FORMULATION GUIDE FOR NEW PROJECTS ON
RESPEKT.NET
Fill in completely all fields in this form and save the document (don’t forget to save from time to time while
working on it!). In the green boxes you will find helpful tips for the different sections. When finished
formulating your project, copy and paste the texts into the submission form on
http://www.respekt.net/en/projekte-einreichen/.
General tips for the design of your project
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Put yourself in the donor’s shoes: Describe the project for people with no previous knowledge
of the topic! Avoid using technical terms or proper nouns!
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Keep it short and simple! – draft a text that is easy and quick to understand. Website users
usually stay on a project page for 2-3 minutes: use short & simple words and sentences!
(Exception: Project description (long)! Here the content needs to have more depth.)
Emphasize the societal benefit of the project: when describing the project concentrate on
the outcomes and the societal benefits. The exact method/implementation steps can stay in the
background (ie. in the long project description).
Get the donors excited! Convince the donors of the importance of your project. Don’t bore them
with a dull text and address them directly!
Messages & Wording: Pack the most important points of the project into 2-3 simple messages.
Use strong and catchy words and phrases and repeat those. These messages will accompany you
throughout your whole campaign and can easily be forwarded/shared by your supporters.
Consider the timely relevance of your text: Your crowdfunding campaign lasts over 4-6
months. Formulate text in a way that it remains up-to-date for the whole financing phase.
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Project name (Title of your project)
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The project name has to catch the interest of the user!
Short and significant! (max. 50 characters)
Easy to remember!
Should already make clear, what the project is about.
Ex.: A roof for refugee families!
Teaser (will be displayed in the project overview)
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1-2 sentences (max. 200 characters), that describe the content of your project convincingly.
The teaser has to summarise what your project is about!
Avoid proper names (organization xy) and appeals (donate now!).
Ex.: Emergency shelters for homeless refugees in Vienna keep them from a life on the streets.
This project provides 5 refugee families with accommodation and primary care for one year.
Brief project description
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The brief project description is the most important text of your project. Here you have to convince
the donor of your project! If the brief project description is not good, most of the users won’t read
further.
2-4 short paragraphs that explain the content of the project and its societal benefit. (max. 1200
characters)
Emotions and appeals are welcome! Get your donors excited about the project!
(ENTER YOUR TEXT HERE)
Sample structure – Brief project description (max. 1200 characters)
Initial situation/problem/deficit
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What is the initial situation that makes this project necessary?
Why is it important?
Problem solution
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How is the project specifically targeting this problem?
What are the project’s goals?
What is the project’s benefit for society?
Needed resources and appeal
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What/how much is needed to realize the project?
Appeal to donate
Information on the crowdfunding campaign
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Website, Facebook, Twitter, blogs…
Date of planned start:
Date of planned end:
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dd.mm.yy
dd.mm.yy
The time period in which the actual project is being implemented (not the crowdfunding period!)
Important: the funds raised through Respekt.net have to be spent within this period. (All bills will
be checked!).
“Date of planned start” can also lie before the financing period (refinancing)
Project description (long)
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This is the place to describe your project in detail.
Questions/doubts of critical donors have to be clarified here.
Ensure readability: good structure and formatting of the text (paragraphs, headings,
highlighting, bullet points)
Use headings: The reader has to find the information he needs at a glance. Don’t force him to
muddle through the entire text.
Important information first! It should be possible to shorten the text at its end.
Content is important: the detailed description is less emotional than the brief description. It
should describe the specific content of the project.
Make sure to give the content depth. Show that your project is substantial and sustainable.
(ENTER YOUR TEXT HERE)
Sample structure – Project description (long)
Initial situation/problem/deficit
 What is the initial situation?
 What is the background of the problem? How did the problem come about?
 How, when and why have you decided to help?
Problem solution – description of the actual project
 Which problem will be solved?
 How will the problem be solved?
 Who will be helped? / Which target group shall be reached?
 Which goals shall be achieved?
 What are the milestones? What are the individual steps to achieve the project goal?
 What is the project’s benefit for society?
Information on the project initiators
 Who are the project initiators?
 What makes your project team stand out?
 What relevant experience does the project team have?
Publicity & crowdfunding campaign
 How will you publicize the project?
 Where can you be found? Website, Facebook, Twitter, blogs…
 How will you design your crowdfunding campaign? How will you raise donations?
 How can donors support your crowdfunding campaign?
Sustainability
 How could it continue after the end of your project?
 Are you planning activities for the sustainable use of your project results?
How do you prove the conclusion of your project?
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Indicate how you will prove the implementation and the conclusion of your project to your donors.
(ENTER YOUR TEXT HERE)
Minimum requirement:
Final account statement, copies of all bills which were paid with the funds raised through
Respekt.net, photo documentation, online final report.
Please also indicate which further illustrative material/publications/project results you want to
provide your donors with.
Further data to fill in (please fill in online)
Project photo, budget, project location, categories, (time donations), (thank-yous),
initiator…
Copy and paste the texts into our online form now and fill in the remaining fields online.
http://www.respekt.net/en/projekte-einreichen/