Social Fundraising Aims to Broaden Awareness of the Need for Research to Address World’s Greatest Challenges
NEW YORK, NY—April 5, 2016—The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science today launched Project-Based Fundraising, a digital platform that enables donors to fund a scientific research project that matches their passions and interests. Partnering with the crowdfunding site CrowdRise, Project-Based Fundraising offers supporters a selection of 12 vital projects at the Weizmann Institute, one of the world’s top-ranking, multidisciplinary research institutions.
Project-Based Fundraising is a new pathway within Care+Share+Repair, a digital social action program that engages users by empowering them to express their wishes for a brighter future. In addition to the American Committee’s “high-touch” strategies focused on major-gift fundraising, this initiative is designed to reach new, wider audiences and mobilize group efforts in support of the Weizmann Institute’s mission: science for the benefit of humanity.
By harnessing the power of crowdfunding, the American Committee aims to increase financial support for science, advance science literacy for all, and raise awareness of the urgency for research to help solve humanity’s greatest challenges. Moreover, the goal is to give donors a sense of personal connection to the actual scientists who work daily in the laboratories of the Weizmann Institute to improve our world.
The platform features 12 projects in need of priority funding in the areas of: Fighting Cancer, Advancing Technology, Enriching Education, Protecting Our Planet, Improving Health and Medicine, and Exploring the Physical World. After selecting a project that is meaningful to them, donors can create a personal fundraising web page, share it through email and social media, and invite friends and family to join their efforts. Supporters can launch their fundraisers in honor or in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate milestone events, including birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. They can also find creative means to reach their fundraising goals, such as running a marathon, hosting a bake sale, or riding in a bike race.
The American Committee’s official launch of Project-Based Fundraising comes on the heels of a successful test project, the Revlon “Love is On” Million Dollar Challenge. This online competition, sponsored by Revlon, challenged participating charities to raise funds for women’s health over the course of six weeks. The American Committee had one of the top crowdfunding campaigns in the initial phase of the competition, winning a “bonus challenge” and an additional donation from Revlon. In another successful pilot, the American Committee’s Connecticut Co-Chairs adopted one of the 12 projects, “Understanding the Aging Brain,” in support of Weizmann research on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other age-related diseases. By creating a compelling video and sharing their fundraising page via email and social media, they surpassed their initial $10,000 goal.
Video intro: Getting Started with Project-Based Fundraising
More information about Project-Based Fundraising, including an online toolkit for fundraisers: caresharerepair.org/projects