December 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 35

and failures, budgetary impact, primary and secondary target markets,
etc. - are all important factors to
include. This shows administration,
right from the start, that you are serious about your involvement and that
there is passion and thought behind
your vision and plan.
P&R: How can an agency position
itself for success when starting a
new crowdfunding campaign?
Labas: Promoting a large-scale, attractive project may be a good start
for an agency as it learns the ins and
outs of what crowdfunding entails.
Your agency may be looking to build
a playground, include interpretive
trail signage or install a new splash
pad. Crowdfunding for these projects
engages local supporters by getting
them on board and believing in the
product or service that you are selling. If they trust and believe in your
brand, they most likely will assist
with helping you fund and share your
project, and ultimately reap the benefits when the project is completed.
Large-scale, attractive crowdfunding
campaigns also familiarize the public
with the fundraising platform, potentially leading to greater participation
in future campaigns.

If [local supporters]
trust and believe in
your brand, they most
likely will assist with
helping you fund and
share your project.
NRPA has implemented a Fund
Your Park crowdfunding platform
that does just that. In just one click,
your local supporters will be engaged and sharing their experience
with friends and family. It's free to
members, donations are tax deductible and you have all the support you
need from NRPA staff.
P&R: What crowdfunding platforms
are new or up and coming?
Labas: On the more creative side,
Kickstarter and Indiegogo are probably the two most well-known crowdfunding platforms among young professionals and helped pave the way
for other, similar platforms. Crowdrise and Razoo are two platforms
that are geared more toward nonprofit sectors, giving back and raising
money for great causes.

P&R: Are there any crowdfunding training resources available
to young professionals to help increase their crowdfunding skills?
Labas: The best tool currently
available is most definitely the
Internet! You can search " how to
launch a crowdfunding campaign "
and hundreds of results come up
with input on steps to launch a
campaign, things to know before
you launch one, communication
and timing, must-dos, etc. You
could spend hours just reading
through success stories and insights on how to make your campaign successful. That being said,
many of the skills you or your
co-workers utilize in your everyday
job can be extremely useful. Think
about your co-workers and who already has the skills and knowledge
to develop a plan for a compelling
project, who can help obtain audience engagement and reach, and
who can collect feedback. Sometimes, the best team and resources
are right in front of your eyes.
Kara Kish, MPA, CPRE, CPSI, is a
Superintendent with the Vigo County Parks
and Recreation Department in Terre Haute,
Indiana (kara.kish@vigocounty.in.gov).

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Parks & Recreation

December 2015 - Parks & Recreation

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