Crowdfunding for Ocean Sciences:#sciocrowd

Jarrett Byrnes

University of Massachusetts Bostonhttp://www.slideshare.net/JarrettByrnes/sicooceans-2013-scifund

Data from: http://dellweb.bfa.nsf.gov/awdfr3/default.asphttp://report.nih.gov/success_rates/Success_ByActivity.cfm

Science Funding Rates Declining stimulus

#SciQuester = 1000 NSF grants not funded this year

Public Science Literacy Needs Work

Ecklund et al. 2012 PLoS One

Scientist's Attitudes Towards Outreach Not So Good

In scientists’ own words, science outreach is a bleak prospect with limited room for improvement. Seventy-four percent of respondents list one or more significant impediments to their ability to do science outreach, yet less than half have concrete ideas for how science outreach could be improved.

Ecklund et al. 2012 PLoS One

Little Reward Structure for Outreach

Scientists also perceive that they are rewarded little for science outreach work, especially in the tenure process.

Science Communication Exploding Online

sciencepond.com twitter.com/jebyrnes/eemb

135% of goal!!

Crowdfunding and You!

1. Let’s do this thing. How do I do it?

2. What can I learn from those who have gone before?

What Platform Should I Use?

What Platform Should I Use?

• What is their policy on success?

• What are their fees?

• Do they allow for givebacks?

• Do they facilitate connections to donors?

• Are they a neat platform with no projects?

My University is Cool with this, Right?

• Maybe.

• Talk to your Office of Sponsored

Research

• Or find a nonprofit foundation to

work with

• THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY!

http://scifundchallenge.org/blog/2011/10/10/will-your-university-allow-you-to-crowdfund-for-your-research-part-2/

Anatomy of a Crowdfunding Proposal1. Goal

• accomplishment

2. Time Limit• urgency

3. Proposal• clarity is key

4. Video• accessibility

5. Rewards• engagement

What do I need to know about video production?

• iMovie is love

• So is Audacity (for audio)

• Borrow a camera! Good video is good!

• Beware of using copyrighted material

• KEEP IT SHORT – 2-3 minutes if

possible

What do I include in my pitch?

• What am I doing?

• Why is this awesome?

• Why does this matter to you?

• How will your funds be spent?

• How will you stay connected?

The Moh Dollahz Population Dynamics of a Campaign

WOO!!! We’ve Launched!

The Doldrums

Now’s the time!

Outreach Strategies

• Start early. Years early.

• Social media helps with momentum

• Harness network effects whenever possible

• Work with your university

• Identify community groups interested in your work

• Build new relationships!

Crowdfunding and You!

1. Let’s do this thing. How do I do it?

2. What can I learn from those who have gone before?

The future?

doctorzen.net

How did Palmer Do it?

Wikipedia.org

twitter.com/amandaplamer

http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.html

If you build it, they will come

If you build it, they will come

Be an Engagement Rockstar

Number of fans

Inte

rest

in y

our

rese

arc

h

Super-engaged fans that contribute $ to your research

Larger number of fans that don’t contribute, butare still impacted by your message

A version of the 1000 True Fans Model

Capitalize on Interest

Connect to Stakeholders

Science Projects with Community Engagement Bring in $$$

http://www.indiegogo.com/ubiome

This is the End of the Beginning

New Connections & Engagement = 30k!

Press contacts

Twitter presence

Projectviews

Money forresearch

Friends andfamily

Emailing contacts

1.7 project views per email

92 views per press contact

1 project view per tweet per 70 followers

Contributors

Engagement*Effort = Success

How Can I Crowdfund my Science?

• Build an audience for your work- Crowdfunding, Blog, Tweet, Science Cafes,

etc.

• Get trained in outreach- Media & social network training

• Ask how your work can engage the crowd

• Work to change academic culture & policy- Hiring & promotion practices- Collaboration with media & arts departments

Larger Benefits to Crowdfunding• Build bridges between science &

society• Build investment in an NGO's

science program• Enhanced science literacy• Science incubator for new projects• Look at it as funded outreach

R4 & a Video Workshop are Coming!

Blog: scifundchallenge.org

Twitter: #SciFund

Wheat, R.E., Wang, Y., Byrnes, J.E.K. & Ranganathan, J. (2012). Raising money for scientific research through crowdfunding. Trends Ecol. Evol., 28, 71–72.

http://www.slideshare.net/JarrettByrnes/sicooceans-2013-scifund