Be it through magazines, micro-loans or the arts, these enterprising women are connecting with people — in particular, members of marginalized communities — through their work.
Check out these 5 women-led crowdfunding campaigns:
1. A New Mental Health Magazine (via Kickstarter)
The Business: Seasoned journalist Kirstyn Smith is using her years of writing and editing experience to launch Marbles Mag. It’s an Edinburgh-based publication that will explore stigmas surrounding mental health through personal essays, fully reported stories and more. “We’re looking at the people behind the diagnoses and giving them a chance to dig into their own stories and lay them bare in their own words,” Smith says of the planned bi-annual publication.
The Money: Smith hopes to reach her goal amount of $2,570 by or before March 26. If she succeeds, she will put the money toward printing the magazine and paying its contributors.
2. For Women in Love (via Kickstarter)
The Business: In 2016, fiancées Tara Baker and Arlia Hassell launched their online publication, “Dancing With Her,” to address the lack of representation they saw for lesbian couples. Their website features love stories and more, all from the perspective of same-sex female pairs. Now, they are hoping to run a print version of it. “Although Australia does not yet have marriage equality, we know that women who are in same-sex relationships are choosing to celebrate their love and make a lasting commitment to one another, and that deserves celebrating,” they say in the campaign.
The Money: Baker and Hassell are trying to raise $9,141 before their March 22 deadline arrives. If they do so, the funds raised will be help cover printing and distribution costs.
3. Statements Through Contemporary Dance (via Kickstarter)
The Business: “As human, face-to-face interaction is dismantled and technology-driven encounters become more pervasive, how is our ability to communicate and connect really impacted?” This is the central question behind Stacy Printz’s public art demonstration, “GLASSlands.” The display will feature dancers from Printz Dance Project, her San Francisco-based company, inside of inflatable bubbles acting out various social interactions through dance. With this work, Printz hopes to “shine a light on our shared experiences.”
The Money: By or before March 26, Printz hopes to pull in at least $9,000 through her campaign. The money will cover staging costs and the dancers’ pay, among other things.
4. Sowing Seeds of Prosperity (via Indiegogo)
The Business: Seeds of Africa is a nonprofit working on the ground in Adama, Ethiopia to help women find economic independence. “Despite having an entrepreneurial spirit, women in Ethiopia, like many parts of the developing world, lack economic opportunities,” the campaign says. “Their challenges include lack of access to training and credit to start or grow a small business, making it impossible to escape chronic poverty.” Run by founder and executive director Atti Worku, the organization combats these issues through a combination of education and finance initiatives.
The Money: There are 23 days remaining on Worku’s campaign. Before then, she hopes to raise at least $5,000, which will become part of their general fund for helping women. This amount will allow them to help 25 more of them, Worku says.
5. Replacing a Beloved Institution (via Indiegogo)
The Business: Renee Rettig is a longtime bookstore manager who is looking to take the leap to owning her own operation. Her new venture, Books on B in Hayward, Calif., will serve as a replacement to a neighborhood favorite that is closing down after almost 60 years of business because its owners wish to retire. “Now more than ever is the time to support independent book stores,” Rettig says. “They are an integral part of every community in which they exist.”
The Money: Rettig is trying to raise $55,000 for store renovations through her crowdfunding campaign, and has 22 more days to accomplish her goal.
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Want to be featured in The Story Exchange’s Crowdfunding column? Drop us a line and tell us about your campaign at [email protected].
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