I heard their founder/current CEO Yancey speak at a startup accelerator and speak extensively about the business. According to him they told their investors they have no intention to have a liquidity event. He suggested the investors were in interested in Kickstarter as marketing for their firm. It seems like they didn't take very much money. Seemingly a large enough sum to help grow the business but not large enough to shy investors away from a business that doesn't aspire to provide meaningful returns.

Have you listened to the Startup podcast's coverage of Gimlet media? Seems like a similar situation, some unique businesses can secure prestige rounds providing they are not seeking huge amounts of capital.

Chris Sacca talked about it in-depth on This Week in Startups a while back. From day one they told investors they planned to never sell. Chris Sacca didn't believe them but was in for the mission (and kept Kickstarter off his promotional material for a while because he wasn't sure about the return possibilities). Over time he believed the founders more and more that they wouldn't sell and they're in it for the long haul.

Similar story with Fred Wilson and USV.

The article talks about how the founders told their investors they weren't looking at a huge exit, and that they were planning on paying dividends soon.

this is literally in the story. Dividends coming within a year or two.