The women featured this week are eager to spread joy, empowerment, enlightenment and more through their artistic and artisanal ventures. Check out these campaigns to fund organic skin concoctions, remembrances of the Holocaust, and more.
Check out these 5 women-led crowdfunding campaigns:
1. Empowering Female Artisans (via Indiegogo)
The Business: The Women’s Partnership Market (known also as WPMarket) is a social enterprise focused on helping women artisans in the developing world enter the international marketplace. Founded by Rachel Hartgen and Dana Camp Smith, the Denver-based organization hosts an online shop where women can sell what they make. WPMarket also partners with similarly driven organizations to further its goal, and runs programs like the “Artisan Thrive Training Program,” which teaches them skills to help them earn money to support themselves and their families.
The Money: WPMarket is hoping to raise $20,000 to set up and launch two new Artisan Thrive Training Programs in Ghana and Guatemala. The campaign has a month left to go.
2. Simple, Well-Made Beauty Products (via Indiegogo)
The Business: Annette Chu is the founder of Emfysis, a new, all-natural skincare company “inspired by a desire to honor and celebrate the natural and unique beauty in each of us.” The San Francisco-based venture is developing lotions and more made from minimally processed cold-pressed plant oils. According to Chu, this preserves the plants’ valuable nutrients and makes her products compatible with all skin types.
The Money: Chu is looking to raise $13,863, and will use the funds to create and share her products, which are only available through Indiegogo currently. There are 19 days left, though thanks to the crowdfunding site’s Flexible Funding option, she will receive money whether she meets her target goal or not.
3. Handcrafted Glass Vases (via Kickstarter)
The Business: Berlin-based artist Jeanne Koepp has been a working ceramicist since 1990. Now, she’s looking to create a line of glass vases and other objects. Koepp, who is also a gallery owner, learned how to blow glass in Murano, a small island near Venice famed for its glassware. Working with a glass master she meet there, she is creating her first collection, called “Bellezza” — and needs help to complete it.
The Money: By Dec. 9, Koepp hopes to raise $4,980, which she will use to pay for materials and more to finish 15 vases.
4. Expanding the Little Owl (via Indiegogo)
The Business: Kiki Pertesis owns The Little Owl Spa, which has been offering pampering services to customers in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., since 2011. The spa currently occupies a small space in an office building that, initially, was more than enough. However, as word of The Little Owl spread, the space became inadequate for the influx of clients. Now, Pertesis wants move to a bigger space and hire another massage therapist to accommodate increased demand.
The Money: Pertesis is looking to raise $10,000, with 18 days to go. The money she raises will be used to cover construction costs and new equipment purchases.
5. Remembering the Holocaust (via Kickstarter)
The Business: Jovanna Popić, another artist hailing from Berlin, is looking to create an art installation for the Croatian Association of Artists in Zagreb that will commemorate the Holocaust. Based on testimonies of survivors and their families, the audio-visual installation will feature five large, suspended metallic vertebrae with speakers playing recordings of individuals from the former Yugoslavia talking about their experiences. Popić hopes to finish the installation in time for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, 2017.
The Money: Popić aims to raise $31,791 by Dec. 23. The money will go toward completing her installation.
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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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