Boosted (arts crowdfunding)

All-or-nothing crowdfunding for NZ arts projects, run by the Arts Foundation; donors get a tax credit.

Typically raises

$8,000

$1,000–35,000 per campaignest.

About $291 per organiser hour

Based on one arts project

Is it right for us?

Money: $2,000–10,000
Work: Weeks, part-time
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: 1–2 months
Red tape: None

Uncommon: well known in arts circles only

People: 1-3
Organiser time: 15-40
Lead time: 4-8 weeks prep; campaign usually about a month
Up-front cost: Nothing up front
Risk: low (all-or-nothing: if you miss the target, donors are refunded and you pay nothing)
Who can use it: Open to arts projects, from individual artists to companies. Donations go to the Arts Foundation (a charitable trust), so donors can claim the 33⅓% credit even when the artist is an individual.

Suits: Kapa haka, choir, theatre or band

Less usual for: One person (athlete, performer, student)

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov)

How big a job: Several weeks, part-time, 1–2 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one arts project is about $8,000 per campaign.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Boosted says about 85% of projects reach target and it raises about $1m a year across all projects (creativebop.org.nz summary of Boosted). Typical and high are ESTIMATES; high reflects a real $35,000 Boosted target cited by Blue Smoke Records.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Check your project fits Boosted's arts criteria.
Map your network and set a realistic target (all-or-nothing).
Draft the story and budget; use Boosted's free resources or mentoring.
Line up early gifts so the page doesn't open at $0.
Launch, then contact people personally throughout the campaign.
On success, invoice Boosted for the total less 10%.
Report back to donors on the finished work.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Members to pass the ask on to people they know.
Ask people to buy: People and businesses to give.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

All-or-nothing; Boosted takes 10%. No rewards allowed, so donors keep the 33 1/3% tax credit even when the artist is an individual.

Make more from it

Business matches donations for a set window
can double gifts up to the cap
donors give more when each dollar counts twice

Tips

This is the main legal route for an individual artist to offer donors a tax credit.

Watch out for

Setting the target too high: miss it and you get nothing.