What happens when a campaign reaches the deadline depends on its type.
Note regarding timezones:
When you set a deadline (or an update post, task post, etc.), the platform will show you dates and times in the timezone your IP address shows. It will also automatically convert the time to the reader’s time zone. If you are running campaigns for someone at a different timezone and are asked to set a deadline for their time, you will have to convert it into your timezone. Just do an internet search for timezone converters!
1) For Keep it all campaigns #
‘Deadline’ is a flexible term here… maybe we need a new word? “Flexible-conclusion-to-promote-urgency-line”? We’ll work on that…
When you set a campaign deadline, the campaign does NOT automatically finish*.
A finished campaign cannot be restarted, so to avoid unexpected campaign shut-downs, the user must manually finish all campaigns (Click here for how). We recommend keeping your campaigns open for a few days after your ‘deadline’ because there could be procrastinating stragglers who would still like to support you!
*The only time your campaign will automatically finish is if you choose for the campaign to end once the goal is reached. See this article for more details.
Why have a deadline, then?
It creates a sense of urgency for your supporters. Read more about this in FundRazr’s blog article Psychology and Crowdfunding.
Is a deadline required for a Keep-it-all campaign?
Not at all. It’s recommended in most cases; however, a campaign can run for as long as you want.
If you’ve launched your campaign a bit early and you have not received contributions yet, you can reset the launch date so that your campaign isn’t suggesting it’s been live for a month without donations:
*Can’t see this option? There’s some feature stopping you from resetting the launch date. Contact us at cs@connectionpoint.com for assistance.
2) For All-or-nothing campaigns #
NOW deadlines are mandatory.
All-or-nothing campaigns MUST have a deadline, and you cannot change them. If you do not hit your goal within the deadline, you cannot extend your campaign; this typically provides little benefit, and we want to be fair and transparent with your supporters.
If you DO hit your goal, you can choose when to charge your supporters (click here for how to do that), and your campaign will be changed into a Keep it all type. You have the option to continue it or finish it.*
You can also wait to charge your supporters beyond the AON deadline (if you’ve reached your goal), the campaign will not automatically end. It will continue to collect pledges. However, this is NOT recommended because the longer you wait, the greater the chance you will have failed transactions when you choose to charge supporters. If you choose to wait, we recommend voicing your reasons to your current supporters, so they know when to expect charges.
*Unless you’ve already selected the feature to end your campaign when the goal has been reached. Then the campaign automatically ends when 110% of the goal is hit (that buffer is important!). See this article for more details.
