Recommended Project Duration
Why Projects Need a Closing Date
Most Crowdfunder projects must include a specific closing date, especially those offering rewards to supporters, because:
Rewards Fulfilment: Supporters' rewards can only be fulfilled after official project closure.
Pledges Refund Capability: During live projects (before their closing date), supporters retain the option of refunding their pledges.
Ideal: Around 6 weeks- keeps supporters engaged and creates urgency.
Maximum: 12 weeks (84 days)- longer campaigns often lose momentum.
Crowdfunding campaigns usually see a spike in pledges at the beginning and end. Shorter timelines make it easier to maintain excitement and drive donations.
Minimum Duration: Crowdfunder campaigns must run for at least 7 days. This ensures sufficient time to attract backers even for short-term projects.
If you decide that you need more time to reach your goal, you can extend your project from your live dashboard up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Picking Your Launch Date
When scheduling your launch, consider:
Holidays & events – Bank holidays, school breaks, or seasonal events can either boost interest or distract potential backers.
Launch time of day – Your campaign will close at the same time of day it launches if you select to run for a set number of weeks. Pick a time that lets you give a strong final push on the closing day.
Understanding Placeholder Dates
Before your project is live:
The close date shown is a placeholder.
This will automatically update to your chosen timeframe when you go live.
If the date doesn’t update after launch, you can manually amend it.
If the placeholder date passes while your project is still in draft, it won’t affect your campaign.
Extending Your Project Beyond 12 Weeks
You can do this, but special rules apply due to Stripe’s (our payment provider's) 3-month fund-holding limit.
If you extend beyond this, you will need to initiate one of the following:
Early Payout – We pay out your current funds within 7 working days.
You keep your project open with a new close date.
Rewards remain live.
Crowdfunder will no longer handle refunds — you’ll manage them directly.
Switch to Always On – Your project has no close date and can take donations indefinitely.
No rewards allowed.
You control when it ends.
Great for ongoing fundraising.
Look out for this toggle to ensure your project switches to Always on after its close date.
7-Day Clearance Period
All pledges have a mandatory 7-day clearance period after campaign completion. During this time, funds are processed but not yet accessible. Carefully plan your campaign's finances to account for this delay.
💡 Note: Prize draws, community share projects, or projects with +Extra partner funding may have different rules.
Always On vs Early Payout - Key Differences
Feature | Always On | Early Payout |
Ongoing fundraising | ✅ | ✅ |
No fixed close date | ✅ | ❌ |
Rewards available | ❌ | ✅ |
Complete control of close date | ✅ | ❌ (date is fixed once extended) |
Suitable for long-term goals | ✅ | ❌ |
Benefits
Always On:
Keep raising funds for as long as you like.
Build on your project’s momentum.
Close your project anytime without contacting us.
The 'Always On' function allows indefinite fundraising for campaigns that don’t require rewards, offering unparalleled timeline flexibility.
Early Payout:
Maintain your target and original campaign format.
Keep rewards available.
Good for when you just need a little more time to hit your goal.
After Your Project Closes
Projects remain visible on Crowdfunder permanently for transparency.
To remove a project, contact us.
Note: Deleting your account will not delete your project.
Troubleshooting Closing Date Issues
If your close date looks wrong before launch, it’s likely just a placeholder.
Once live, dates usually fix automatically.
If not, update manually.
Placeholder dates expiring before launch don’t affect your campaign.
Need More Help?
If you’re unsure or need help to extend/change your close date, contact our support team.