What If I Don’t Reach My Goal?

If you do not reach your goal, the outcome depends on the platform and funding model. On Brillay, Goals is not all-or-nothing: each contribution is a completed payment, the progress bar shows what was raised, and you can keep communicating a revised plan to supporters. A Goal is one named goal with a progress bar: followers make one-time contributions and every contribution is yours whether or not the goal is reached — no deadline unless you set one, and nothing to ship.

If your Brillay Goal falls short, you still keep the completed contributions, less applicable fees. Tell supporters how much came in, what the partial amount can fund, and whether the goal will stay open. You can show progress as an exact amount or percentage, or hide it.

No monthly fee, you only pay a small platform fee when you get paid. 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work, 5% platform fee on tips and goals. Card processing is separate. pricing

Do I keep money if goal fails?

You keep the money only if the platform uses a keep-what-you-raise model. Brillay Goals treat each contribution as one-time cash support toward a named goal, not as an all-or-nothing pledge or membership. Missing the target leaves completed payments and the visible progress bar in place.

That distinction matters because “goal” means different things on different tools. Kickstarter says its model is all-or-nothing: its help center states that if a campaign does not reach its goal, “backers are not charged” and creators “receive no funds” (Kickstarter Support). GoFundMe uses the opposite framing for personal fundraisers, saying “there isn't a requirement to reach your goal” and organizers can still transfer funds raised (GoFundMe Help Center). Supporters chip in one time, every contribution counts toward the goal as it arrives, there is no cutoff, and there is nothing to ship.

Brillay uses a keep-what-you-raise model for Goals: every contribution is a completed payment, only contributions to that goal move its total, and missing the target does not reverse completed payments.

What happens if a Brillay Goal falls short?

On Brillay, one named Goal has a progress bar that can show an amount or percentage or stay hidden. There is no product shipping workflow, no reward tiers, and no all-or-nothing cutoff. A smaller total can still help fund the project if you explain what the partial amount will cover.

A Brillay goal can stay simple: “Help fund a new camera lens,” “Support the next travel shoot,” or “Help cover studio rental for episode two.” Supporters are not buying a physical item from a wishlist, and they are not joining a subscription. They are contributing money toward a clearly named goal.

Several goals can be open at once, and only contributions made to a specific goal move that goal’s progress bar. A deadline is optional, so missing an informal date is different from a platform automatically canceling the goal.

If asking for donations feels awkward, say exactly what the goal funds, make clear that support is optional, and send interested followers to one Brillay link instead of repeating the ask in every comment or DM. The request and payment happen on your Brillay page, alongside other paid request options explained in how Brillay works.

How is this different from crowdfunding?

Traditional crowdfunding often centers on campaigns, reward promises, inventory, manufacturing, and deadline pressure. With Brillay Goals, supporters contribute toward one named creator goal with a progress bar, and the creator shares updates. It is not a download store, subscription platform, preorder system, or tiered rewards campaign.

The comparison is easiest to see side by side:

Fees also differ by platform. Kickstarter’s help center says it collects a 5% fee from funds collected for successful projects, and Stripe payment processing is “roughly 3-5%” (Kickstarter Support). GoFundMe says US fundraisers pay a 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee on donations, while starting and managing a fundraiser is free (GoFundMe Help Center).

Should I lower or extend my goal?

Lower or extend the goal only if the original target no longer matches the project plan. A smaller goal can be clearer than a stalled large goal, but changing the number should come with a plain update: what changed, what the new amount funds, and whether the original idea still exists.

Use the miss as information, not as a public failure. If the goal was $2,000 for a full studio shoot and supporters contributed $650, you can post an update that the partial amount will fund location rental, props, or editing instead. That keeps the support tied to a visible outcome.

If the full amount is still necessary, keep the target and explain the next push. If a smaller version is viable, rename the goal or open a new one with a tighter scope. Brillay supports multiple open goals, letting each future project have its own bar.

A $500 mini-goal may suit one creator and not another, so set the target around a specific cost and explain what partial funding can still accomplish. You do not need a large audience or follower minimum to open a Brillay Goal; give the people already asking “how can I support?” one specific cost and one clear link rather than assuming every follower will contribute.

What should I tell supporters next?

Tell supporters three things after a missed goal: the amount raised, what that amount can still accomplish, and what happens next. The worst update is silence, because supporters cannot tell whether the project changed, paused, or disappeared. A short, specific message protects trust.

A useful update can be only five lines:

• “We reached $640 of the $1,200 goal.”
• “That covers the first recording day, not the full edit.”
• “I am keeping the goal open through next Friday.”
• “If we do not hit the full target, I will publish a smaller version.”
• “Thank you for helping move the project forward.”

The same principle applies outside Brillay. GoFundMe tells organizers there is no requirement to reach the goal and that funds can still be transferred, but supporters still need context for how partial money will be used.

Your update should not imply guaranteed results, tax treatment, medical outcomes, or investment returns. This is general creator-communication guidance, not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice.

Can I refund supporters after missing?

Refund expectations depend on what you promised before supporters paid. If you described the goal as voluntary support, explain the partial plan. If you promised a reward, delivery, or refund condition outside Brillay, honor that promise or get professional advice before spending the money.

The safest rule is to write the goal so supporters understand the support model before payment. “Help fund the next shoot” is different from “Everyone who contributes gets a shipped poster.” Brillay Goals are built for cash support toward a goal, not inventory fulfillment or reward-tier crowdfunding.

The Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly warned creators not to treat crowdfunding promises casually. In its first crowdfunding case, the FTC said a creator raised more than $122,000 from 1,246 backers and agreed to a $111,793.71 judgment in a deception settlement (FTC press release). The agency's own guidance for creators is direct:

“Keep your promises when crowdfunding. If you promise rewards, give them. If you promise refunds, provide them.” — Federal Trade Commission, “Don’t let crowdfunding be your ‘doom’”

Because of that, clear wording about what the money funds is the best protection against a later card dispute — no payment method can guarantee a chargeback will never happen. For goal support, the better prevention is clear wording before supporters contribute.

How do fees work on partial goals?

Fees apply to payments that actually happen, not to the unfunded portion of a goal. On Brillay, the platform fee stated above applies only to payments that were actually made, and Stripe processing fees are deducted separately from creator earnings. Typical US online-card pricing is about 2.9% + $0.30.

Stripe publishes 2.9% + $0.30 for successful online domestic card transactions in its US pricing table, with different pricing for international cards, currency conversion, manual entry, ACH, methods, and countries (Stripe pricing). That means a partial goal still has transaction-level costs, but there is no Brillay fee on the amount you hoped to raise and did not receive.

Illustrative example only: if supporters contribute $100 total through several payments, Brillay’s platform fee would apply to those payments as stated above, and Stripe processing would vary by the number and type of payments. The creator’s final net depends on payment mix, refund activity, currency, tax obligations, and any project costs. This is not an earnings guarantee or financial advice.

If your goal has a tight budget, price the target around usable net funds, not just the headline cost.

What goal type should I choose next?

Choose the next goal based on what partial funding can accomplish. A good goal has a visible use, a realistic amount, and a fallback plan. The best next step after a miss is often a smaller milestone, not a bigger promise that repeats the same ambiguity.

Use this quick decision rule:

One Brillay link can combine Goals with Tips, Custom Work, Paid Questions, and Personalized Videos, so supporters can choose one-time support or a defined paid offer and pay by card as guests. Creators in 41 countries can get paid; followers pay by card from anywhere. That matters because not every supporter wants the same thing. Some want to help a project happen; others want a specific deliverable or a quick paid answer.

If the goal relates to paid supporter interaction more broadly, connect it to your main paid interaction flow rather than treating the goal as a separate, disconnected page. Creators deciding whether to open a second goal instead of extending this one can see the mechanics in running more than one goal at a time, and those weighing Brillay against a deadline-driven platform can compare the models directly in goal vs. Kickstarter for creators.

Frequently asked questions

What if my Brillay goal reaches only 50%?

On Brillay, a 50% funded Goal is still partial cash support toward that goal. Post an update explaining what the raised amount can fund, whether the goal stays open, and whether the project scope is changing.

Is Brillay funding all-or-nothing?

No. Brillay Goals do not use an all-or-nothing cutoff. Each contribution remains one-time support toward the named goal when the target is missed.

Should I promise rewards for project supporters?

Avoid reward promises unless you can fulfill them reliably. Brillay Goals fund one named goal through supporters' one-time contributions, with nothing to ship.

Can I run more than one goal?

Yes. Brillay can keep several Goals open at once, with each progress bar moving only from contributions to that specific goal. Tips and other offers stay separate from Goal progress.

What should I do before launching again?

Write a clearer goal title, choose a realistic milestone, add a fallback plan, and prepare an update for partial funding. A missed goal is often a scoping problem, not a reason to stop asking supporters for help.

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