7 resources to help you raise more startup capital
BY julia steele, director of marketing and communications at ifundwomen
march 13, 2021
IFundWomen is the go-to funding marketplace for women-owned businesses, and the people who want to support them by providing access to capital, coaching, and connections that spark confidence, accelerate knowledge, and ignite action.
All Women's History Month we are celebrating women entrepreneurs who are out there making history (that’s you!). I’ve pulled together a list of some of my favorite resources from IFundWomen's virtual learning platform.
As you probably know, our number one goal at IFundWomen is, and always will be, to drive funding into the hands of women entrepreneurs.
One of the ways we provide you with access to capital is through our crowdfunding platform. Why do we love crowdfunding so much at IFundWomen? True story time: IFundWomen co-founders, Karen Cahn, Sarah Sommers, and Kate Anderson crowdfunded for their first startup, which was a video platform for female creators.
They tried to run that company for two years, and like most female founders, they were shut out of traditional funding options like venture capital. They were literally out of money, so as a Hail Mary pass, they set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise $30,000 to keep the proverbial lights on. It was the hardest thing they’ve ever done - convincing people to support their then failing startup, but with grit and determination, they ended up meeting our goal.
But then a lightbulb went off: crowdfunding should be the first stop on every entrepreneur’s funding journey, not a desperate last move! Crowdfunding is the fastest, lowest risk way to help you prove demand before investing in supply, not go into debt funding the earliest days of your startup, and is great social proof if you want to go out and raise a seed round one day.
Want to learn how to raise capital for your business? Here's 7 resources to help you raise more startup capital.
Resource #1: IFundWomen's virtual learning platform makes access to expert advice and resources easy. Check out Karen’s workshop from January 2021’s Level Up mastermind, “How to raise your first $30K.”
Resource #2: When preparing for your crowdfunding campaign, the first and most important exercise is honing your pitch. A perfect pitch is not only extremely valuable for your crowdfunding campaign, but it’s also critical to getting your first customers, and eventually securing your next round of funding after your campaign. Check out this workshop with IFundWomen Startup Coach and pitch master, Alex Brockelman, “Perfect your business pitch.”
Resource #3: The IFundWomen Method Playbook is designed to be with you every step of the way on your journey to business success. Need a compelling pitch? A fundraising strategy? A business model or sales funnel? Our brand new IFundWomen Method Playbook has got you covered. Get your own IFundWomen Method Playbook (file→make a copy) here. Make sure to work off the Pitch Honing tab when watching Alex’s workshop!
The other way IFundWomen offers entrepreneurs like you direct access to debt-free capital is through our many grant programs. Last year, we launched our Enterprise Brokered Grants product. This provides you with a painless, easy way to get in the running for IFundWomen grant programs with our generous partners like Visa, American Express, Caress, Jane Walker, and more.
Resource #4: Check out this workshop with Virginia Almendarez, one of our Startup Coaches who is a true expert in all things grants, “Grant writing 101: Demystifying the grant landscape.”
Resource #5: When IFundWomen brokers a grant with a partner, we match the partner’s grant criteria to those businesses who have applied through our Universal Grant Application. If you’re a match, you will be notified.
Apply to the Universal Grant Application
Resource #6: If you don’t know quite where to start, that is A-OK. You should take our startup journey quiz! It will lead you in the right direction to learn what IFundWomen does and how we can help you grow your business.
Resource #7: We would be nowhere at IFundWomen without the connections that have propelled us forward. Join IFundWomen’s community Slack network where entrepreneurs from around the world are collaborating, commiserating, and celebrating on all things startup life. Get access to tons of resources and connect with other entrepreneurs on tips and strategy.
Now, go get funded!