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Though the initiative went smoothly, the entrepreneurs don't plan to participate in crowdfunding again—at least not anytime soon—because they say it would send the wrong message to their supporters. "If we asked for more money, that would be far-fetched," says Mr. Gaffney. "We don't think people would donate twice." In addition to being able to raise money via crowdfunding only so many times, entrepreneurs say another caveat is that some people find the tactic offensive. Others say would-be contributors aren't always comfortable sending money through crowdfunding services.

To catch the eye of potential funders, you’re going to need to stand out, engage your community and close the sale.

Are you a creative? Be sure to check out Kickstarter or IndieGoGo.Looking to start more of a traditional, albeit entrepreneurial, business? Head over to ProFounder.Does your idea have a social bent? You might do well at Buzzbnk or 33needs.Non-profits can fundraise at sites like CauseVox or FirstGiving.

Many of the successful projects on crowdfunding sites target a specific, narrow audience.

collaborative thinking can provide solutions faster

by involving people in the early stages, they will feel more connected to the project

1. Crowdrise

Crowdfunding is a hot topic of late, in part because the JOBS Act promises to bring significant changes to the way it works.

or starters, small businesses that want to move forward with crowdfunding can begin to gather all the important documents needed to launch a campaign. Documents will include the financial status of the company, financial statements certified by an officer or accountant (depending on the amount of the offering), the company’s tax return for the most recent year, a business plan, and a capital structure explaining who owns what percentage of the company.

typically the amounts that you’ll be looking at will not represent a big ownership stake

Kickstarter

The site has seen more than 13,000 successful campaigns since its launch in 2009.

Artists, designers, and inventors

On Thursday night we celebrated the launch of wedidthis.org.uk, a new crowdfunding platform supporting UK arts organisations, allowing them to reach out to their audiences and supporters for funding and bringing together large numbers of small donations.

We must build and strengthen the "culture of asking", which will be so vital for the sector's future.

at the heart of the new culture that we must create is a two-way conversation between arts organisations and individuals that is about much more than a donation of funds.

the bills now being considered by Congress may simply exchange one problem for another. They would open the door to easier capital-raising, but at the expense of investor protection. H.R. 2930 does not require even the most basic disclosures about the issuing company or its prospects, in contrast to most existing securities regulation. Instead, the bill merely proposes a series of warnings about the risky nature of investments in start-up companies

Surely companies that seek to raise funds from outsiders should be required to provide basic disclosures about their operations and financial condition. Background checks always should be required for an issuer’s key executives. Investors should have some recourse against an issuer’s top managers when their malfeasance causes the company to fail. T