Barnraisings Information

Barnraisings is a crowdfunding and crowd volunteering site for Minnesota nonprofit projects. Nonprofits submit stories of their clients in need of something specific. For example, if a wounded vet was in need of a handicap ramp, a nonprofit like Rebuilding Together could submit the story, the need, the cost, and the number of volunteers required to complete it. Like Kickstarter, the project would only get funded if the entire amount is donated. Projects have 90 days or less to reach their tipping point. Any Minnesota 501c3 in good standing can submit a project. It’s free to submit a project and run a campaign. The nonprofit is only charged if the project succeeds. Therefore there is no risk. All donations are still tax deductible because the money goes to the nonprofit first. The idea of Barnraisings came about a year ago when Jim Rettew won the 2012 Minnesota Idea Open with his idea of “Multicultural Barn Raisings”. The idea received a $15,000 grant for implementation (via the nonprofit fiscal agent Rebuilding Together), which supported the development of an online tool to match volunteers with “barn raising” projects. Barnraisings.com is an evolution of that initial idea that still embodies the spirit of coming together. People want to give to people. They want to have a deeper, more meaningful, and more direct connection to the people they’re helping. Barnraisings helps them do that.