Local winner of the 2011 Manx Grand Prix Lightweight, Billy Smith, has teamed up with letscrowdit.com to help fund his 2013 TT entry.
This year the TT sees its first rider competing in the event supported by a crowd funding campaign, Billy Smith has posted the first project on letscrowdit.com and hopes to raise sponsorship to support his entry into the 2013 TT, competing as a privateer racing in 3 classes.
“Crowd funding is quickly becoming the way for people to raise funds for a project that is of a creative, charitable or social nature, gaining support from likeminded people making donations often in exchange for small rewards” explains Nicole Bodell, founder of letscrowdit.com. “Projects are non commercial and include campaigns for funding community activities, performing arts, sports club fundraisers, charity fundraising events and many more purposes”.
Expressing his enthusiasm at the launch of his project, Billy commented “in the current economic climate corporate funding has been difficult to raise and I am delighted to be given the chance to invite sponsorship at any level in return for varying degrees of ‘reward’ via letscrowdit.com. I very much believe in the concept which will provide many people with the ability to raise the funding they need for their venture and at the same time give others the opportunity to share in the realisation of a project they believe in and wish to support”.
Fundraisers can publish their projects on the web site and upload pictures and video clips to make their project more appealing to backers. Using “lets crowd it” they can get their project out in front of a much wider audience and with the ability to link their project to their Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts, they can spread the word much further through the power of the internet.
Posting projects is free and with the ability to receive donations online either by credit card or PayPal the project creator has a secure, convenient and transparent way to raise funds. Projects are listed on an “all or nothing” basis with donations being pre-approved until the funding goal is met within a specified deadline. If the goal is not met within the timeline stated then the donations lapse and no money is taken. This model ensures that project creators are realistic with their fundraising goals and that supporters do not end up wasting their money by making a donation to an unsuccessful project.
For more information and to donate to Billy’s TT 2013 project please visit www.letscrowdit.com.
