Help Center

🚀 Getting Started

Creating an Account

Getting started with PixelFunder is quick and easy. Here's how to create your account:

1. Click the "Sign Up" button in the top navigation bar
2. Enter your email address and choose a secure password
3. Choose a unique username that will be displayed on your profile
4. Click "Create Account" to complete registration
5. Check your email for a verification link and click it to activate your account

How to Create a Fundraising Grid

A grid is your fundraising canvas where supporters can buy pixels to help your cause. Here's how to create one:

1. Sign in to your PixelFunder account
2. Click "Start a Grid" from the homepage or navigation menu
3. Fill in the required details:
   • Grid Name: A catchy title for your fundraiser (e.g., "Help Fund Our School Library")
   • Description: Explain your cause and how funds will be used
   • Category: Choose the type that best fits your cause (Education, Medical, Community, etc.)
   • Grid Size: Select from 25×25 (625 blocks) up to 100×100 (10,000 blocks)
   • Price per Pixel: Set how much each pixel costs (minimum $0.01)
   • Fundraising Goal: Optionally set a target amount to display progress
4. Click "Create Grid" to publish your grid
5. Connect your Stripe account to receive payments (you'll be guided through this process)

Setting Pixel Prices

Choosing the right price per pixel is important for your fundraising success. Consider these factors:

Grid Size	Pixels	Suggested Price Per Pixel	Potential Total
25×25 (625 blocks)	62,500	$1 - $10	$62,500 - $625,000
50×50 (2,500 blocks)	250,000	$0.50 - $5	$125,000 - $1,250,000
75×75 (5,625 blocks)	562,500	$0.25 - $3	$140,625 - $1,687,500
100×100 (10,000 blocks)	1,000,000	$0.25 - $2	$250,000 - $2,000,000

Sharing Your Grid

Once your grid is created, it's time to spread the word! Here are effective ways to share:

• Direct Link: Each grid has a unique URL (e.g., pixelfunder.com/grid/your-grid-name) you can share anywhere
• Social Media: Share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn with a compelling message about your cause
• Email: Send personalized emails to friends, family, and supporters with your grid link
• QR Code: Create a QR code linking to your grid for flyers, posters, or events
• Embed: Contact us if you'd like to embed your grid on your own website

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💰 Buying Pixels

How to Buy Pixels

Supporting a cause by buying pixels is simple:

1. Find a grid you want to support by browsing or using a direct link
2. Click on the grid to view it in full size
3. Select your pixels:
   • Click on any available (light gray) pixel to set your starting point
   • On desktop: move your mouse to preview your selection area (shown with a pink shadow)
   • On mobile: simply tap on your second corner - the rectangle will be calculated automatically
   • Already-purchased pixels within your selection are automatically skipped
   • Click again to finalize your selection (shown with a pulsing red border)
   • To select a single block, click the same pixel twice
4. Review your selection showing the number of pixels and total cost
5. Click "Buy Selected Pixels"
6. Complete payment through our secure Stripe checkout
7. After payment, you can immediately design your pixel space!

Designing Your Pixel Space

After purchasing pixels, you can customize them with your own design. Your undesigned pixels appear in yellow with a pulsing orange border to draw your attention. Click on any of them to open the design editor.

Understanding the Design Canvas:

• When you click your pixels, all contiguous blocks you own (including diagonally touching) are grouped together for editing
• The design canvas shows your entire bounding box – blocks you don't own appear as grey areas that you cannot draw on
• This allows you to create designs around other people's pixels or expand existing designs when you purchase adjacent blocks

Design Options:

1. Draw Tab

• Use the color picker and brush tools to draw directly on your pixels
• Adjust brush size for detailed work or quick fills
• Use "Fill All" to fill all your blocks with the selected color (grey areas stay untouched)
• Use "Clear" to reset your blocks to white
• Undo/Redo buttons help you fix mistakes

2. Upload Tab

• Upload JPG, PNG, or GIF images (max 5MB)
• Images are automatically scaled to fit your pixel area
• The preview shows exactly how your image will appear, with grey areas indicating pixels you don't own
• For best results, use images with a similar aspect ratio to your selection

3. Link Tab

• Add a clickable URL and optional title to your pixels
• Links can be added with or without a visual design
• Visitors see a tooltip with your link when hovering over your pixels

Expanding Existing Designs:

• When you purchase pixels adjacent to ones you already own, they become part of the same design group
• Clicking any pixel in the group opens the full design canvas
• Your existing design loads in its original position – new pixels start white
• You can then extend your design into the new area

Adding Links to Pixels

Make your pixels interactive by adding a clickable link:

1. In the design modal, find the "Link URL" field
2. Enter the full URL (including https://) you want to link to
3. Optionally add a "Link Title" that describes the destination
4. Save your design

When visitors click on your pixels, they'll see your link and can choose to visit it.

Payment Methods

PixelFunder accepts all major payment methods through our secure payment processor, Stripe:

• Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
• Debit Cards: Any card with a Visa or Mastercard logo
• Digital Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay (where available)

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. We never see or store your full card details.

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📊 Grid Management

Tracking Your Grid's Progress

Stay informed about your fundraising progress:

• Grid Page Stats: View real-time statistics on your grid page including:
  • Total amount raised
  • Number of pixels sold
  • Progress toward your goal (if set)
  • Percentage of grid filled
• Visual Progress: Watch your grid fill up with colorful designs as supporters purchase pixels
• Email Notifications: Receive email alerts when someone purchases pixels on your grid

Receiving Funds

Funds from pixel purchases go directly to your connected Stripe account:

1. Stripe Connect: During grid creation, you'll connect (or create) a Stripe account
2. Direct Deposits: When someone buys pixels, funds (minus fees) are deposited to your Stripe balance
3. Payout Schedule: Stripe typically transfers funds to your bank account within 2-7 business days
4. Payout Settings: You can adjust your payout schedule in your Stripe dashboard

Editing Your Grid

You can update certain aspects of your grid after creation:

What you CAN edit:

• Grid name and description
• Fundraising goal amount
• Category

What you CANNOT edit:

• Grid size (number of pixels)
• Price per pixel (after any pixels are sold)
• Grid slug/URL

To edit your grid:

1. Go to your grid page while logged in
2. Click the "Edit Grid" button in the sidebar
3. Make your changes and click "Save Changes"

Understanding Fees

PixelFunder uses a transparent fee structure:

Fee Type	Amount	Description
Platform Fee	5%	Supports PixelFunder operations, hosting, and development
Stripe Processing	2.9% + $0.30	Credit card processing fee charged by Stripe

Example: For a $10 pixel purchase:

• Stripe fee: $0.59 (2.9% × $10 + $0.30)
• Platform fee: $0.50 (5% × $10)
• You receive: $8.91

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🛡️ Safety & Trust

Community Guidelines

PixelFunder is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and trustworthy platform. All users must follow these guidelines:

Content Rules:

• No nudity or pornography – Keep all content family-friendly
• No hate speech – No content promoting hatred based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, etc.
• No violence – No graphic violence, gore, or content promoting harm
• No illegal content – Nothing promoting illegal activities or substances
• No spam or scams – No misleading fundraisers or deceptive content
• No harassment – Be respectful to all community members
• No impersonation – Don't pretend to be someone else or a different organization

Fundraiser Rules:

• Be honest about your cause and how funds will be used
• Only create fundraisers for legitimate purposes
• Don't create multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions

Reporting Inappropriate Content

Help us keep PixelFunder safe by reporting content that violates our guidelines:

To report a grid:

1. Go to the grid page
2. Click the "Report Grid" button in the sidebar
3. Select the reason for your report
4. Add any additional details that might help our review
5. Submit the report

To report a design:

1. Click on the specific pixel design
2. In the design info popup, click "Report This Design"
3. Select the reason and provide details
4. Submit the report

Our moderation team reviews all reports, typically within 24 hours. We may:

• Dismiss the report if no violation is found
• Hide the content pending further review
• Remove the content and notify the owner
• Issue refunds if necessary
• Suspend accounts for serious violations

Account Security

Protect your PixelFunder account with these security best practices:

Password Security:

• Use a strong, unique password (at least 8 characters with mixed case, numbers, and symbols)
• Don't reuse passwords from other websites
• Consider using a password manager
• Never share your password with anyone

Account Protection:

• Keep your email address up to date
• Log out when using shared computers
• Be cautious of phishing emails – we'll never ask for your password via email
• Contact us immediately if you notice suspicious activity

If your account is compromised:

1. Change your password immediately
2. Check for any unauthorized changes to your grids or profile
3. Contact our support team for assistance

Privacy & Data

We take your privacy seriously. Here's how we handle your data:

What we collect:

• Account information (email, username, password hash)
• Grid and design content you create
• Transaction records for purchases you make
• Basic usage data to improve our service

What we DON'T collect:

• Full credit card numbers (handled securely by Stripe)
• Government ID numbers
• Unnecessary personal information

How we protect your data:

• Encrypted connections (HTTPS) for all traffic
• Secure password hashing
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Limited employee access to user data

Your rights:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your account
• Export your data

For more details, see our full Privacy Policy.

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