There’s no restriction on who you can ask for money, especially online, as a student or someone in need. But it’s even easier to ask rich people for money online since we now have many websites for crowdfunding and other donations. Also, today, more than ever, a lot of wealthy people are more philanthropic about what they do.
First, we will talk about the typical steps you’ll follow to make this work. Then we’ll look at the websites where you can sign up and make your money request from the rich and all those who care.
Why Do You Need This Money?
- Medical debt. If you need help with your bills from hospital visits or any medical procedures, this guide is for you.
- Student loans. In America alone, 43 million students owe student loans. So, if you find yourself in this category, you know you need some money to offset the loan for your college or university costs.
- House rent or mortgage. Whether you live in a dorm on campus or renting off-campus, you may need some money to help cover the rent. The same applies if you have mortgage payments.
- Groceries and other bills. You know you need money to cover your food and household needs, including electricity, gas, and phone bills. All of these won’t pay for themselves.
- Transportation. For students who will be commuting to school, you have to factor in the funds for your transportation. This is possibly also the money you need right now.
- Academic travels. If you have academic research work to carry out but have no money, you can solicit funds for your transportation. A lot of people will be willing to support this cause, especially if your research work is reasonable.
So, don’t hesitate to follow these steps to request money from people if you’re in need of it. You never know who could be willing to lend a hand. And in this article, you will get to know the procedures and websites to use.
You need this guide because rich people online won’t just give you their money if you randomly asked. Usually, they assist people in need for philanthropic reasons or concerns such as education sponsorships.
Ask Rich People for Money Online & How to
Yes, you need to get money from wealthy people online, and we’ll focus a lot on online fundraising because it’s the trend and a method that usually works. You’ll be able to do it in a way that won’t look like you’re begging for money. We’re talking about crowdfunding, which will help any student raise money online from the rich and even well-wishers whom you won’t consider millionaires.
1. Pick a crowdfunding website
We have quite a number of them, which we will talk about soon. Most crowdfunding websites are student friendly and will easily meet your target amount of money. For some, though, you have to pay to sign up, so you want to make sure it’s an affordable subscription. Even before signing up, you should already know how much money you need, when you need it, and the type of audience. So, you still need to do some digging around on these websites to know what to expect.
2. Treat this like a business
Crowdfunding is an industry itself, and we have crowdfunding specialists but you don’t really need all of these since these typically apply to huge projects. Nonetheless, you have to treat it like a full-time job. You’ll have to send emails to people, even those you haven’t talked to in years. It could be your colleagues, former employer, etc. Some will return nasty responses if your story is not reasonable. But it is work, and you have to reach out to anyone and everyone.
This is why you need a network of people you can already ask for money. Since your goal is like 1,500k or less, you don’t need that crazy amount of legwork to hit your goal.
3. Include social media
Social media is only tough, or for some, a waste of time, if you are raising a lot of money for a big project because of its low conversion rate. We are talking about as low as 1% unless stories with really touchy narrative. It’s even worse on Instagram but you might have better luck if you have a Facebook network.
4. Share your story
It’s extremely difficult to get strangers to give you their money. Forget about those stories you see online where a KFC worker receives thousands in donations for being fired wrongfully. There are a lot more stories like this that never received up to $10, so you see, it’s more of a luck thing and having a philanthropic network.
This is why you need a compelling story to drive people to give you money. It could be engaging words, photos, and videos to help supporters feel more connected to your cause. Don’t forget to promote yourself by asking your contacts to share your fundraising request on their social media and via email. The goal here is to reach as many people as possible, and hope that a good percentage of them will give you money.
5. Say thank you
In the end of your request, you have to thank those you send these messages to. You can do this through the email or phone call if you have the person’s contact. But most importantly, don’t disturb people with emails and calls about needing money so you don’t get blocked. A reminder after a while okay. After that, no more messages to the person.
12 Websites to Find Rich People for Money
1. Fundly
You can use Fundly to ask people for money and get it. It’s free because Fundly is based on a 0% fee for organizers. Currently, this platform depends on generous donors to keep going, which means you don’t have to pay to play, and it’s suitable for students who need money. However, for every withdrawal you’re going to make, Stripe will take 2.9% + $0.30 for your credit card processing.
2. Facebook Community Fundraisers
Social media is not really the perfect place for you to crowdfund but it is a space for you to let people know that you need money and why. No, Facebook doesn’t allow direct fundraising, but you can share your situation with friends. With Facebook, you can network with locals near you to help. You can also post on local Facebook groups to get the word around and get more rich people to donate.
3. Patreon
The thing with Patreon is that it is better for content creators. Let’s say you’re a writer, and you need people to give you money. You wouldn’t just post a note asking people to send you money, right? Most viewers won’t engage with something like that because they don’t just send money to anyone who asks.
But with Patreon, patrons and artists can connect, and creators know those who send them gifts and thank them for their support. Your supporters can simply come here and offer their support for your art.
4. Kickstarter
You could use Kickstarter to ask for money but this website is based on projects. So, you can’t randomly ask for money here and get it. The problem is that you need to have a fanbase, otherwise, it becomes really hard to reach your goal, and depends on blind luck.
Yes, it’s easier for those who are famous in their field. As a beginner, you can save up for advertising if you are pushing a reasonable project you know people will be interested in. Make sure that this amount is part of your goal total for a possible reimbursement by your project itself.
5. Plumfund
If you need money for personal reasons like bills, house rent, etc., use Plumfund. Plumfund is student friendly because it is free for you to use as a fundraiser. Your donors won’t also pay to donate. You’ll receive the money sent to you directly in cash or check, so no processing fees like Fundly if you use this method. If you choose the online payment options like a PayPal account, you’ll be charged 2.59% + $0.49 since you’re dealing with a card payment.
6. GoGetFunding
GoGetFunding is not really a popular name but they deliver, though not perfectly. However, the problem with GoGetFunding is that they praise themselves a lot, even much more than they deliver. You’d find their ads here and there, and they even write reviews about themselves to dominate the scene. GoGetFunding also likes to compare itself with others, including GoFundMe and Fundly. We’d say they can be excess at times, and some might describe it as ‘toxic’. But you may still like it here and raise money for food, clothes, and your school.
7. FundMyTravel
As the name implies, FundMyTravel is perfect if you want to ask rich people for money to fund your travel. It has to be something reasonable like businesses, community projects, family emergencies, etc. FundMyTravel takes 5% of all the donations you receive.
The mistake a lot of people make on FundMyTravel is asking for money for unreasonable travels. You can’t ask random strangers for money to fund an entertainment trip, especially when many others struggle to put food on the table. It doesn’t look right, and people won’t support you. A concert is a ‘want’ and not a ‘need’, so you can ask your friends or family for the money if you so badly want to attend it.
8. GoFundMe
GoFundMe is really good when it comes to funding your personal needs. Just make sure you have all your documents ready before launching a campaign. You’ll have issues if your fundraising is suspicious, and GoFundMe can hold the funds to protect people who donated the money, and refund them if you can’t prove that your cause is legit.
9. Random Acts of Amazon
If you need stuff from Amazon but can’t afford them, Random Acts of Amazon on Reddit should help. Simply mention your wishlist of items, and a kind donor may buy some for you. You can also pick from any existing random act offers that align with your interest.
10. Ulule
If you are a creative person who needs funds for your art work, be it singing, painting, writing, or filmmaking, use Ulule to solicit funding for it. You can launch a campaign to request funding from others.
11. JustGiving
The website is JustGiving.com, and they are very reputable. JustGiving is often even considered a GoFundMe alternative for both crowdfunding and fundraising. Here, you can ask people for donations for your personal needs and causes.
12. Fundrazr
They have raised more than $250 million to help thousands of people and even organizations. In your case, you need this as an individual, and there are many rich people here willing to support you with funding.
Don’t Forget to Thank Your Donors
When collecting money online, always remember to show appreciation to the people who helped out. Everybody likes a little thank you, and it keeps them interested in supporting you. Let’s look at the easy ways you can say thank you on a variety of channels.
1. Website
Do you have a website already up and running? This is great for saying thanks because you can make a special ‘thank you’ page. List the names of everyone who donated and they’ll be chuffed to see their name and the appreciation you are showing them.
2. Social Media
Depending on your supporters, social media could be the best way to shout out your gratitude. Make a post, share a tweet, or even give a special mention to a “Supporter of the Week”. It’s easy and can target your donors directly.
3. Letter or email
This one’s a classic. Write a thank you note, either on paper or digitally. Make it personal with their name and tell them how their money made a difference. Keep it short and friendly though.
4. Public acknowledgment
You can go with a public thank you and make a video or snap a picture, or even post a thank you note on your crowdfunding page. The options are endless, and the method you apply depends on the platform you have used to raise money from rich people online.
Final Thoughts
So, there you go with the tips and where to ask rich people for money online for your education, or whatever cause. Now, to make the thanking process a little easier, split your donors into different groups. Then you can tailor the way you thank them depending on the group they’re in. Remember, saying thank you isn’t a chore – it’s a great way to build strong relationships with your rich donors.
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