Katipult FAQ

Looking for help? You've come to the right place.

You can find answers to most of your questions by looking through our FAQ below. Otherwise, you can contact us.

• What is Katipult?

  Katipult is a professional crowd-funding website that helps registered organizations (i.e., charities, non-profit) raise funds for social good.

• Who can start projects on Katipult?

  We developed Katipult for funding projects for social good so there is a very broad base of project organizers, however only representatives from registered non-profit organizations and charities can register to create projects. We'll need to approve your project, therefore a valid bank account, business number and mailing address are also required to start a project and receive funds.

• Can I start a project with a group of people or just as an individual?

  We allow users to create a project with a single representative for its organization.

• What information does a project organizer receive from its donors?

  When you donate to a project, the project organizer will see your name and the amount you have donated. From the standpoint of those donating, your user profile will display the organizations you support, unless you donate anonymously.

• As a project organizer, how long do I have to raise funds for my project?

  When a project is first launched, you will set a reasonable time limit you believe is necessary to meet your funding requirement; this time limit is broken down into project milestones. Projects continue to accept donations until your funding timeframe expires or when all your milestones have been marked as completed. For the best chance of success, accurate and well-planned milestones are essential.

• Are funding requirements "All or None"?

  No. Project organizers are able to collect all monies allocated to their project regardless if it reaches or exceeds its funding goal within the funding timeframe. For example, if a project requires $10,000 and only $3,000 is donated before the estimated timeframe expires, the project organizer will collect $3,000.

  
  

  That being said:

  
  

  • We encourage project organizers to set realistic funding requirements for well thought out projects. If your project is aggressively marketed and it still doesn't reach your funding requirements, the project might require additional thought in order to receive the support it needs.

  • Donor engagement is a motivating factor for project organizers. If you want to turn your vision into reality, your must have the drive, motivation, and persistence to spread the word of what you are doing and raise the funds you need to ensure a successful project.

  • If a project organizer has done the appropriate due diligence for costing their project, they should know accurate financial requirements to ensure the project is completed.

• As a project donor, can I adjust my donation amount or rescind my donation entirely for a project?

  After you've completed a donation, you cannot change your donation amount or receive a refund. Your funds get immediately wired to the organization running the project so they can get to work with campaign funds right away.

• As a project donor, will my donation amount be displayed to everyone?

  Anyone will be able to see the contribution amounts of other users; however you have the ability to donate anonymously.

• Are there specific project guidelines that must be adhered too?

  Katipult is used to raise funds, execute projects, and build followings; therefore all projects must have measurable objectives. Projects involving open-ended donations without a project specific goal, personal charity, general business and administrative expenses, loan provisions, as wells as lotteries, raffles, sweepstakes won't be accepted. Any projects that don't uphold the level of professionalism we expect or that include content that is offensive and objectionable will be cancelled and removed.

• What is the level of professionalism expected from project organizers?

  As a project organizer it is vital to establish confidence and credibility in your project. You must conduct yourself to the highest standard of professionalism, exceeding all expectations from those who donate to their project. At a minimum you are expected to:

  • Establish a realistic and accurate funding requirement.
  • Upload a video outlining your campaign that is clear and specific about the projects objective. The video should be informative, educational, and convincing to your audience.
  • Have an actionable marketing plan to spread the word of your project; Katipult is a tool that allows users to take advantage of your network including friends, family, and business associates. It is not necessarily a source of funding on its own.
  • Maintain transparency in your project operations with frequent project updates using pictures and videos when possible.
  • Attempt to engage and interact with your project donors as much as possible.

  • How do I know if a project I donate to is legitimate?

    We take many measures to ensure the legitimacy of the projects we approve; however you must be diligent and take the appropriate precautions. For example, donate to projects you've learned about form a credible source, or know the project creator personally. Also, in most cases the more organized the project appears, the more credible there project likely is. Analyze the project organizers profile information, as well as their project brief, research the organization behind the project as well as the people involved. LinkedIn (linkedin.com) can be a great tool to look into project organizers.

  • How do financial transactions on Katipult work exactly?

    In order to ensure secure and timely financial transactions, PayPal processes all of the donations on Katipult (therefore, project organizers are required to set up an account with Paypal before they launch their first project). When you decide to make a donation to a project, you will be taken to a secure PayPal page to confirm payment and finalize the transaction. If you have an existing account on PayPal, you can finish the payment process in a few clicks. If you don't have an existing account on PayPal, you can register during the donation process quickly and easily.

  • How do organizations receive their money?

    Project organizers are required to set up an account with PayPal before they launch their first project. When a donation is made, the money is immediately transferred to the organizations account and they can put it to good use right away.

  • Does Katipult charge any fees to organizations?

    Katipult was developed to allow non-profits and charities to raise funds, execute projects, and build followings using our 'Full Cycle Fundraising' framework. To allow these organizations to use Katipult for free, we place our transaction fees of 2.7% plus $1.89 on top of donations from supporters, in addition to standard credit card processing fees.

  • Do I need a PayPal account to donate?

    No, you do not need a PayPal account to donate. You can choose to make a one time donation through PayPal with your credit card.

  • How do I start a project on Katipult?

    First, sign up on Katipult and then click the "start a project" button at the very top. Follow the steps you find there. You'll then wait for approval from us. We'll look over the information you provided about your project and your organization. In order to ensure a successful fund raise you should have a very well thought out idea and execution plan. Use all of your networks and resources to ensure your project is targeting a great cause and will be an engaging experience for people who donate to your project. Use all of the resources Katipult provides to project organizations and contact us for any additional questions.

  • What is Katipult so adamant about project updates?

    The goal is to build a following and engage your supporters. The more video and picture updates, the better! You can't copy the feeling of knowing your support made something happen! Patronage is a very compelling reason to donate.

  • How does the reward system for top referrers work?

    Aside from the personal gratification that accompanies supporting, participating, and impacting a cause you strongly believe in, project organizers often provide incentives to those who refer people to donate to their projects as an additional incentive. An individual who refers people to a project using their unique tracking code can receive various forms of benefits and rewards.

    For example, a local women's shelter raising funds to create an educational curriculum for its clients may offer a sponsored gift basket to the first person to refer 30 people, an invitation to a BBQ Lunch for anyone who refers more than 20 people, their name placed on the acknowledgement page in each booklet for anyone who refers more than 5 people. It's up to each project creator to formulate their own offers and there are numerous ways to do it; however offering tangible incentives of real value for helping spread the word is a key to success, particularly if the rewards can create personal connections with the project donors. The key is to make those who donate feel that they are part of the project through their participation.

  • Does it cost money to create a project on Katipult?

    It is free for project organizers to start a project on Katipult.

  • Is there a limit of how much funds can be raised on Katipult?

    No. You should be realistic with your fundraising goals.

  • Where can I provide user suggestions about Katipult?

    Click the feedback tab on the left side of site.

  • What are Katipult's Fees?

    To allow non profits and charities to use Katipult for free, we add a transaction fee of 2.7% plus $1.89 to each donation. Katipult does not charge these organizations monthly fees, set-up fees, percentage of funds raised, or any other fees. Specifically, the transaction fee covers Katipult?s costs associated with:

    
    

    • (1) maintaining and hosting the site, and developing additional features to help raise funds, execute projects, and build followings.

    • (2) vetting non profits and charities as well as their project organizers for legitimacy.

    • (3) providing marketing and fundraising consulting to help organizations create well-articulated strategic online campaigns.

    • (4) recruiting corporate sponsors to provide financial contributions and sponsored rewards to campaigns.

    • (5) all the other business expenses such as legal fees and insurance.