ThrillPledge FAQs

General

Why no Commission?

ThrillPledge charges no commission on projects with targets below USD$10K because our aim is to help fund your career in Sports, not simply take a commission on your first pledge project. It is our hope that, at some point, we get to raise the equity financing through our sister sites, ThrillCapital and the ThrillCapital Club, which will help you realise your ultimate goal in Sports.

While ThrillPledge takes no commission on projects with targets below USD$10K, the only time you will be charged is when your project is successful and some of your funding has come from backers who have pledged online using their Credit Card.

In this case, Paypal and Visa will charge a 3.9% transaction fee plus a fixed fee based on the currency received from the amount people pledge. Additional fees may apply for international payments, including currency conversions.

Of course this is still a better deal being charged a commission by the funding platform in conjunction with any transaction fee

Do you have a project with a target above USD$10K? Get in touch with us, and we’ll see how we can help. Typically, the commission charged is to cover our costs only.

What else is different about ThrillPledge?

• Sponsorship and Private Backing can also be included in a project’s funding tally at no cost to the project creator.
• We focus solely on Sports.
• With business partners in Asia/Pacific, the UK and US, we can provide you with international exposure and opportunities.

Our parent company, ThrillCapital, has been providing fan based funding solutions since 2007. Over this time, we have developed connections to talent and expertise across Sports. You can tap into this network to not only power your Crowdfunding campaign, but also help take your career from grass roots all the way to your professional debut ad beyond.

Why the focus on Sports?

Simply put, we figure that if you are going to Crowdfund, then you should go to where the crowds are - Sports!

So, who can join?

Anyone! To pledge you will need to have a credit card and project creators under 18 years old will require the help of an adult to manage your project.

Who will pledge? Why will they pledge?

People from your 'crowd', all you have to do is drive interest in your idea through a catchy video and a well thought out description of your dream! Promote your project on all your social media (Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google etc) to improve your chances of success. With the added bonus of a reward based on how much they donate, pledges will be coming from everywhere!

Are my details secured?

ThrillPledge uses the latest technologies to ensure your security and privacy. We will not use your details for anything other than contacting you regarding a project, your profile or pledge. All monetary transactions go through paymentexpress.com (DPS) - a secure, trusted, payment gateway. No credit card details are stored on this website. In order for you to receive your rewards, your contact details will be supplied to the project creator (if the project is successful) to organise the delivery.

Are there any sign up costs?

It is 100% free to sign up with as few steps as possible for ease of use.

I've made a pledge and there is a small charge on my credit card - what's this?

The first time you pledge we need to verfiy that your card is live and has funds available. For this we reserve $1US. This is an authorisation transaction and it will be refunded automatically after 7 days. 

As a pledger, what do I get out of it?

On every projects page there are rewards offered in return for your donation to the project. These can range from thank you notes to premier tickets to the given event!

Project creators

How do I create a project and will it be screened?

Initially creators will submit a project outline discussing their goal, who they are, pledge amount and a timeframe. Within 48 hours ThrillPledge will get back to you accepting or outlining the areas you need to improve on for your project to be approved in the future.

What should I include in the project outline?

The main thing is an attention grabbing video! Human nature is to associate with interesting pictures and videos ahead of a lengthy description therefore these should be a focus for a project to gain attention. Aside from this a deadline, funding goal, rewards system and a concise blurb.

What type of rewards should I offer?

Obviously it is dependent on your area of talent! Common ideas range from personal thank-you letters to a personalised t-shirt to a coaching session to a free debut CD! Get the gist? It can be anything to grab people's interest and encourage them to donate to your unique dream!

What is the timeline for a pledge?

Project creators get to choose a time period between 1 and 60 days. This will allow ample opportunity for you to advertise your project to the crowd along with your local community, friends and family.

How much can I raise?

There is no upper limit to the goal you set, however if it is too high it will be harder to reach. Set realistic goals to make sure your project receives the funds that it needs but is also successful. Also remember that all funds are in USD so if you are based outside the US remember to check out the exchange rate.

Can I have more than one project listed at the same time?

Absolutely, as long as you can fulfill our requirements and your commitments for all projects you create.

Why will people donate to my idea?

Because they want to be a part of the next big thing! They believe the pledges have the potential to do New Zealand proud and say that they contributed to the project. Oh and also those little rewards they receive could help!

How fast will I receive the pledged money?

ThrillPledge will aim to transfer the funds within one working week of the successful completion of your project!

What are the legal restrictions of pledges?

Please see our terms and conditions page.

What happens if I don't reach my funding goal?

Your pledgers will not be charged on their credit cards. There are no fees for project creators if their project is not successful

How much does ThrillPledge charge?

;Signing up and submitting projects is 100% free! The only time you will be charged is when your project reaches its funding goal! It is therefore essential you plan for this cost when setting your funding goal. Of this, 9.5% will be taken (up to 8.1% to the banks and payment gateway provider) therefore remember this when planning your funding goal.

How do I upload a video about my project?

When creating a project, under the "Story" tab, enter the website address of the video you would like to upload. As simple as that!

Sponsorship

How does sponsorship work?

A sponsor is a company or entity that doesn't fit inside the pledging model but as still helping to fund the project. Sometimes this sponsorship may be a financial donation toward the project or a donation of goods and services to be used in the project that will reduce the amount the project needs to raise to become successful. An example would be a project to run across the US, where a sports shoe company sponsors the running shoes saving $500 off the amount needed to be raised.

How do I add a sponsor?

You can add a sponsor from your project page once you are logged into Thrillpledge. After adding the details of a sponsor and the amount of their sponsorship an email is sent to the sponsor to confirm their sponsorship. Once the sponsor has clicked on the link to approve the sponsorship  the sponsor's details are then added to your project and the total amount raised is adjusted to reflect the sponsor.

How do I collect money from my sponsor?

As the sponsor is not charged through the website you will need to collect the money directly from the sponsor.

What do I get out of being a sponsor?

As a sponsor you are given a page to add your company logo and information about your business. Your business is profiled and highlighted via the sponsors tab associated with the project on the website. As a sponsor you are a fully signed up member as well so you can pledge or sponsor other projects on Thrillpledge should you wish to.

What are the fees to add a sponsor?

There are no fees to add a sponsor and no commission is taken on the money sponsored. You are responsible to collect the funds directly from the sponsor as the relationship is entirely between the project creator and the sponsor.