With the #Scifund Challenge Round 4 beginning very soon (registration ends tomorrow!), I thought I’d share what participating in #SciFund has done for me, and in turn can do for you. I was a part of Round 2 (project proposal here) and was within 1 year of completing my PhD. Our lab was undertaking some killer research but, like a lot of labs, was running low on funds. I knew that I needed just a couple thousand dollars to finish my dissertation and graduate. Lucky for me, #SciFund was starting up Round 2 and I wanted to be a part of it.

Crowdfunding is a daunting task, and it requires time and effort to run a successful campaign. You get what you put into it. But it could be much more than that. As I would soon find out, #Scifund is more than the sum of its parts. All the participants work together in each round to help raise awareness of all the awesome science undertaken around the world. Crowdfunding becomes more than just raising money for science.

And what’s more, participants from previous rounds lend a hand when they can. #Scifund isn’t just a one-time deal, you become a #Scifunder for life! If it weren’t for the help from the Round 2 #Scifunders and the Round 1 #Scifunders, I don’t think I would have hit my goal. Without those funds I may still be toiling in grad school purgatory. Instead, I’ve got my PhD and I’m part of a community of scientists who care about science and communicating their research to the world.

Together we can change the landscape of science funding, so join us. You can register for Round 4 and raise money for your research here. For more information on Round 4, click here.