Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: We experimented with crowdfunding to update an important systematic review with the Work Review Group, 'Interventions to decrease sitting at work'. Crowdfunding is the practice of generating funds for a project by raising money from a number of people via the internet. Crowdfunding campaigners state exactly how much they need for the completion of their project. They will only receive funding if they meet a predetermined minimum target.
Objectives: To incentivise the review team that had to update a systematic review of interventions to decrease sitting at work.
Target: 2500 EUR in 90 days (September to December 2015), minimum target 1000 EUR.
Methods: We teamed up with the Finnish crowdfunding organisation Mesenaatti.me. We explained the project and why it needed funding in a 90-second YouTube video (https://mesenaatti.me/en/how-to-sit-less-at-work/). We created a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sitlessatwork) to engage people with the project and create interaction. Similarly, we used twitter and blogs in various websites to inform people about our project. We wrote direct emails to our friends, family, colleagues, and potential sponsors to ask for funding. In return for their support our donors received six newsletters for a 25 EUR donation, a webinar for a 100 EUR donation and a visit to the editorial office for a 250 EUR donation.
Results: We collected 1600 EUR from 40 people in exchange for six newsletters, two webinars and one meeting. Our Facebook page got 233 likes and lively discussion. The review was updated on time and got very well disseminated after publication (Altmetric score 908). Most contribution came through personal contacts (dear friends/relatives). We found that likes on Facebook are very easy to get, but that it was much more difficult to get real money. The campaign was very labour-intensive but increased our interaction with and understanding of people who were interested in our review.
Conclusions: It is possible to use crowdfunding for systematic reviews. It will probably be difficult to fund the real costs of a review. It is labour-intensive but it has more beneficial effects than just raising funding.
Objectives: To incentivise the review team that had to update a systematic review of interventions to decrease sitting at work.
Target: 2500 EUR in 90 days (September to December 2015), minimum target 1000 EUR.
Methods: We teamed up with the Finnish crowdfunding organisation Mesenaatti.me. We explained the project and why it needed funding in a 90-second YouTube video (https://mesenaatti.me/en/how-to-sit-less-at-work/). We created a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sitlessatwork) to engage people with the project and create interaction. Similarly, we used twitter and blogs in various websites to inform people about our project. We wrote direct emails to our friends, family, colleagues, and potential sponsors to ask for funding. In return for their support our donors received six newsletters for a 25 EUR donation, a webinar for a 100 EUR donation and a visit to the editorial office for a 250 EUR donation.
Results: We collected 1600 EUR from 40 people in exchange for six newsletters, two webinars and one meeting. Our Facebook page got 233 likes and lively discussion. The review was updated on time and got very well disseminated after publication (Altmetric score 908). Most contribution came through personal contacts (dear friends/relatives). We found that likes on Facebook are very easy to get, but that it was much more difficult to get real money. The campaign was very labour-intensive but increased our interaction with and understanding of people who were interested in our review.
Conclusions: It is possible to use crowdfunding for systematic reviews. It will probably be difficult to fund the real costs of a review. It is labour-intensive but it has more beneficial effects than just raising funding.