Party? Ask public to pay
Chipping in has been elevated to a whole new level, writes Madison Reidy.
Party hosts are turning to donation websites to ask the public, their friends and family to fund their own celebratory events.
One couple asked the public for $4000 towards their wedding on New Zealand crowdfunding platform PledgeMe, while Aucklander Steve Newall listed a campaign on the site asking for $1500 to pay for his 40th birthday party.
PledgeMe project campaign manager Jessica Ducey, said fundraising for events and parties was common on its website but weddings were not.
Newall raised $2,145 in one month by making it mandatory for his friends and family to contribute at least $15 if they wished to attend his bash.
‘‘It is not too much different to saying, ‘come out for dinner’,’’ Newall said.
Newall said the donations were put towards hiring an Auckland bar venue, a live band, lighting, decorations and catering. Attendees had to pay for their own drinks at the bar, he said.
He said his peers had responded positively to his campaign.
He said he was not trying to solicit money from the public. If people he did not know donated, it did not buy them a ticket to his invitation only event, he said.
Newall said he turned to PledgeMe because he could give rewards in exchange for donations.
‘‘I did not want people feeling like they just had to pay for me to have a party.’’
A $40 donation gave guests a VIP experience, that included a personalised lanyard and signed photograph of Newall.
Newall put $500 towards his campaign at the beginning to secure the reward that gave him control over the guest list.
It's not too much different from saying, 'come out for dinner'. Steve Newall.
He also chipped in another $1000 to cover the total cost of the event and after party.
Newall pocketed the remaining $145 to put towards a Pacific Island holiday.
Ducey said Newall’s party campaign was ‘‘absurd and funny’’ helping it to hit its target.
PledgeMe project campaigns had to be approved by Ducey before they were publicly listed on the website. She said campaigns that did not involve illegal activity were typically always agreed to.
‘‘We do not want to be the gatekeepers about whose project is worthy.’’
If New Zealanders were willing to donate to an event, so be it, she said.
‘‘With PledgeMe projects our motto is to help Kiwis fund what they care about, so it is up to what they care about.’’
Ducey said PledgeMe was unlike charity or social cause fundraising websites such as Give A Little because it discouraged charities from using its platform to raise money, she said.
‘‘The difference between crowdfunding and fundraising is you are becoming a part of something.’’
Newall said he would not use public crowdfunding to pay for something that was business as usual, although crowdfunding was more effective than a donation bucket, he said.
He said he was grateful for his friends and family’s willingness to fund his event.
‘‘By asking friends to each contribute a little, it let me stage a party on a much bigger, better, scale than I would have been able to otherwise.’’
How crowdfunding works:
If you have an idea, event, project or business you want to raise money for, list a campaign on a crowdfunding website.
Add a story or rewards for funders to give your campaign an edge and entice people to donate.
Different websites allow you to keep any money raised or only take the money if you reach your target.