Welcome to the UNDP Crowdfunding Academy!
The UNDP Crowdfunding Academy is an interactive training and capacity-building program that empowers organizations with the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare and run a successful crowdfunding campaign.
The program is intended for UNDP country offices that want to start, expand, or rebuild their projects and programs, using online tools and innovative methodologies. Through interactive modules and exercises, participants will learn how to create the key elements of a crowdfunding campaign so that in the end, they will be able to launch their own campaign. Participants will have a chance to work with the top crowdfunding experts from around the world who will offer guidance and feedback.
This series of recorded videos will help you to better understand how to produce written and visual materials, identify and target your audience, prepare and implement a communications strategy, and how to attract funding for your project idea.
How will I benefit from this course?
You will get:
- Access to 12 online mandatory training modules and one additional module with five videos;
- Access to additional offline learning opportunities;
- Access to exclusive educational crowdfunding materials;
- An opportunity to work with experienced mentors from different crowdfunding platforms, business sectors, and NGOs, and international organizations;
- Mentorship and guidance during the preparation and implementation of the crowdfunding campaign;
- Access to international crowdfunding platforms;
- A certificate of completion for the online training program.
How long will it take?
Each module includes a 10 - 20 minute recorded video, presentations, a short quiz, and additional materials.
Will I get a certificate at the end?
Yes, you will get a certificate once you complete all program modules and assignments.
Are there any additional learning opportunities?
Yes, but they depend on the country where you are based/registered. In some countries, free offline courses will be provided, while in other countries you’ll get access to live online workshops and sessions with mentors.
The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development network.
Within BERA, the Innovative Digital Partnerships team supports Individual giving and crowdfunding initiatives as a powerful approach to promote our work to a wider public in a compelling manner while providing opportunities to mobilize financial resources.
BERA sponsors and is an active partner of the UNDP Crowdfunding Academy (CFA), designed, created, and led by the Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), which is part of the Innovation team at UNDP IRH and focuses on alternative finance initiatives. It has launched more than 12 Global Crowdfunding Academies, with at least 500 graduating teams, and raised more than 2.5 million USD.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, BERA and AltFinLab launched the CFA in April 2020 to support requests from country offices (CO), providing them with tools and training to launch their campaigns in an easy-to-follow step-by-step process. It is among several global and regional COVID-19 response initiatives such as Solidarity against COVID-19: Together, we are one! With the experience gained, we can now offer an advisory support program that makes the journey of crowdfunding more engaging and intuitive. For that, our central support is comprised of the following:
- Access to the UNDP's central fundraising platform (Classy.org);
- Enhanced digital crowdfunding academy advisory workshops, organized together with AltFinLab with hands-on support and advice from experts who have developed and launched campaigns at the global and regional level;
- Central operational support, including financial reconciliation, managed by BERA;
- Digital marketing assistance through our global channels, tools, and partners.
UNDP Crowdfunding Academy Modules ?
Get started on your crowdfunding journey below!