KickParty Organizer Guidelines
Updated: August 8, 2016
Hey friend! Thank you for using KickParty! It is our goal to help KickParty planners turn their dream events into reality.
We’re glad you’re here and we can’t wait to help you get started, but first we’d like to cover some of the basics for being an event Organizer. On this page, you’ll find important guidelines to follow, including obligations and responsibilities to your Contributors. It is important to follow these guidelines to keep your KickParty account in good standing. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please reach out to us at [email protected]
Comply with our policies.
Organizers must comply with our terms of use and other policies. Before you create a KickParty page, please read these policies carefully. Once you create a KickParty page, we’ll assume that you’ve looked it over and it’s good to go.
- Our terms of use are the rules that apply to everyone who uses KickParty. These define our legal rights and the rights of our users.
- Our acceptable use policy outlines how you can (and can’t) use KickParty. It contains a list of prohibited and illegal transactions. Make sure that your KickParty is within our acceptable uses in order to avoid any trouble collecting the funds.
- Our community guidelines are the standards we ask our users to uphold. We expect our users to treat each other with respect and help us maintain a great community. The golden rule is gold.
Use KickParty only for acceptable purposes.
KickParty may not be used for illegal or otherwise prohibited activities. To learn more, please read our terms of use and acceptable use policy.
Set an appropriate KickParty amount.
When you create a KickParty page, you have the option to set an initial goal called your KickParty amount. The KickParty amount is the smallest amount of money you need to raise to make your idea happen. You can also set a dream goal called your target. This is an ideal, higher amount that you’d like to raise after you’ve hit your KickParty amount.
On KickParty, nobody’s cards are charged if you fall short of your KickParty amount. If you set an appropriate KickParty amount, you’ll have the best chance of meeting your goal and being able to fulfill your promises to your contributors. Before you set a KickParty amount, you should put together a budget. Make sure you understand your expenses, think about who you’ll ask to contribute, and give yourself a bit of a cushion. Don’t forget that KickParty charges organizers a small 2.5% fee when using the ‘fundraise’ or ‘sell something’ options. You can learn more about our fees here.
Keep the lines of communication open.
Organizers should communicate regularly with Contributors. Tell Contributors about new developments to keep them excited about your KickParty. If you’re seeking contributions from a big audience (like your entire university or the public at large), encourage Contributors to spread the word about your KickParty. It’s best to respond to comments and questions from your Contributors as quickly as possible to keep the momentum going.
If you’re selling something, let Contributors know when they should expect their item to arrive in the mail. If you’re creating something new, this can be tricky. You’ll need to factor in the time it will take to manufacture the goods and have them shipped to your Contributors. If your items won’t ship by the expected ship date, be sure to let your Contributors know about the new expected ship date and why there’s been a delay by posting a comment on the KickParty page.
Once your project KickPartys, let Contributors know what’s going to happen next. If you raise money over your KickParty amount or target, you should tell Contributors how you plan to spend the extra money.
If something comes up and things aren’t going according to plan, be sure let your Contributors know right away. You can learn more about what to do if you can’t fulfill your promises to Contributors here.
Be honest.
Be honest with your Contributors throughout the entire KickParty process, and they’ll be likely to KickParty with you again. Intentionally deceiving your Contributors could have serious consequences… which nobody likes.
If for some reason you can’t fulfill your promises to your Contributors, you must be forthcoming about the situation and tell Contributors how you plan to resolve it.
Fulfill your obligations to contributors.
When you create a KickParty, you are inviting users to form a contract with you. Users who contribute to your KickParty page accept your invitation, and a contract is formed. This is a binding legal agreement between the Organizer and Contributors, and failing to uphold your end of the deal might expose you to legal action.
If you make promises to Contributors, you must work diligently to fulfill them. If you are collecting money from a group for an experience, it’s your responsibility to make it happen. If you are collecting funds for a group gift, make sure the item gets delivered to the intended recipients as promised. It is very important to follow through with what your Contributors expect.
Take these steps if you can’t fulfill your obligations.
If you can’t provide the experiences you offered Contributors after you reach your KickParty amount (and their cards have been charged), you haven’t met the basic terms of your contract with Contributors. If you find yourself in this position, here’s what you need to do:
- Truthfully explain the situation to Contributors, how their funds were used (if at all), and the reasons why you can’t fulfill your obligations to Contributors;
- Diligently work to fulfill your obligations to Contributors, if still possible, on an extended time frame; and
- Offer to refund any Contributions that have been made toward obligations you can no longer fulfill. If not enough money remains for a full refund to each Contributor, you must return an amount that reflects the percentage of each Contributor’s respective contribution. You can learn more about how to issue refunds to Contributors here.
It is important to understand that if you can’t fulfill your obligations to Contributors, or don’t issue refunds to your Contributors, you may be subject to legal action.
Work out disputes with Contributors informally.
Typically, KickParty doesn’t get involved in disputes between Organizers and Contributors. We ask that Organizers and Contributors try their best to come to an agreement directly before reaching out to us. In the event that you can’t work out your dispute informally, you can reach out to us for help at [email protected]. Depending on the circumstances, we may or may not be able to offer our assistance in reaching a resolution.