Its an easy concept. I want to pay for a guided trip this year on vacation. That will cost me $500.
I will ask each of you for a donation.
For a dollar given, if I make my $500, you will each read a long winded trip report with a step-by-step diagram of how I entered the stream, fished for each fish, and what I had for lunch.
If you step up and gimme $10, I will specifically name check you in the post. "You will find that if you gingerly place first your left foot, then your right foot, into the stream you will be well rewarded with a stealthy entrance. Once, when fishing with JackM, I watched him fall in, that was not stealthy."
If you step up and gimme $100, then I will take a picture of a fish and send a copy to you. I will inevitably sign it, "so long and thanks for all the fish." This is how I roll.
If you pony up a full $500, you can go with me.
If I can't convince enough of you slobs to pony up a collection of $500, I don't get my trip and none of you are charged.
You get nothing special other than what you're promised, besides the smarmy feeling of "I helped 'make' that by throwing money at it." Its a hip way for kids with no actual creative abilities to give money to their favourite musicians, et al, and pretend like they're a part of the process rather than a consumer.