How to Set Your Crowdfunding Goal | Why You Shouldn't Decide Based on the Amount You Need Alone

When people are starting a crowdfunding campaign, I often get asked:

"How much should I set my goal for?"

Quite a few people think along these lines:

"This project needs 3 million yen, so I'll set the goal at 3 million yen."

Of course, calculating how much funding you need is important.

But in my view, you shouldn't set your crowdfunding goal based solely on the amount you need.

What really matters is this:

Thinking together about "how much you need" AND "who you'll raise it with and how."

In this article, I'll share the key points I look at when thinking about crowdfunding goal amounts.

First, Calculate the "Amount You Actually Need"

The first thing to figure out is how much money it will take to make the project happen.

For example:

• Manufacturing costs for products
• Store equipment costs
• Venue fees
• Production costs
• Cost of rewards
• Shipping and packaging fees
• Crowdfunding platform fees

These all need to be considered.

A common mistake here is:

Setting the goal based only on what the project itself costs.

Even if you raise 1 million yen, that doesn't mean 1 million yen ends up in your hands.

As of September 11, 2026, standard CAMPFIRE campaigns are charged a usage fee of 12% and a payment processing fee of 5%, each subject to consumption tax.

At the standard rate, if you raise 1 million yen in pledges, the amount you actually receive from CAMPFIRE is approximately 813,000 yen.

On top of that, you still need to subtract the cost of rewards, shipping, and so on.

So:

"I need 1 million yen, so I'll set my goal at 1 million yen"

may not be enough.

※ Fees may vary depending on campaigns or contract terms. Please check the official information at the time you run your campaign.

But Don't Decide Based on the "Amount You Need" Alone, Either

This is where I think things get really important.

Let's say your calculations come out to:

"We need 3 million yen."

Before you simply set:

Goal: 3 million yen

there's something I'd like you to think about first.

Who is going to support this campaign with that 3 million yen?

Crowdfunding is not a system where supporters automatically appear once you enter a goal amount.

Even with a goal of 1 million yen:

If the average pledge is 10,000 yen, you need 100 pledges — in simple terms.

If the average pledge is 20,000 yen, you need 50.
If the average pledge is 50,000 yen, you need 20.

In reality, pledge amounts vary, so it's never quite this simple.

But calculating:

"Goal amount ÷ estimated average pledge amount"

gives you a rough sense of how many supporters you'll need.

Turn "How Many People You Need" into a Number

For example, if your goal is 2 million yen and you estimate an average pledge of 10,000 yen:

You'll need approximately 200 pledges.

Then ask yourself:

"Can I realistically gather 200 supporters?"

Before your campaign goes live, consider:

• How many people might support you?
• How many people can you reach out to directly?
• How many people can you reach through SNS or LINE?
• Is there a possibility of corporate or large-scale support?

If at this point you realize:

"I can only think of about 20 people who'd probably support me right now,"

then there's something you need to do before setting a 2 million yen goal.

Not lower the goal — but start growing your base of supporters before the campaign launches.

That, too, is crowdfunding preparation.

Think About Your Goal Amount Together with a "Supporter List"

When I tried crowdfunding for the first time in 2017,

I set a goal of 1 million yen, and the result was about 30,000 yen.

At the time, I had community members, so I thought:

"Once I publish the campaign and announce it, I'll probably get a fair amount of support."

But I hadn't specifically thought about:

Who exactly would contribute to that 1 million yen.

Now, when deciding on a goal amount, I go through it person by person:

"Who seems likely to support?"
"How much might each person pledge?"

A crowdfunding goal isn't a number you decide only on paper in a project plan.

It's a number you arrive at by looking at real, actual people.

One Approach: Separate Your Initial Goal from the Amount You're Truly Aiming For

In crowdfunding, there's also the approach of:

Separating the initial goal from the final amount you ultimately want to reach.

For example:

The minimum amount needed to get the project off the ground: 1 million yen.

But ideally, you'd like to raise 3 million yen to realize a more ambitious vision.

In this case, you can set the first goal at 1 million yen, and after reaching it, aim for 2 million yen and then 3 million yen as next goals.

CAMPFIRE itself introduces the concept of setting a "next goal" after achieving your initial target.

However, this does not mean:

Setting an unnecessarily low goal just to make your achievement rate look high.

You need to be able to clearly explain what you can do with 1 million yen, and what more you can do with 3 million yen.

Set Your First Goal at "the Minimum Amount to Fulfill Your Promise"

When I think about a first goal, what matters most to me is:

If this amount is raised, can I properly deliver on what I've promised supporters?

Especially with the All-or-Nothing format, the project is funded when the goal is reached.

If you genuinely need 3 million yen to execute the project, but you set the goal at 1 million yen because "it's easier to achieve" — you'll be in trouble when you fund at 1 million yen.

Conversely, with the All-in format, if any pledges come in, you're obligated to carry out the project even if you fall short of the goal.

So:

Your goal amount and your campaign format need to be decided together.

Also Think About How Your Achievement Rate "Looks"

Even if the same 1 million yen is raised:

If the goal was 10 million yen, the achievement rate is 10%.
If the goal was 2 million yen, the achievement rate is 50%.

This changes the impression for potential supporters.

CAMPFIRE's official guidance also mentions the "appearance" of what percentage of the goal has been funded as one of the key points to consider when setting your goal.

That said, I believe:

Lowering your goal purely to make the achievement rate look better is the wrong approach.

First, determine the amount that makes the project executable.
Then, think about who will support you.
After that, consider how it will look.

That's the order.

When the Amount Seems Too Large, Don't Just Lower the Goal

You do your calculations and come up with 3 million yen.

But you can't picture actually raising 3 million yen right now.

In that case, I don't recommend simply saying:

"Let's make it 1 million yen then,"

and leaving it at that.

There are many things you can consider:

• Extend your preparation period before launch
• Increase the number of people likely to support you
• Revisit your reward structure
• Consider rewards aimed at corporate backers
• Think about whether you can raise the average pledge amount
• Consider whether the project can be started on a smaller scale
• Separate the first goal from a larger stretch goal beyond it

Thinking about your goal amount means:

Rethinking the project itself.

The 4 Numbers I Look at When Setting a Goal

To summarize, when I think through a crowdfunding goal, I mainly look at four things:

① What is the minimum amount needed to make it happen?

Include fees, production costs, shipping, and so on.

② What do I estimate the average pledge amount to be?

Think this through based on your reward structure.

③ How many supporters do I need?

Work backward from the goal amount.

④ How will I reach that many people before the campaign goes live?

Assess your pool of potential supporters, your reach, corporate support possibilities, and so on.

Only when these four elements connect does:

A "realistic goal amount"

come into view.

A Goal Amount Is a "Collection Plan," Not a "Desired Amount"

A crowdfunding goal is not a number you set by thinking:

"I'd like about this much."

It comes from calculating the amount you need, thinking about who will support you, considering the average pledge, and figuring out how to reach people.

In other words:

Deciding on your goal amount is itself the act of designing your crowdfunding campaign.

If you're about to set your goal:

Don't just ask, "How much do I need?"

Ask, "Who will I raise that amount with, and how?"

Think through both together.

Related Articles

【Basics Article ⑤】What to Prepare Before Your Crowdfunding Goes Live | Success Starts Before Launch

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【Basics Article ①】What Is Crowdfunding? A Beginner's Guide to How It Works, Types, and Benefits

【Basics Article ②】What Is CAMPFIRE? A Beginner's Guide to Its Features, Fees, and Who It's Right For

【Basics Article ③】All-in vs. All-or-Nothing: Which Should You Choose for Your Crowdfunding Campaign?

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