

Ask HN: How can I raise $250, fast? - MrMeker

I am the lead welder, engineer, and machinist for my high school's Kinetic Sculpture Team. We participate in the Kinetic Grand Championship (http://www.kineticgrandchampionship.com) and the race is coming up in about 60 days. We have been working really hard and just got all 4 wheels attached to our sculpture yesterday. What we need now are two steel framed mountain bikes in good condition. We haven't been able to find anything within our budget on Craigslist (really rural area) and I have decided that we should just buy them. There is a local store that has exactly what we need for $100 apiece, but our team just doesn't  have the money. We are a sort of under-the-radar club at our school, organized as a community service project. During the race, we raise money for a local homeless charity. Unfortunately, during the offseason, money really dries up. I have taken it upon myself to raise the money and I figure we will need around $250 in total for the two bikes and tax.<p>I am coming here because I know how good y'all are at fundraising and finding what South Park would call "internet money". If anyone out there could point me to a site that is designed for this type of quick, small fundraising, that would be great. I am also down for any other ideas that might help us.<p>Here is a picture of us yesterday (I am in the middle) http://imgur.com/9ETOpci<p>Here is a picture of our team in last year's race as Betty Chinn's Peace Crane http://imgur.com/JfVxieR<p>Thank you!
Mr. Meker
======
thejteam
Can you ask local businesses for a donation? Can you put logos on your work?
In even the most rural areas you can find 5 businesses willing to part with 50
bucks to have their logo on something.

------
LeBlanc
Here are some donation sites that let you set up donation pages for exactly
this type of cause:

<https://www.gofundme.com>

<https://www.fundly.com>

<https://www.everribbon.com> <\- Disclosure: I run this one

Good luck!

~~~
MrMeker
Thank you! I really like the design of EverRibbon.

I have already started a campaign here:
<http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-chariot-of-charity/>

------
jasonz
do you have a bitcoin wallet?

if not you can make one here: <https://blockchain.info/wallet/>

and i'll send a donation

~~~
MrMeker
1JjeH1HtHqWucZK3wkjUoo4EAHWD4Xgahe

Thank you!

~~~
jasonz
sent!

spread the word on bitcoins :)

------
revorad
Take a pen and paper, go around the neighbourhood to your friends, families,
local shops asking for a small cash contribution.

------
garduque
That looks super fun. How do I contact you? (If there is a messaging function
on HN, I'm not savvy enough to figure it out.)

~~~
xauronx
If his profile is set up correctly you can click on his name and get his email
address.

------
MrMeker
Were up to $65 and around $11 in bitcoins.

If anyone else has an idea of how to raise money, we still need a bit more!

------
dylanhassinger
<http://kickstarter.com>

~~~
MrMeker
We can't really offer rewards and we aren't selling anything. This is more for
fundraising than capital. I don't know if this fits Kickstarter's ToC, and
Kickstarter campaigns take more time than we have. Hopefully, we can buy these
bikes in a week or two and have then attached and working with enough time to
create some good art and make it go FAST!

~~~
dylanhassinger
Make some trinkets to offer as rewards, and do a 1 or 2 week Kickstarter. You
could easily make the money for your bikes, and also promote your group to a
whole new audience.

