Sometimes it’s frustrating not having a PhD yet. It certainly makes getting funding for projects a lot harder. Occasionally there are opportunities like the Talis Incubator for Open Education that don’t require a PhD for the application process, but those are pretty rare, and I have to wonder how many “independents” actually get funded.
Enter Kickstarter.com. A beautifully simple way to raise money for projects of all kinds. Check out Kickstarter’s blog for examples of some really creative projects that have been funded so far. From Detroit real estate investing by the inch to pre-paid book writing (ahem, Marion), the list goes on.
So Marion tells me he wants to use Kickstarter to fund the work we have been planning for TwHistory.com (including scheduling tweets, translating and replaying past reenactments, etc).
I think it’s a great idea, but most of the Kickstarter projects offer some sort of reward to motivate people. What reward do we give to those who are willing to donate to TwHistory? We don’t have much, but at least we can offer them a cool badge for their blog (see below). Folks who make larger pledges get shirts and sponsorships too.
If you can make a pledge, please do. Here’s the link to the TwHistory.org Kickstarter page. It’s an all-or-nothing fund raiser, so the project only gets funded if we make our goal.
The proceeds will go to programming the new TwHistory site. In other words, I won’t get any of it. So why do I care? Because I think TwHistory is a great way to make history fun, especially for young people with laptops, cell phones, and short attention spans.
Plus I intend to study the use of TwHistory to finish my PhD.
Tanks!
