FAQ

  • General FAQs

    StartSomeGood is the world’s leading crowdfunding platform for social impact projects. We help changemakers raise the funds they need to create tangible social good around the world. We’ve already helped 550 projects raise almost US$5million to make a difference in 30 countries around the globe, and we’re just getting started.
    Crowdfunding is a powerful way for individuals, groups or organizations to raise funds for a project in a public forum online. Donors from around the world can view and support these projects, and help them reach their funding goals by pledging to their online campaigns before the project deadline. Crowdfunding democratizes the funding landscape, by enabling the collective power of individuals to fund and realize new, innovative ideas.
    The public nature of crowdfunding enables projects to gain awareness and new supporters in a way that traditional, private fundraising campaigns can’t. Crowdfunding works best for projects that need to reach a specific funding goal by a set deadline, as more and more people like to see their money make a tangible difference. Early supporters of a project often become lifelong advocates. If you have a big, ambitious project, crowdfunding is a great way to test the idea without spending a ton of money. It can also be used to pre-sell a product or tickets to an event, launch community art projects or raise startup funds for your early stage social enterprise. The possibilities are endless!
  • FAQs for Donors

    You can make a pledge if you have a credit or debit card.
    Your card will only be charged when the project you pledged to has reached its goal at the end of the campaign period. If the project does not reach its funding goal, your card is never charged.
    You won’t be charged if a project fails to reach its funding goal. Since no pledges are processed for unsuccessful campaigns, there is no need for refunds.
    This depends on the tax deductibility status of the project or organization you are donating to. We encourage U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations or Australian organizations with DGR status to tout this fact on their Project Page. Please contact each project directly if you have any questions about its tax deductibility.
    All pledges on StartSomeGood are processed by Stripe. Stripe is a highly secure and respected payment processor, which is one of the reasons we have chosen to work with them.
    StartSomeGood charges a 5% service fee on all pledges that are successfully processed. If you notice a service fee added to your pledge, the fundraiser has chosen to ask donors to cover this fee, which allows them to maximize the amount of funds available to put toward their initiative.
  • FAQs for Project Creators

    If your goal is to raise money to make a positive impact in the world, you’re in the right place. We work with individuals, non-profits, for-profit social enterprises, and everything in between. Your tax status does not matter to us. What we care about is whether you are building a better future for your community.
    Because we’re here to help you change the world. StartSomeGood was started by changemakers for changemakers. We give you expert advice on your crowdfunding campaign because your success is our success.
    All projects on StartSomeGood are set up to receive credit card payments via trusted payment processor Stripe.
    When you submit your project on the StartSomeGood website, you will be paired with a member of our global support team. Our job is to help you prepare a fantastic campaign, and to arm you with the tools you’ll need to succeed. Once your project is approved and live, we’ll seek out opportunities to promote your project through our social media channels, as well as through our blog, newsletter, Twitter chats, and even our eBooks. We know that our community is filled with people who - like you - strive to make the world better.
    Submitting and launching a project is completely free. If your project reaches its funding goal, StartSomeGood charges a 5% service fee on all pledges that are successfully processed. As a project creator, you can choose to pay this fee yourself, or you may pass the fee on to your donors. For example, if you receive a pledge of $100 and choose to pay the service fee yourself, StartSomeGood will keep $5, leaving you with $95. If you choose to pass the fee on to your donors, a donor pledging $100 will pay an additional $5 service fee for a total charge of $105, leaving you with $100. Note that you (the project creator) will also pay a fee to payment processing provider Stripe in either case. Stripe's fees are very competitive and you can find the details at stripe.com/pricing.
    We’re a social enterprise, which means we believe that social change needs to be sustainable. Investing in our platform and our team enables us to provide the support you need to succeed in making your social impact – it’s a virtuous circle! If we can’t pay for our hosting and team, we can’t help you. Our fee structure also means we’re 100% aligned with your goal. We only get paid when you succeed.
    At StartSomeGood, we work with non-profits, for-profits, and individuals around the world. Your tax status is not our business. Please note that StartSomeGood does not provide any legal or tax advice, but we strongly recommend that you get counsel. Crowdfunding is just a delivery mechanism, like the postal system or in-person fundraising, it doesn't change your legal obligations. There are lots of variables, including how you are incorporated (LLC, non-profit, etc.), where you are located, and how you reward your supporters, to consider. We recommend that you talk to a tax professional about your specific campaign and insist that you comply with all relevant local laws. For individuals this usually means reporting funds raised on StartSomeGood as income. If you're registered for GST in Australia you may be liable for GST. When it comes to rewards, you'll want to confirm with your CPA about the tax deductibility of rewards you offer, as the tax deductible part of a donation may only apply to the amount of the donation minus the value of the reward item or experience.
    All pledges on StartSomeGood are processed by Stripe. Stripe is a highly secure and respected payment processor, which is one of the reasons we have chosen to work with them.
    Crowdfunding works best with projects that have specific project goals. While there is no upper limit to how much you can raise, your success will depend on your ability to connect with your audience and motivate them to give.
    StartSomeGood is a crowdfunding platform for broadly-progressive social impact projects. We support social entrepreneurs, non-profits, advocates and activists, community organizers, researchers, writers, artists, and those seeking to create the future they want in which governance is citizen-focused and responsive. Our values include democracy, equality, transparency, collaboration, opportunity for all, care for the planet, and care for each other.
    Please note that we no longer accept campaigns to support residential orphanages, nor those that rely on voluntourists. All other fundraising campaigns for orphanages will be subjected to additional scrutiny to ensure that, by hosting a campaign on StartSomeGood, we are truly acting in the best interests of children and not perpetuating a broken model that puts them at risk. StartSomeGood is proud to be a member of the ReThink Orphanages coalition.
    That would be the SMASH Housing Project, an eco-friendly affordable housing program in Miami, Florida that raised over $325,000 USD in December of 2018.
    StartSomeGood is a virtual team spread around the globe. Our team members are currently located in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, so that we can provide you with 24/7 support.
    Yes, but keep in mind that once a project is launched, any content submitted will remain on the site.