Crowdsourced fund-raising beyond Kickstarter

Crowdfunding websites give people the opportunity to raise funds for their projects. Those who choose to invest in these sites and campaigns usually do so for the chance to buy something unique or super specialized. Without a doubt Kickstarter is the biggest player in the crowdfunding market if you're trying to launch a campaign that attracts the most visitors to its site. If you're shopping for creative projects to invest in, it has the broadest range of offerings. But also worth checking out is IndieGoGo. It, too, has quirky gadgets and fun toys but also more intangible projects in need of donations, like helping someone pay for their surgery or helping rescue stray dogs or cats. RocketHub is a much smaller site but appeals to an international audience. Smallknot lets users search by neighborhood to see if there's a cause in need of donations in your community. Gamers can donate to the development of independent video games through Gambitious, and those interested in medical research and experimental projects should check out MedStartr. In San Francisco, I'm Kara Tsuboi, CNET.com for CBS News. News.