Funding your forum with donations

Started by Woraphat, January 03, 2017, 11:01:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Woraphat

I have a forum that serves local people in my area with local info, news and general conversations about life, living, current events, etc. in the area.  Hosting and tech support was paid for out of pocket for the first few years of the forum's existence.  A couple of years back, one of our members posted a new topic and suggested that members be allowed to contribute to the cost of hosting and maintaining the forum.  In the first couple of years, there were some donations but those didn't fully cover the costs.  For the year 2016, all hosting related fees were covered by donations and a bit of the tech support was covered also.  I think 2017 will see 100 percent of forum related fees covered by member donations.

The person who started the topic and program called the program "Friends of 'xyz' Forum".  He made a suggestion for a minimum contribution with a suggestion that a banner be made for the forum and each month's "Friends of xyz Forum" get their name on the Friends banner for the month if they donated the minimum amount for that month.  The program has been effective and is more effective each year.    Note also that about half of our donations come from people who wish to remain anonymous and not be recognized on the banner.  Maybe someone else can have some success with such a program for their own forum.  In addition to the Friends program, we also have a donate button so people can donate online.

We don't have paid advertising supporting the forum.  Members can advertise on the forum by starting their own topics in the appropriate boards but they are not required to pay anything.  So, the little donation program has been a big help to me in paying for this community service forum.

Kindred

That's nice...

And, aside from bragging, do you have a point in that post?

I will, however, caution people, what you have experienced is unusual in the extreme.
The only cases where I have seen that work is a forum that provides a specific service, and even then, it's a toss up
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

Woraphat

Wrong side of the bed for you again, huh?  There is no bragging or thought of bragging in my thoughts in sharing this info.  The post was not meant as something that EVERYONE or even most forum operators should think about.  It is meant for the few folks who run a tight community forum, who realize who their members are and who their contributors are, to consider that option.

So, other than being the type of person you often choose to be, when you shouldn't be, what is wrong with sharing my experience?  I'll tell you what-  Just delete the topic so that this forum can serve only those that YOU think are worth serving.  Then you don't have to bother with typing words that are meant to discourage anyone else from trying what worked for me.

One other note-  My forum is not meant to generate a profit.  My members know that.  It is meant to provide a service and my only wish for the time is that it funds itself and if it doesn't fund itself, it will still be there for everyone who needs it.

Kindred

So,  no... once again, you are reading your own preconceptions and misconceptions into my post... and I am all for suggestions to others on how they can do things on their own sites

However, your post was not presented as suggestions for others... it is not even presented as hints for others. It is, one hundred percent,  I did this...   the content and the phrasing is completely bragging...

If you intended to post it as suggestions on how others could accomplish it, you should have used suggestive wording intstead of just listing your wonderful accomplishments.
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

ARG01

I have to agree with "The Mean One", in cautioning people to not expect donations to fund a forum, especially if the forum is fairly new. However, forums based on 'Local' information and services do stand a better chance to bring in donations. I have done this successfully on two occasions. It strongly depends on the info and services provided. Staying active, keeping content updated, and moderating users plays a big part, but it is possible.
But this topic would probably fit better in Chit Chat rather than an advice board.  ;)
No, I will not offer free downloads to Premium DzinerStuido themes. Please stop asking.

Colin

Hi Woraphat,

Glad to hear your members have been helping contribute towards the operating costs to run a forum. I wish others the same fortune :).
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking." - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Colin

landyvlad

Quote from: ARG01 on January 04, 2017, 12:01:19 AM
I have to agree with "The Mean One", in cautioning people to not expect donations to fund a forum, especially if the forum is fairly new.

Me too. my $0.02

As advice for others, before you consider seeking donations from forum members you MUST:
- have an established, quality, easy to use and stable forum.
- be transparent about what the money is being sought for, and the actual costs involved;
- be prepared to acknowledge on the forum those people who have made donations - "Forum Donor" as a custom text next to their avatar, for example.


"Put as much effort into your question as you'd expect someone to give in an answer"

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with questions on astrophysics or theology.  You will get better and faster responses by asking homeless people in the street. Thank you.

Be the person your dog thinks you are.

Linkjay

Quote from: Woraphat on January 03, 2017, 11:37:24 PM
Wrong side of the bed for you again, huh?  There is no bragging or thought of bragging in my thoughts in sharing this info.  The post was not meant as something that EVERYONE or even most forum operators should think about.  It is meant for the few folks who run a tight community forum, who realize who their members are and who their contributors are, to consider that option.

So, other than being the type of person you often choose to be, when you shouldn't be, what is wrong with sharing my experience?  I'll tell you what-  Just delete the topic so that this forum can serve only those that YOU think are worth serving.  Then you don't have to bother with typing words that are meant to discourage anyone else from trying what worked for me.

One other note-  My forum is not meant to generate a profit.  My members know that.  It is meant to provide a service and my only wish for the time is that it funds itself and if it doesn't fund itself, it will still be there for everyone who needs it.

Seems like you're going after Kindred for stating something that was clearly obvious for everyone to state. I basically ditto everything he said in his second reply. You gave one example which was not very informative and this post mostly seemed like a topic on "How good Woraphat is doing on his donations."

On the other side, good job on managing to attract a loyal and helpful audience that helps you provide them with a nice service.
I play games in my free time and volunteer my knowledge and support to the gaming communities of the internet.

You can contact me by these methods:
Use my Contact Script • PM me here • Add me on Steam

Advertisement: