How to Raise Money for Your Small Business in 2022: The 8 Best Crowdfunding Sites
There are many ways to raise money for your small business. You can ask an angel investor, borrow from a bank or get an SBA loan, and there are many other routes you can take as well. However, we’re going to focus on some of the most popular sites out there right now – these are the ones that will be best suited to helping you raise cash in 2022 if you’re just starting out today or if you’ve been in business for a while but need more money to get through this fiscal year and beyond.
1. Kickstarter
Kickstarter’s easy-to-navigate platform makes it ideal for artists, musicians, and filmmakers. Anyone can post their idea on the Kickstarter site, and if it reaches its funding goal, the company provides resources to deliver the project.
This is a blessing for entrepreneurs with less experience with sales or product management because Kickstarter does much of this work for you. Plus, as a business owner, you retain ownership of your idea.
2. Indiegogo
Indiegogo is the ideal crowdfunding site if you’re looking for funding that’s not as time-sensitive. It provides campaigners with the flexibility of seeking contributions any time, 24/7. You can also appeal to a wide variety of contributors because there are no geographic limitations. What really sets Indiegogo apart from other sites is their InDemand initiative, which will allow contributors and entrepreneurs to share equity and product development rights so it’s a win-win situation.
3. Pledge Music
Pledge Music is an interesting crowdfunding site that caters specifically to musicians. Pledgers may not be donating money, but their donations will entitle them to various rewards based on what they pledge. You can also sell merchandise and other goods on the site or offer your own personalized merchandise such as CDs, t-shirts, and posters. They’re a great crowdfunding option if you’ve got a long way before you break even with the big record labels.
4. Fundable
Crowdfunding is all about making the most of what you have and working together. So if you’re a small business looking to start up or grow your company, crowdfunding can help make that happen. You can crowdfund through Fundable or another crowdfunding site.
5. CircleUp
A great way to raise money for your small business is by listing it on CircleUp. You only need a concept, not an idea that’s actually developed yet. Just create a profile, upload images of the product, and write up a description of your idea. Once you have all that uploaded and ready, it’s time to reach out to influencers and raise awareness about your business.
6. RocketHub
RocketHub is a great crowdfunding site for filmmakers, photographers, painters, and more. Most small business owners on this platform are artists looking to raise funds. This site does require that you apply beforehand so check it out today!
7. GoFundMe
Most of GoFundMe’s campaigns have a fundraising goal, or an amount they are trying to raise. You set a deadline for your campaign and the campaign page will show how much you have raised so far. And when you hit your goal, there is no need to keep fundraising on GoFundMe–unless you want to share more. People who donate can do so by credit card or with their PayPal account.
8. Quirky
If you’re a small business looking for funding, it can be hard to know where to start. With so many crowdfunding sites out there, it’s hard not only deciding which site to choose but which campaign goal is best.
We’ve narrowed it down and compared the top eight crowdfunding platforms that are best suited for startups on a budget. For each platform, we’ve included the pros and cons, plus the niche focus they offer and how much money they award on average per month.
