across social media, through TV coverage, and around a cricket ground. When Sky Sports broadcasters wore blue on air, when Ben Stokes pulled on a blue cap, when the Edgbaston crowd lit up in blue, the hashtag connected all of it back to a donation page.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The fund used prize draws on Crowdfunder to deepen that connection. Supporters could win a signed England ODI shirt from the Pakistan match, Ben Stokes&amp;#8217; signed cap from BlueForBob Day, and two tickets to an intimate evening with Bob Willis and Jimmy Anderson. These weren&amp;#8217;t generic prizes; they were artefacts from the days that mattered, tied directly to the cause.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Crowdfunder as the consistent platform&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Every campaign, from the flagship annual BlueForBob Day to smaller prize draws and personal fundraisers like Ron&amp;#8217;s March for Prostate Cancer, ran through Crowdfunder. That consistency mattered. Supporters who donated in 2021 could find the 2025 page immediately. The platform became the home of the fund&amp;#8217;s public fundraising, not just a tool for one campaign.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;Adam Askew, a co-founder of the charity, has been explicit about why every campaign has stayed on Crowdfunder: it&amp;#8217;s a platform they trust, and trust matters when you&amp;#8217;re driving thousands of supporters to a single page on a single day. On BlueForBob Day, the fund doesn&amp;#8217;t just need a donation page it needs infrastructure that can handle a spike of national scale without dropping. That confidence in the platform is part of why they&amp;#8217;ve never looked elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-rons-march-for-prostate-cancer&quot;&gt;Ron&amp;#8217;s March&lt;/a&gt; is a particular example worth noting: a personal challenge by a supporter who walked 29 routes across two years in honour of the fund, raising 1,875% of his original target. User-generated campaigns like this, built by supporters, not the fund itself, are one of the most powerful signals of a fundraising movement that has genuinely taken root.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large is-resized&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/adam-askew-1/profile/projects&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bob Willis crowdfunding projects&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9854&quot; style=&quot;width:650px;height:366px&quot; width=&quot;650&quot; height=&quot;366&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-30.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/user/adam-askew-1/profile/projects&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;576&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29-1024x576.png&quot; alt=&quot;Bob Willis crowdfunding projects&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-9855&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29-1024x576.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29-300x169.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29-768x432.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29-1536x864.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/Launch-notes-blog-header-29.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;Six and Out&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The 2026 campaign, titled Six and Out, marked the last ever #BlueForBob Day at Edgbaston, as England faced India in a One-Day International.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;The fund isn&amp;#8217;t stopping. What it leaves behind is £2.5 million of research funding, a community of thousands of supporters, and proof that a cause rooted in love and loss can move a sport, shift a conversation, and save lives.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-embed__wrapper&quot;&gt;
&lt;iframe loading=&quot;lazy&quot; title=&quot;Six and Out: The Last Ever Blue For Bob Day&quot; src=&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1206937874?dnt=1&amp;amp;app_id=122963&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;281&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-image size-large&quot;&gt;&lt;img decoding=&quot;async&quot; loading=&quot;lazy&quot; width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;53&quot; src=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-10054&quot; srcset=&quot;https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1024x53.png 1024w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-300x16.png 300w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-768x40.png 768w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain-1536x80.png 1536w, https://stories.crowdfunder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/Blog-divider-plain.png 1920w&quot; sizes=&quot;(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px&quot; /&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;



&lt;h2 class=&quot;wp-block-heading&quot;&gt;What other fundraisers can learn from #BlueForBob&lt;/h2&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Give it a visual identity.&lt;/strong&gt; Blue. One colour. Instantly recognisable, completely ownable, endlessly shareable.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anchor it to an event.&lt;/strong&gt; A match, a day, a moment, something with a date in the diary that creates urgency and a shared experience for thousands of people at once.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mix your products.&lt;/strong&gt; Donation campaigns, prize draws, personal fundraisers, always-on giving pages, each one does a different job. Together they build a fundraising ecosystem rather than a single annual ask.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use what only you have.&lt;/strong&gt; The cricket community, the Sky Sports family, the England dressing room, the fund&amp;#8217;s network was specific to Bob and irreplaceable. Every fundraiser has their equivalent. The question is how to activate it.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Let others make it theirs.&lt;/strong&gt; When Ron started marching, when fans set up their own donation pages, the campaign stopped being something the fund did and became something the community owned. That&amp;#8217;s when a campaign becomes a movement.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex&quot;&gt;
&lt;div class=&quot;wp-block-button&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;wp-block-button__link wp-element-button&quot; href=&quot;https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/blueforbob-2025&quot;&gt;Donate to the Bob Willis Fund&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories/six-and-out-how-the-bob-willis-fund-raised-2-5-million-for-prostate-cancer-research">Crowdfunder Stories | Watch the series</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/stories">Crowdfunder Stories</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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