Farmington Nonprofit Turns to Crowdsourcing for New Film Festival

A Farmington-based nonprofit has turned to a new arts crowdsourcing website to fund a festival of inspiring films planned next year. 

kickstART farmington's project is listed on the power2give.org website, which launched Thursday. The organization's Greater Farmington Film Festival: good films for a better world will be held in March 2014, in collaboration with the Film Studies program at Oakland Community College.

Nonprofit founder Dwayne Hayes of Farmington said the organization believes it's time for Farmington and Farmington Hills to have a film festival that embraces the community's values. Feature films and documentaries will explore social issues, in a way that encourages people to do more than just watch them.

"The Greater Farmington Film Festival will entertain, yes, but it will also do more than that," he said. "It will engage hearts and minds and inspire audiences to take action to make this a better community and a better world."

Donations made through live2give.org will be matched by a foundation. Funds are limited, so donors are encouraged to contribute early. The fundraising goal to cover costs for film licenses, venue rentals and the website administration fee is $5,600. 

Benefits to donors at different levels include recognition on the festival website and an invitation to the festival screening party. 

According to Crain's Detroit, North Carolina-based Arts & Science Council created the website as "a forum for arts groups to raise money on a project-by-project basis". Metro Detroit nonprofits that have listed projects are members of CultureSource, a professional organization for southeast Michigan arts groups. 

Even if organizations don't meet their fundraising targets, they will receive all the funds donated. As of Thursday morning, kickstART farmington had already raised nearly 20 percent of needed funds. 

For more information, visit kickstartfarmington.org.