# 16 fundraising insights from Amanda Palmer at #IFC2016 - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/10/19/16-fundraising-insights-amanda-palmer/ - Published: 2016-10-19T23:21:21+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake **Singer songwriter and successful crowdfunder Amanda Palmer delivered the opening plenary at the International Fundraising Congress. In under an hour she shared a string of insights and ideas about asking for money, based on her experience as an artist and performer.**   She is not a professional fundraiser, and apparently took some persuading before agreeing to present in front of an international audience of professional fundraisers. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)   But her experience and insight into making connections with people and asking them for money or help, showed she was a worth plenary speaker at the event. And of course she has form: she was the first artist to raise [more than $1m on crowdfunding site Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palmer-the-new-record-art-book-and-tour).   > What successful crowdfunding looks like. [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [@TheResAlliance](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#ifc2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ifc2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#netherlands](https://twitter.com/hashtag/netherlands?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > 🇳🇱 [pic.twitter.com/6UJx8FPGx4](https://t.co/6UJx8FPGx4) > — Jim Anderson, CFRE (@GoalBustersJim) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/GoalBustersJim/status/788749204860567552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   Here are 15 ideas for fundraisers from her plenary.       ## 1. Be a street performer   > Being a street performer gives you 'asking balls of steel' – [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/hradojev/status/788719647705141248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 2. Every donor, every penny counts   > “It didn’t matter if someone put in a penny or $20; I gave them my full attention” > Amanda Palmer [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — The Resource Alliance (@TheResAlliance) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance/status/788720103504355328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 3. Stop arguing and competing!       > Competition among charities is no good. Arguing over which charity is better is > like arguing which music is better ~[@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Susannah Birkwood (@SusannahBirkwoo) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/SusannahBirkwoo/status/788719078349430784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 4. Imposter syndrome   > All the artists and great scientists suffer from imposter syndrome, says [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > in [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Iida Riekko (@iidariekko) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/iidariekko/status/788718476659658752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 5. What people want is to be seen   > What people really want is to be seen, says [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > at [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw). > [#fundraising](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fundraising?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Iida Riekko (@iidariekko) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/iidariekko/status/788721756034981888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 6. Asking hungers for context   > "Asking hungers for context" [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#ifc2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ifc2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@TheResAlliance](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/Cer6QQ63cC](https://t.co/Cer6QQ63cC) > — David Mbaziira (@DavidMbaziira) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/DavidMbaziira/status/788723790880600064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       > "Asking" hungers for context & without it we must expect to be ignored [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@TheResAlliance](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Sarah Scarth (@SarahScarth1) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/SarahScarth1/status/788723896547733505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   Palmer shared a telling example of asking and context, featuring violinist Joshua Bell:   > Famous [@JoshuaBellMusic](https://twitter.com/JoshuaBellMusic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > performing in a metro station highlights the importance of context for asking > [https://t.co/jfaVR895sI](https://t.co/jfaVR895sI) [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Fundraising-Magazin (@fundraiser_mag) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/fundraiser_mag/status/788724398526201856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 7. The gift must always move. Giving must be a circle, not a straight line.   https://twitter.com/ritkaheino/status/788725026711302144   https://twitter.com/fundraisermaeve/status/788725476969832449       ## 8. Believe in the validity of what you’re asking for   > 'If you're going to ask for something, you need to believe in the validity of > what you're asking for' – [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/hradojev/status/788725548323332100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 9. All fundraising is crowdfunding   > "All fundraising is crowdfunding” Amanda Palmer [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — The Resource Alliance (@TheResAlliance) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance/status/788725658021224449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)     ## 10. Find your crowd   > Successful fundraising starts with you finding your crowd – your slice of humanity > [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [@TheResAlliance](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Sarah Scarth (@SarahScarth1) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/SarahScarth1/status/788726034220904448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   > Amanda Palmer on crowdfunding "You just need to find YOUR crowd” [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — The Resource Alliance (@TheResAlliance) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance/status/788725628208119808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   > 'Before you can crowdfund you need a crowd to fund from. You start by asking your > friends. If you don't have any…make some' [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Rachel Hunnybun (@rachel_hunny) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/rachel_hunny/status/788726710590144512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 11. It’s not you when people say no   > It isn't you or yr cause that's defective when people say no. It's just not the > right crowd, nor the moment –[@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Susannah Birkwood (@SusannahBirkwoo) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/SusannahBirkwoo/status/788725885058764800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 12. No excuse for not saying thank you   > 'Social media doesn't just make asking for help easier, but thanking people for > helping easier' – [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/hradojev/status/788726781289308160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 13. Real relationships   https://twitter.com/BiljanaDakic/status/788727660423811072   Palmer said that she was often asked what her trick was in raising $1m in 24 hours. The trick is – there is no trick. It’s a long-term approach of give and take, as [explained by Rainier Spruit on 101fundraising](http://101fundraising.org/2016/10/relationship-not-trick/).   > “You can’t go about crowdfunding if you don’t already have a crowd to raise funds > from. People asked me what my trick was? The answer is, there was no trick. A > relationship is never a trick, that’s why it’s a real relationship and real relationships > can withstand an incredible amount of asking”.       ## 14. Asking leaves space for the answer ‘no’   > "The definition of asking – An act that fundamentally leaves space for the answer' > no'" Amanda Palmer [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — The Resource Alliance (@TheResAlliance) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance/status/788728117493989376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   > "If you're not leaving space for no, you're not really asking" [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Alice Ferris, CFRE, ACFRE (@aliceferris) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/aliceferris/status/788728208460017664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 15. Asking is a collaboration   > “Asking must be, at its core, a collaboration” Amanda Palmer [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — The Resource Alliance (@TheResAlliance) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/TheResAlliance/status/788729200228372480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       > "Begging=you have power. Demanding=I have power. Asking=we have relationship." > [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Alice Ferris, CFRE, ACFRE (@aliceferris) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/aliceferris/status/788730085377449984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## 16. You must ask   > [@amandapalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) at yesterday's > opening plenary – "don't you dare not ask for the things we need" [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/c2WykQEN71](https://t.co/c2WykQEN71) > — Aoife Garvey (@AoifeGarvey) [October 20, 2016](https://twitter.com/AoifeGarvey/status/788982472017084416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   ## Bonus tip   > [@AmandaPalmer](https://twitter.com/amandapalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) is a fan > of [@Twitter](https://twitter.com/twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) for both crowdfunding > and getting out of jail. [#IFC2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IFC2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/rQIQW4zDte](https://t.co/rQIQW4zDte) > — Nonprofit Tech for Good (@nonprofitorgs) [October 19, 2016](https://twitter.com/nonprofitorgs/status/788726922746429441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)       ## More from the IFC 2016   * [What are you asking?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/08/30/what-are-you-asking/)( 30 August 2016) * [The Art of Asking: how I learned to stop worrying and let people help](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/10/19/art-asking-i-learned-stop-worrying-let-people-help/)( 19 October 2016) * [Day one at the International Fundraising Congress 2016](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/10/18/day-one-international-fundraising-congress-ifc2016/)( 18 October 2016) ![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader- 2x.gif)