A practical introduction to funding models for open creative work. Bring a project — blog, podcast, software, art — and we'll explore approaches, tools and strategies to make it sustainable.
A practical introduction to funding models for open creative work. Bring a project — blog, podcast, software, art, you name it — and we'll explore funding models, tools and strategies to make it sustainable.
This course is designed to explore, and apply, different ways of funding creative projects where the end goal is to make the core of the work freely, publicly available.
I love the phrase Tim Carmody coined, “unlocking the commons”, to describe this model — where you put out work anyone can access, but also figure out ways to support it financially so it’s sustainable.
In this workshop, we'll look at specific funding mechanisms (crowdfunding, memberships, open source bounties, etc.) and tools and strategies for how to apply them. Each participant will bring a project (idea or extant, either is okay!) and we'll explore how to apply these ideas in support of the project's goals.
The course will meet four times for 90 minutes, once per week. Expect a total commitment of roughly ~5 hours per week.
After the live part of the course is complete, participants are welcome to continue sharing updates here on the Unlocking the Commons course forum.
The course will include access to a library of example projects and readings, as well as recommended tools and other resources for building sustainable funding models for online projects.
IMPORTANT: Please bring a specific project you're working on, and interested in funding. It doesn't have to be complete, but it should be something you can talk about in some detail with the group. And it should be something shareable on the internet.
Group Call (90 mins):
Homework:
Group Call (90 mins):
Homework:
Group Call (90 mins):
Homework:
Group Call (90 mins):
Completing this course is likely just the start of your future project-funding experiments! The course forum will remain open after completion, and we encourage you to share updates or drop in for follow-up questions as you work on implementing your funding plan.
At the end of the course, each participant will have a strong idea of next steps for applying a sustainable funding model to your project. Think of this as a “sustainability plan” — a sort of simple business plan for your project, with ideas for strategies and an estimated timeline for implementing them.
The complexity and length of this "next steps" timeline may vary, so the community will stay open for any follow-ups.
Anyone with a project (existing, or idea / work in progress) that you’d like to make openly available, while also supporting in a financially sustainably way.
The only prerequisites are some familiarity with your project domain (e.g. if it’s a music project, know a bit about the music funding landscape), and basic understanding of internet and business concepts.
Please note that this course is in the early stages, and we're experimenting — the above syllabus may change as we figure out ways to make it more effective.
Any questions / clarifications I can help with before signing up, let me know!
A creative project, in progress or initial development; familiarity with your project domain; basic understanding of internet and business concepts.
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