In 2012, the citizens of Glyncoch in south Wales faced a difficult challenge. The rusting community center they had been using since 1977 was an eyesore and a reminder of their poverty. They wanted to build a new one with modern IT facilities and classrooms for job training, but at $980,000 the cost was prohibitive.
How did they manage to raise the funds? Let’s take a look.
Fundraising Events & Local Support
The citizens of Glyncoch got creative when it came to raising funds. They held local events such as concerts, comedy nights, and even a ballgown competition! They also received an immense amount of local support from businesses who donated money or services for free. One example is Rhonnda Building Supplies Ltd., which gave them almost $40,000 worth of building material at no cost! This kind of local support is invaluable for small communities like Glyncoch that don’t have much access to large-scale donations or fundraising opportunities.
Crowdfunding & Social Media
In addition to local events and businesses, the people of Glyncoch also leveraged crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe and JustGiving to reach out to people outside their community who could donate money towards their cause. This enabled them to cast a wider net and engage people around the world who wanted to help rebuild the community center. They also used social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to spread awareness about their cause and encourage more donations from people near and far.
Government Funding & Grants
Finally, they were able to secure government funding in response to their efforts via grants from organizations such as Big Lottery Fund Wales ($200K) and Welsh Government ($70K). These grants allowed them not only to raise the necessary funds but also access additional resources that would help them build better infrastructure in their village in the future.
The story of how the citizens of Glyncoch managed to raise funds for their new community center illustrates just how important it is for communities to band together in pursuit of a common goal. With creative fundraising ideas, generous local support, strategic use of social media and crowdfunding platforms, plus government funding in the form of grants, this small village managed what many thought impossible — raising $980K needed for construction! Their success shows us that with enough determination (and some help from friends!) anything is possible!
Note – The original source used £ which was converted to $ and estimated.
Source: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/built-by-the-crowd