Have you ever ran a business on donations?
As an indie app developer who bootstraps projects, sometimes I can't help but think that one day when savings are gone, I must find a way to sustain my digital business, and perhaps I should run it on donations. I'm working at Nomadful, a digital health company with a simple mission: to provide anyone holding a phone with free, high-quality mental health services. As of today, my mobile app has accompanied over a thousand people through their unique journeys with mental health.
Have you ever ran a business on donations? What have you done to support those who run on donations?
Thanks
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What model do you mean now?
That someone pays you for a service, and you donate a small amount?
Or that people will donate your work?
Nomadful
@busmark_w_nika Exactly, people donating to my work. Right now I'm exploring a model through paid partnerships for Nomadful. (Just like some brands sponsor content occasionally on platforms like Unsplash, for example).
@manuelzarroca I think that to be donated, it is quite difficult,t but it really helps that you have a "bigger" logo/button with the CTA. I remember how I wanted to support one guy, but he had placed his CTA button so hidden. It was an obstacle to give him some money. :D
Nomadful
@busmark_w_nika Yeah, it's always good to make that point clear and easy for users to reach, but without making it intrusive. Thanks for this valuable feedback :)
Super interesting question. We’re in the creator space, and donations have definitely been a lifeline for some channels—especially now with recent monetization crackdowns on certain types of YouTube content. That’s partly why we’re building a way for creators to monetize through direct brand deals, and even receive donations from supporters instead of relying solely on platform ad revenue.