Is The Point Right For Me?

Is The Point the best way for me to raise money?

If you answer "yes" to any of the following, The Point is a great way for you to raise money.

On The Point, no one's credit card is charged until the campaign tipping point is reached. This reduces the risk that your money will be wasted, encouraging more people to participate.

  • You're raising money for a discrete project, and if you don't get enough, you won't be able to do it.
  • Your audience is more likely to contribute if they know that your goal will actually be reached.
  • Your goal is a bit of a long shot -- you (and others) are unsure that there are enough people out there to make it happen.
  • The money is being used as an incentive -- you don't want to actually give it money unless someone does something or something happens.
  • If you don't cross a certain threshold of contributions, you won't be able to do anything.
  • It's important to your goal that each contributor become invested in success, that each of them, after contributing, goes on to recruit additional contributors.

Is The Point the right tool for me to organize action?

The Point works best for solving problems that meet one of the following criteria:

  • A critical mass of participants taking coordinated action can solve the problem.
  • You are using the promise of group action as an incentive for a third party to do something or to get something to happen.
  • Individuals acting alone do not make a difference, making individuals less likely to act.
  • It is uncomfortable or dangerous to be among the first to take a stand.
  • Although the problem is shared by many people, it's not worth the effort of any individual to solve.
changed July 25, 2008