Advice on crowdfunding as an alternative to pay for investigative reporting.

1. Crowdfunding your
Investigative Reporting
Tips and advice on effective freelancing
Dav id C oh n - D irec to r w w w.Sp o t.us

2. Funding Options for
Journalists
Personal debt (totally sucks)
Web advertising (mere pennies)
Large foundations (long and torturous)
Sponsorships (selling out?)
News organization buys content (dying off)
Crowdfunding (not easy - but can be done).

3. Best of times, worst of times
Good Not so good
More content than ever
Production cost down
Content assumed to be
Distribution cost down
free commodity
Civic engagement up
Old revenue streams
Crowdfunding up dying
Social networks up Mistrust of professional
journalism.

4. What do you mean
“crowdfunding”
Obama
“Forming a network of people
ReelChanges.org
who will distribute the cost
and commission a journalist Kiva.org
to look into an issue they all
DonorsChoose.org
agree is important.
Indiegogo.com
For more on
micro-philanthropy,
Prosper.com
check out
blog.socialactions.com.
com/
and .... Spot.Us!!!

5. How to fundraise on Spot.Us
FIRST: Define The Investigation
Sell the story - journalists are natural storytellers.
Pre-report: obvious mastery of a subject is appealing
Explain your deliverables - what will you produce?
Justify the cost - explain the work you’ll put in.
Be personal - they are investing in you too.
Actions speak louder - Get started on a blog and link.

6. The “Community” in
“Community Funded Reporting”
Forming a Network of Supporters
Identify target audience.
Partner with influential civic organizations, nonprofits, local
bloggers, news organizations. (There is no such thing as a
competitor).
Personal emails and phone calls can be huge.
Social networks - Facebook, Digg, Meetup, Twitter, Ning, etc.
Be creative and have fun with this part. You are now working
for the public - and they love you for it.

7. Rock on!!!!
Not every pitch will be successful -
but the cost of trying is very low.
The more you position yourself as
working for the public - the more
likely they will trust and fund your
next investigation.