Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding, as the name suggests, means going to the crowd to financially support a project. Typically, this is done using a website or crowdfunding platform on the internet to elicit small amounts of funds from a large amount of people. Crowdfunding existed before the internet, for example, when public broadcasters and community stations hold telethons where people call in and pledge money. However, while this sort of crowdfunding continues to exist today, crowdfunding over the internet, on crowdfunding platforms, or through an organization’s website and social media, is what the term is now associated with. This entry examines crowdfunding platforms, types of crowdfunding, the labor involved in the process, and the connection between crowdfunding and diversity in journalism. The entry concludes with a discussion of ...