Site Fundraising/Donation Ideas.

[WhackyGordon]

The million dollar homepage has been ripped off a thousand times over, and this isn't to just pay the bills every month. BigStack is taking money out of his pocket for this and as much as I and many others use this site, we should contribute something. Not that anyone is wrong for not wanting to, but those of us that want to should have a way to do it.

Well, the end result is paid bills every month, right? Bigstack shouldn't have to foot the whole bill. As for having a means to contribute, an ad page would provide that for those of us who are a little less financially flexible. I'm not saying that donations should be refused or anything, but for the credit-card-challenged members, ads could be another means to the desired end.

 

[Rev Righteous]

Instead of a raffle, you could always do a kickstarter style approach. Do a yearly fundraiser to support the site, with a goal of approximately $1000 to pay for all 12 month of hosting. Have several donation tiers, each with their own rewards. Here is an quick example off the top of my head:

Donation/Member tiers

• $1 - Get a tag beneath your screen name that says "Supporter" or "Contributor" or some such
• $5 - Halo Customs key-chain plus "Supporter" tag
• $15 - Halo Customs Mouse pad and "Support
• $35 - Halo Customs T-shirt and "Supporter" status
• $60 - Shirt, Mouse pad, and "Supporter" status

The goods or prizes would be bought after all the funds were raised and the money was in the bank so it would take no seed money. I, and many other of the guys here would be willing to design the art for the mouse pad, t-shirt, and any other promotional items. The community could even vote for the final designs from among submissions. I do freelance graphic design and know plenty of places to get specialty items printed and some can even shipp strait to the buyer to avoid having to handle any sorting or shipping yourself. If this sound like the way to go, I can provide details on how to get it done.

If you just want to stick with a quick and simple raffle, I think it might be worth emailing one of the reps at 343 Industries and see if they'd be willing to donate some sort of signed memorabilia or something. I'd bet they have tons of left over promotional items or press kits, etc sitting around their offices that'd they would be happy to donate. An auction or raffle for something from them would be very cool.

 

[0IAH]

Host some custom game lobbies throughout the week where each player can pay like $1 to enter. The winner receives $6 and the other $10 (if a full lobby) can go to the site. idk -- just an idea that could give people other ideas related to this one

 

[Garpfruit]

I would pay up to $300 (all my money) for an energy sword lava lamp.

 

[ShortBizzle]

A monthly pledge program might work with small denominations $1,$3,$5. Asking for money every month sounds time consuming. Offer a suite of features for monthly/annual contributers in a way that everything is automated.

Totally just spit balling here. No need to nay say. I'm not going to defend any of these ideas.

Ideas for supporters:
automatically entered in monthly raffles (raffles could be entered by others as well at a higher entry fee)
hosted games could be posted at the top of the customs list independent of the date/time.
Map features for forgers.
343 memorabilia/swag
Armor codes
Server storage space
An online halo customs game/app. Think every hour any user gets a coin to post a new comment/play game, but supporters get 50 coins every day.
halocustoms.com email address
Announce your online xbox status in the shout box
alert users when you get online.
pseudo xbox live friends list to expand your ability to get players for customs.
Guaranteed spots in halo customs staff/special event games.
Play against 343
a special supporters forum
banner for custom game on front page that rotates through all the supporters games
smiley
interview
sponsor a new member (a supporter can donate one of the above to a new member to promote their game)

 

[Drizzy_Dan]

If the app can be made cheaper than 99 cents then make it so. Like 50 cents or something and everyone would buy it regardless. Now 99 cents is not a lot but you know when you see a paid app you don't want it, you want the free one. If you meet the consumer in the middle, if possible of course, then you'll rake in dough. It'd be unusual to see which is always eye catching and cheap making Halo fans wanna buy it.

 

[Sinogard]

If the app can be made cheaper than 99 cents then make it so. Like 50 cents or something and everyone would buy it regardless. Now 99 cents is not a lot but you know when you see a paid app you don't want it, you want the free one. If you meet the consumer in the middle, if possible of course, then you'll rake in dough. It'd be unusual to see which is always eye catching and cheap making Halo fans wanna buy it.

I think the important part is to come up with a way to support the site that doesn't force anyone at anytime to pay to access features such as the halo customs app.

 

[BigStack]

Just wondering, what would you think of just having a page of ads somewhere that users can choose to open? If you had a few per-view ads there, I would sit and drill through them every now and then to help support the site. There used to be a 'make-cash-from-home' scheme where some website was just ads and you got a cut of the ad revenues from it based on views - that's what made me think of it. I don't know - I mean I imagine the advertisers are a little more demanding now, but that could be a nice option if it's feasible. Might not pay for the site outright, but it could at least contribute.

Bad Idea that a quick way to get banned from google ads.

We should start selling Halo Customs T-shirts

This seems to be what people want. I need a 2 color Logo made (not just the text we have now) And I need a MIN order of 17 shirts.. and sell for like 25-30 bucks. That way were able to get 10-15 bucks out of the deal. I could take payments and once we have 17 Ill get them and ship Ill refund anything people don't get.... I could set up some shop for other things but we have no initial stocks.

• $1 - Get a tag beneath your screen name that says "Supporter" or "Contributor" or some such
• $5 - Halo Customs key-chain plus "Supporter" tag
• $15 - Halo Customs Mouse pad and "Support
• $35 - Halo Customs T-shirt and "Supporter" status
• $60 - Shirt, Mouse pad, and "Supporter" status

The goods or prizes would be bought after all the funds were raised and the money was in the bank so it would take no seed money. I, and many other of the guys here would be willing to design the art for the mouse pad, t-shirt, and any other promotional items. The community could even vote for the final designs from among submissions. I do freelance graphic design and know plenty of places to get specialty items printed and some can even shipp strait to the buyer to avoid having to handle any sorting or shipping yourself. If this sound like the way to go, I can provide details on how to get it done.

I would want to have a store like this... Need designs and prices there would have to go + / - 5 bucks 5 the 1 buck thing is worthless probably bump everything down but have the shirt at like 30. The more shirts ordered the CHEAPER i get them.

I would pay up to $300 (all my money) for an energy sword lava lamp.

So would I but not all my money Id do 300

A monthly pledge program might work with small denominations $1,$3,$5. Asking for money every month sounds time consuming. Offer a suite of features for monthly/annual contributers in a way that everything is automated.

Ideas for supporters:
automatically entered in monthly raffles (raffles could be entered by others as well at a higher entry fee)
Server storage space --- *** I can easily provide this
halocustoms.com email address --- This can happen also
smiley - can happen
interview - can happen
sponsor a new member (a supporter can donate one of the above to a new member to promote their game)

I like the idea for subscribers of monthly amounts... This could be done on the side of the normal store.... You could then choose a random winner for a Shirt or something the more ur monthly the more entries you get.

If the app can be made cheaper than 99 cents then make it so. Like 50 cents or something and everyone would buy it regardless. Now 99 cents is not a lot but you know when you see a paid app you don't want it, you want the free one. If you meet the consumer in the middle, if possible of course, then you'll rake in dough. It'd be unusual to see which is always eye catching and cheap making Halo fans wanna buy it.

At 50 cents google / payment gateway would take over half.

 

[FREEDOM COBRA]

This seems to be what people want. I need a 2 color Logo made (not just the text we have now) And I need a MIN order of 17 shirts.. and sell for like 25-30 bucks. That way were able to get 10-15 bucks out of the deal. I could take payments and once we have 17 Ill get them and ship Ill refund anything people don't get.... I could set up some shop for other things but we have no initial stocks.

&​

I would want to have a store like this... Need designs and prices there would have to go + / - 5 bucks 5 the 1 buck thing is worthless probably bump everything down but have the shirt at like 30. The more shirts ordered the CHEAPER i get them.

Give the people what they want, do you/we know anyone that could draw a design. Hell, have a contest on the front page and decide which logo the community likes the best, by way of likes. Admittedly from what you've said the shirts don't earn much unless we can get an assload of orders, but an assload of orders equals-.

 

[BigStack]

Give the people what they want, do you/we know anyone that could draw a design. Hell, have a contest on the front page and decide which logo the community likes the best, by way of likes. Admittedly from what you've said the shirts don't earn much unless we can get an assload of orders, but an assload of orders equals-.

Well for starters lets get a T-Shirt sale going... We can do sweatshirts / bras and panties later *** just think the HC bra and panty set ... *think of the advertizement lol

Probably gonna be able to get s - xl its the cheepo shit so Id order bigger lol. I gotta check for a 2x.

 

[ArmdNinja547]

I'd just like to mention that this is a totally awesome idea, and I'd be willing to support the site.
However, making this into pay to get membership is kinda off limits because it could scare away some potential Halocustomers in the future. But we could do a seasonal fund-raiser type thing (like NPR) and give some small gifts with it. I recommend we start another post with a poll about options available and we can take tallies about how many people want what.

 

[Sinogard]

I would still like to have some more options. We'll start that in a bit. the post has only been up a day.

 

[NinetysBorn]

The t-shirt thing is so over-used though

 

[BigStack]

I'd just like to mention that this is a totally awesome idea, and I'd be willing to support the site.
However, making this into pay to get membership is kinda off limits because it could scare away some potential Halocustomers in the future. But we could do a seasonal fund-raiser type thing (like NPR) and give some small gifts with it. I recommend we start another post with a poll about options available and we can take tallies about how many people want what.

This site will always be Free I wont make people pay to use a site. I will offer some Extras to people who contribute to keeping the site up.

 

[Bloodbath Tony]

Hmm, prizes--how about a reasonably affordable capture card? We love sharing our gaming with the community already, and it'd be a neat tool to have.

 

[Wakko45]

I'm really proud to see our community reaching out and trying to help us (by I us I mean Bigstack primarily ). You guys rock. I love all the ideas that we are coming up with especially the t-shirts and stuff. One thing we have to keep in mind though is selling stuff with Halo-related pictures might not be legal without 343/Microsoft's permission, not really sure though, just don't want us to get sued. So we would have to find out if we are allowed to do that type of thing or make all the logos and stuff HC specific.

Loving the ideas though guys, keep throwing them out there. Once I start work in a few weeks I'll be sure to send you some cash Bigstack

 

[JL1223 X]

I would donate if I could.....

 

[Tedium]

I'm loving this guys! It warms my heart to see so many of you supported this idea.

I'm personally a huge fan of giving out Smilies to donators. It's the bomb

 

[Garpfruit]

So would I but not all my money Id do 300

If I had more money, then I would probably pay $2,000 or more for it.

 

[WhackyGordon]

Bad Idea that a quick way to get banned from google ads.

Oh yeah - you'd have to find some ad company that was cool with it, if there are any left out there. It is a big internet though, so I figure there probably are.
Not a big deal though. Sounds like enough people can afford to buy t-shirts and stuff that it'll work out.

Another idea for prizes/membership perks/merchandise - render clips. Bungie Pro style. Obviously that would take some dedicated members with capture cards, but a youtube channel with all of the clips on it might make it worth their while, or maybe even contribute to the upkeep costs here.