Crowdfunding academic research with cryptocurrencies is in fact excellent idea. When you have collected enough funds, applicants can present their research ideas and crowdfunders can vote on which they want to fund.
indeed, and when you do a crowdfunding campaign you want donors, and non-donor supporters to help with the endeavor. each project takes lots of effort from very many directions.
As you do the work you will find that everything counts, not just the money, but the efforts as well.