Menu Close

Articles on Crowdfunding

Displaying 1 - 20 of 68 articles

Daniel Penny, centre, is walked by New York Police Department detectives out of a Manhattan precinct in May 2023. He was charged with manslaughter in the death of Jordan Neely. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)

Daniel Penny’s GiveSendGo campaign: Crowdfunding primarily benefits the most privileged

Helping people secure due process in the courts is a noble goal. But the problem with crowdfunding campaigns is that they largely operate as popularity contests.
Quinta Brunson, creator and actor of the show ‘Abbott Elementary,’ uses TikTok to fundraise for school supplies. Although it’s a sitcom, it’s talking about the real-life needs of under-resourced teachers. (Quinta Brunson for ABC)

Should you answer a call to crowdfund our under-resourced teachers?

Gifting teachers through crowdfunding sites may make an immediate difference but can’t compensate for underfunding and inequitable funding of public schools.
Abortion rights protesters attend a rally outside the Michigan capitol building on June 24, 2022, following the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Pro-choice crowdfunding has surged in the U.S. — but donating that way has risks

Crowdfunding campaigns are well-intentioned and have done a great deal of good on the abortion rights front, but there are less compromised venues for support available.
Crowdfunding can be a great way to raise money for political candidates and causes, but it can also have unintended consequences. Joos Mind/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Political crowdfunding does more than raise money – it can also rile up opponents

Crowdfunding has become a go-to means of raising money for political causes, but the monetary show of support can cause opponents to double down on their opposition.
A camper gets hauled away by authorities in Ottawa in front of a Bank of Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

How authorities are targeting the ‘freedom convoy’ money via the Emergencies Act

The backbone of the so-called freedom convoy’s activities was its access to a steady flow of financing from donors both domestic and foreign. The Emergencies Act put a stop to that.
A woman stops to take a photo of signs attached to the fence around Parliament as the trucker protest continues in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Is GoFundMe violating its own terms of service on the ‘freedom convoy?’

GoFundMe claims it won’t fund campaigns that promote hate or misinformation. So why is it backing the so-called freedom convoy that’s currently causing so much incendiary disruption in Ottawa?
Lack of resources and support for women entrepreneurs lowers their chances of success. But this problem can be partially overcome through crowdfunding initiatives by socially validating female-led ventures. (Shutterstock)

How women-led companies can raise more money through crowdfunding

Can social validation — specifically, the number of crowd-funding supporters — reduce the gender gap as companies helmed by women try to raise funds?
Shutterstock/fizkes

How crowdfunding campaigners market illness to capture the attention of potential donors

Crowdfunding campaigners appeal to potential donors by describing the recipient as the subject of misfortune, rather than personal irresponsibility, and therefore deserving of their sympathy.
A volunteer sorts through donated clothing as part of a bushfire appeal. Generally, it’s best to give money - unless the organisation to which you are donating has requested specific goods. AAP/DEAN LEWINS

How to donate to Australian bushfire relief: give money, watch for scams and think long term

It’s worth thinking carefully about how to give, to ensure you’re not wasting your contribution or inadvertently making things worse.
Volunteer firefighting crews have attempted to crowdfund equipment and supplies. AAP Image/Supplied, DFES Incident Photographer Lewis van Bommel

Crowdfunding: when the government fails to act, the public wearily steps up

Farmers seeking relief from the drought and firefighters stretched to their limits have turned to crowdfunding for help. But public appeal shouldn’t replace good governance.

Top contributors

More