As COVID-19 concerns bring everyday life all over the world to a standstill, thousands of creators are continuing on with Kickstarter campaigns to fund their creative work. Their perseverance is inspiring and important. We want to do everything we can to support projects coming to life throughout this—and hope you’ll join us in that effort.

We understand the gravity of this pandemic—and we’re also processing how canceled events, exhibitions, and work are hurting freelance creatives, commission-based artists, and those who supplement their passion projects with unsalaried jobs. Supporting creative work is still so important, and there are many ways to do that right now. On Kickstarter, we’re seeing our community elevating creators’ projects, reaching out with kind words in the comments section, being understanding about potential production delays, and coming together (digitally) to see these projects through.

Creators, your number one priority should be the health and wellbeing of yourself, your team, and your loved ones—and remember that you’re not alone, even if you’re isolated. If you’re trying to fund your creative work right now, here’s our team’s advice:

Speak to the seriousness of COVID on your project page

“Don’t be afraid to acknowledge the crisis and encourage folks to stay home and safe,” says Comics Outreach Lead Camilla Zhang. “Practice radical honesty. Another thing you may want to mention is that many businesses are taking a hit, including independent artists and creators like you. Even if this is a passion project, it might also be what’s helping you keep your lights on.”

Assess your personal situation and follow official guidelines

Practice honesty with yourself, too, and call off projects that might put yourself or others at risk. Now’s not the time to host a fundraising party or plan a major event. As of this writing, the U.S. government recommends against gatherings of more than 10 people in communities where the virus is known to have spread.

Consider how you can help others

Once you’ve taken care of your own needs, if you have the capacity to do so, think about ways your campaign might be able to give back to your community, either once this is all over or right now. “At this moment, the crisis is so huge, it feels like it’s the only thing that will ever happen,” says Oriana Leckert, Senior Journalism Outreach Lead. “But this too shall pass, and there will be so many more ways to support each other once it does.” The Texas Observer is currently running a campaign to launch a housing beat, and they’ve been talking about how critical that work will be after a crisis like this. Worldwide Buddies, who make children’s books celebrating diversity, are looking to be of service right now: they’ve begun releasing daily digital activity kits through their campaign to help keep their supporters occupied during these long days at home.

Get comfortable asking for your community’s care and support

Jessica Massart, Kickstarter’s Senior Performance Outreach Lead, says, “Remember that in this moment when we are trying to care for and support our communities, it’s OK to ask for them to support you.”

And, “with events shutting down all over and with folks being cooped up at home,” adds Zhang, “supporting projects is just the kind of simple pleasure people need right now.”

Keep updates—and thank yous—coming

Frequent, detailed project updates are always important for building trust and rapport with your community—that’s all the more true in a volatile time. A few great recent examples:

• From as early as mid-February, Eric Fox, of the legendary synthesizer company Buchla, was letting backers know that its manufacturer in San Francisco was waiting on delayed electrical components from Asia. Nick Yulman, Kickstarter’s Head of Design & Tech, collected stories like his in this post about how creators were coping with the crisis and building trust with their backers in the process.
• The team behind Votes for Women, a recently-funded anthology of comics and art on women’s suffrage, posted this update acknowledging the weight of this situation and thanking their community for sticking with them to fund their creative work.

Adjust your practice for digital collaboration

“This is a good time to get creative with how you share your work online,” says Massart. “If you’re fundraising, consider live-streaming script readings, dance classes, demonstrations, etc. as a way to get the word out. Use this as a moment to shine a light on both what you’re making and the talents of your team.”

Take time to be kind to yourself

Our sister publication The Creative Independent has published a roundup of advice on staying calm and centered, tapping into your creativity in quarantine, and giving and asking for support. Get tips for staying healthy, guided meditations, and words of wisdom from musical artists like Mitski, astrologer Chani Nicholas, and many more.

Explore all your options

A Kickstarter campaign might not be enough to cover your expenses. Right now, “our community needs help beyond what we can offer as a platform,” says Arts Outreach Lead Daniel Sharp. “Because of this, we’ve built a live archive of resources, from best practices for remote work to emergency grants and guidelines for nonprofits and businesses.” That list, which we’ll be adding to weekly, can be found here.