Budget example
A typical cost split for a school library dream in Las Vegas, shown in USD. Backers pay you directly using your accepted payment methods.
Example goal
$9,000
- Books and reading materials$4,950 · 55%
- Shelving and reading furniture$1,800 · 20%
- Cataloguing and book protection$1,350 · 15%
- Room preparation and signs$900 · 10%
What you receive
- Backers give
- $9,000
- 0% platform commission
- −$1,350
- You receive
- $7,650
- 01
Price from quotes, not hopes
Get at least two quotes for every large cost and note what is included. Backers rarely mind a high goal; they mind a goal that looks invented.
- 02
Plan for what you receive
cohero takes 0% commission on backings, so you receive what Backers send directly through your payment methods. Set the goal so that amount covers your real costs.
- 03
Add a small buffer
Prices move. A buffer of five to ten percent in your last milestone covers surprises without making the goal look padded. Say so openly in your story.
Example milestone plan
An example plan for a school library dream with a goal of $9,000. Backers pay you directly, funding the goal all at once or milestone by milestone as you post proof for each step.
Milestone 1
$1,350 · 15%
Map reading needs
Post an anonymised reading-needs summary, the proposed book list and room measurements without pupil information.
Milestone 2
$4,050 · 45%
Acquire core collection
Share itemised book receipts, delivery photos and a title inventory showing how purchases match the agreed reading needs.
Milestone 3
$2,250 · 25%
Fit shelves and catalogue
Post installed shelving photos, furniture receipts and catalogue screenshots with pupil and staff details removed.
Milestone 4
$1,350 · 15%
Open the lending routine
Share the borrowing guide, an anonymised trial lending log and room photos taken without identifiable pupils present.
Risks to plan for
- R1
Collection misses readers
A large order may overlook reading levels or languages used by pupils. Approve a teacher-led selection first and reserve part of the book budget for gaps found during cataloguing.
- R2
Shelves do not fit
Unexpected room dimensions or access constraints can delay installation. Measure the room before ordering furniture and include fitting work in the shelving milestone budget.
- R3
Borrowing system stalls
Books may arrive before anyone is ready to manage loans. Assign library responsibilities early and make a tested lending routine, not just delivery boxes, the final milestone.
How Backers are protected
14-day review per milestone
When proof is posted, each Backer has 14 days to review the proof, ask for more info, and decide whether to keep supporting your next milestone.
0% commission — direct gifts, nothing taken
Backers pay exactly what they choose directly through your payment methods. cohero takes 0% commission on backings, so you keep what is sent. Any refunds or disputes are handled directly between you, the Backer and your payment provider.
Gifts, not shares
Backings are gifts. No shares, equity, interest or repayment, and Dreamers keep full ownership. Nothing on cohero is an investment or a loan.
Questions and answers
How do we prove pupils can actually use the library?
Show an accessible room layout, a catalogued collection and a tested borrowing process. An anonymised trial log can demonstrate readiness without publishing pupil names, reading histories or identifiable classroom photos.
Does cohero take a commission on backings?
No. cohero charges 0% commission on backings. Backers pay you directly to your chosen payment method, so towards your goal of $9,000, you receive the full amount confirmed by you without platform deductions.
Should the library buy new books or accept donated ones?
Explain the reading needs first, then show how purchases and suitable donations fill the list. Count only usable donated titles in the inventory, and keep sorting, protection and missing titles visible in the budget.
Ready when you are
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