Input wanted

[anny]

I am aware that this forum has a policy against fundraising, but I am doing a fundraiser campaign of my own to try and raise some of the money needed for my operation. I would really like input from anybody else who has raised money for their operation in the same way. Is it okay for me to have a thread about this topic, or will that be considered against forum policy?

[LordKAT]

It would be watched carefully but some have talked before about different fund raising ideas. Long as you don't ask for money from the members here or link to a site for it, you will likely be OK. I would be very cautious about listing sites that you can use until I know how that will be taken.

[ssneha23]

I am aware that this forum has a policy against fundraising, but I am doing a fundraiser campaign of my own to try and raise some of the money needed for my operation. I would really like input from anybody else who has raised money for their operation in the same way. Is it okay for me to have a thread about this topic, or will that be considered against forum policy?

Yep I am interested in the how as well. I am relying on job to save up. But don't know how long I will have it... So here goes

[Ms Grace]

This is something I wrote on a thread about crowd funding asking a similar question...

Certainly a few do it for their surgeries. Whether they succeed or not is another matter.

Most successful Kickstarter campaigns usually are about giving "something" back to the donator, the project might be to produce an invention, music, art, film, etc. I know several people who have successfully funded the printing/publication of their webcomic through Kickstarter, maybe for around $5,000-$8,000 each or so. But part of that money was considered a 'pre-purchase' - plus these people offered incentives, such as additional personalised drawings/sketches, posters, badges, god knows what else. Money came largely from people familiar with their work and presumably liked it enough to want to see it in print. Plus they worked hard, promoting it through Facebook and Twitter and everywhere to the point of me being about to unfriend/unfollow them! Not sure how you would be able to do any of that via crowdfunding for top surgery. Good luck if you can though.

Hope it helps!

[anny]

Thanks a lot for the input. There is no doubt that it will take considerable effort to raise money through a fundraiser, but I have none the less taken the plunge. I have set up a campaign on a site that specialises in charity type fundraisers, and I have also created a Facebook page and a Twitter account. So far I have only been able to raise a modest $130 dollars, and that money all came from friends and family.

My strategy has been to try and reach out to other members of the LGBT community (through Facebook and Twitter), simply because that's where I expect to find the greatest sympathy for my situation. However, many are in the very same situation I am in, and find it hard to spare cash for someone else saving up for an operation.

I will continue my efforts, and I will be sure to report back here with any interesting discoveries I make.

[Mark3]

Best of luck anny.

I hope it gets you everything you need. 

[Ms Grace]

Yes, you may find sympathy/empathy/understanding etc but please keep in mind that many, many, many trans people are in exactly the same boat...they need money (and lots of it) for any number of reasons, facial surgery, vocal chord surgery, electrolysis, orchies, genital surgery, HRT, etc, etc (and F2M have their own mammoth expenses). It's not that people wouldn't want to support you, it's just they don't know you and they need money for themselves. Hope you do make it, I don't mean to sound negative it's just that the T component of LGBT don't have much free cash.

[Mark3]

Yes, you may find sympathy/empathy/understanding etc but please keep in mind that many, many, many trans people are in exactly the same boat...they need money (and lots of it) for any number of reasons, facial surgery, vocal chord surgery, electrolysis, orchies, genital surgery, HRT, etc, etc (and F2M have their own mammoth expenses). It's not that people wouldn't want to support you, it's just they don't know you and they need money for themselves. Hope you do make it, I don't mean to sound negative it's just that the T component of LGBT don't have much free cash.

When I win the lottery here Ms. grace, there will be no more $ worries for any of us.!!!

[anny]

Yes, you may find sympathy/empathy/understanding etc but please keep in mind that many, many, many trans people are in exactly the same boat...they need money (and lots of it) for any number of reasons, facial surgery, vocal chord surgery, electrolysis, orchies, genital surgery, HRT, etc, etc (and F2M have their own mammoth expenses). It's not that people wouldn't want to support you, it's just they don't know you and they need money for themselves. Hope you do make it, I don't mean to sound negative it's just that the T component of LGBT don't have much free cash.

I totally understand that, but sympathy is a very important ingredient when it comes to getting people to share my story, and my story is what I believe will get people involved. If members of the LGBT community share my story with their network, then perhaps some kind soul who can relate to their/my struggles will decide to spare a few dollars. Anyways, that's my thinking so far. Time will show if I have found a winning strategy or not.

Whatever happens, I remain committed to reporting my experiences back to this forum. If my work can in any way benefit anybody here, then that would make me extremely happy :-)