1. What Documents You Need To Have In Place Before Launching A Crowd Funding Campaign?
By now you have realized that crowd funding may be the way to go in order to make your project turn
from a dream into a reality. Finding the right resources to help get your project off of the ground is
important. The crowd funding world can often seem complex to many but once you have the processes
in place, you can run a smooth crowd funding campaign that should yield you positive results.
In today’s world there are many people out there who try to potentially scam other people out of their
money and resources. This is a sad reality that affects the decision making process for many people.
They want to know that their investment of money, time and other resources is for a legitimate project.
In order to prove the validity of your project there are several documents that you are going to want to
have in place before you launch your crowd funding campaign. The documents needed are going to vary
depending on your project. Some of the ones you may need include:
Tax-Exempt Letter from the IRS – If your project has achieved tax-exempt status from the
IRS then you will want a copy of the letter from the IRS on hand. This is generally something
you can apply for if your organization has 501(c)3 status.
Articles of Incorporation – If you have incorporated your organization then you will want to
show documentation of this. This helps to show potential investors that you are a more credible
organization.
Financial Statements – Providing financial statements shows the financial stability or financial
status of your organization. It shows where money is being spent. If your organization can’t
show that money being donated or invested is being applied appropriately then your chance of
getting serious investors may not happen.
Written Public Endorsements – Having written endorsements from others is a powerful tool. It
shows that there are others out there who believe in your organization and project. They can lend
to your credibility and show that your organization and/or project is a worth wild investment.
Endorsements from those who are not a part of the organization or related to you allows the
public to see that your cause it a worthy one for potential investors.
Estimates (Cost Sheets) – Estimates and costs sheets allow potential investors to see the
breakdown of what it is going to take to get your project off the ground and running. Potential
investors can see why you need the money and where potential donations or investments will be
applied.
Tax Returns–If your organization has tax returns filed it is great to have these on hand. Potential
investors can see the money that has come in for a prior year as well as the liabilities.
These are just some of the documents that are good to have on hand when you are seeking potential
donations and investors. Providing documentation helps prove the credibility of your organization and
projects. It shows that you are not out there to scam others and simply take their money. There are
people out there who want to donate or invest in projects that they deem worthy. They just want to know

2. that the money and resources they provide are going to go where you say they are. It’s all about proving
that you are worthy and providing documentation can assist you in that area.