Tadamon’s new column features ongoing and successful crowdfunding campaigns to share ideas and insights on what works and what doesn’t in crowdfunding. Each month we interview an organization from our Tadamon community to highlight the work that they do, their experiences, and their journey.

We sat down with the Balam ai campaign manager Amira and she has shared with us their experience on running the crowdfunding campaign on the international platform Launch Good. 

Why did you apply to take part in the Tadamon Crowdfunding Academy?

We applied to take part in the Tadamon Crowdfunding Academy because 2020’s lockdown revealed our vulnerabilities and the need for new training. We lost a significant number of our sponsors from medium and small businesses in 2020. And because we hold a large number of events each year, we felt it strongly. When we saw that there was an opportunity to participate in this academy, we decided to apply right away. We decided to apply for participation because we realized we needed to learn new skills, even though it was scary.

How did the Tadamon Crowdfunding Academy help you to prepare your crowdfunding campaign?

It was extremely convenient that the time for training had been specifically selected for us. Furthermore, when any suggestions were made by the participating organizations, the Academy listened and incorporated them into the program. When we first started training, we were taken aback. Because Tadamon Crowdfunding Academy covered every aspect of the upcoming campaign. Beginning with inspiring stories and concluding with tools for creating high-quality content. We had almost two months to study at the Academy. During this time, we gained a thorough understanding of our own strengths and weaknesses. We liked how we could finish tasks and submit them to the platform. This provided us with more information on how to launch our crowdfunding campaign. I recall sitting with the team until 12 a.m. on Friday night. We created a story about ourselves. It's also great that mentors were always in touch. They always provided appropriate feedback. They criticized and corrected where necessary, and they praised where appropriate.

What is one major takeaway (insight) you had about crowdfunding from the Academy that you would like to pass on to others?

Launching your campaign comes with a lot of responsibility. Preparation should be 300 percent, not 100 percent. To successfully implement the campaign, you will need a strong team of at least ten people. There should be a clear work plan in place, with those in charge of each task or event. You must take the campaign seriously. Because you are not alone, mentors are rooting for you and are concerned about you and your campaign.

Can you tell us more about your crowdfunding campaign? What is the project about? 

Balam-ai is a social organization that helps adults and children with physical and mental issues in Kazakhstan. Currently, our big goal is to purchase a specialized vehicle that will improve the quality of life for our beneficiaries. This wheelchair-accessible bus will allow our beneficiaries to freely move around the city without barriers, get to the rehab centers, go out in nature, attend cultural events throughout the city and more. The main goal of our crowdfunding campaign is to purchase this specialized wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Obtaining this vehicle will help our residents live more independently, and socialize more with other adults and children with disabilities.

We aim to raise $40,000, the net cost for the vehicle. Here is the link to our campaign: https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/balamai#!/.

We are inviting you to contribute to our campaign, you will help make the lives of people with disabilities easier, better and brighter.

What is the main highlight/milestone of your crowdfunding campaign? 

It was an honor and a great responsibility for us to launch your crowdfunding campaign on the international platform "Launch Good." We are grateful that they believed in us and gave us the opportunity to carry out such a campaign. We are grateful to Hajdana, Aya, and Zayn, our mentors. We are primarily using the social network "Instagram," which is popular in Kazakhstan. Both children and adults use it. We also use e-mail to communicate with corporate structures and other organizations. We sometimes called our friends and acquaintances directly to ask for their help. They did, in fact. We are extremely grateful to them for this.

As previously stated, we were not quite prepared for the campaign. Our social networks and ecosystem were underdeveloped. Again, a strong team and a well-defined strategy are required for a successful campaign.

Would you crowdfund again? 

Yes, we would like to repeat the experience. However, with a different level of training. We need a well-thought-out strategy and a team that will work tirelessly.

Would you recommend crowdfunding to other civil society organizations? What advice will you give them?

Yes, we would recommend it to other organizations. Our main recommendation is to prepare all of the tools for the campaign's launch at least three months in advance. That is, to have functional social networks and high-quality content. Prepare your ecosystem and have a detailed work plan that includes all risks and force majeure.