Research Question :: Crowdfunding and Democracy

[Joe Brewer]

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for making the last discussion thread (on the design of
successful crowdfunding campaigns) such a valuable exchange. You've
definitely helped me clarify what Suresh and I will need to cover in
the section of the manual for practitioners seeking to fund projects
successfully.

Now I'd like to explore another very important topic with you, one
that touches on the comment Ariel made about how crowdfunding might
empower historically marginalized groups. This is a central concern
for us in this project. We want to see crowdfunding become part of
the repertoire of tools used by populist groups to engage in
democratic action.

The topic I'd like to discuss is this :: What aspects of social
movements and community empowerment would you like to see addressed in
our crowdfunding manual?

Some initial thinking I have on the subject is that we'll need to
address:

1. The role of money in political and social movements

2. How crowd-based approaches can empower communities to take
collective actions on their own behalf

3. What it means for social investments to be "democratized" as part
of community-engagement activities

4. How crowdfunding can put political capacity-building in the hands
of community activists for the first time

These are going to be vitally important topics for the application of
crowdfunding to social movements. What are your reactions to them?
Are there other topics you feel are equally (or more) important?

Best,

Joe

[Andrea Mérida]

I know I always struggle with flat-leadership organizations and just how much autonomy one gives to members of an organizing group.

--
Andrea Merida
303-550-0677

[Eldan Goldenberg]

Joe, Suresh, et al.,

I'm very glad you're thinking about this issue and that it will be a feature in the handbook. I think crowdfunding has potential to lessen or worsen social exclusion, specifically:
- the upside is that anything which sidesteps the usual power brokers can make it easier for people to give themselves a voice and resources.
- the downside is that if, as we've already heard, it's much easier to crowdfund within one's existing network than to bring in the broader public, there's an automatic bias that those whose friends/associates/colleagues have more money will have a much easier time raising money this way too.

So the question on my mind is: what can designers of crowdfunding campaigns (and crowdfunding resources, for that matter) do to maximise that upside and minimise the built-in bias?

Eldan Goldenberg
Director of Operations
Sustainable Seattle
206-659-8077
http://sustainableseattle.org/

[Jay Standish]

I second Eldan's question, it would be great if the manual outlined some specific approaches that people with low-income networks can employ to reach beyond the bounds of their network.

Someone told me about a neighborhood in Detroit that has a revolving crowdfunding potluck where they gather each month or so, pitch their projects to each other, and vote on the one that they are all going to contribute cash and help promote. This is happening in a financially poor part of town.

Another such strategy would be if a local philanthropy or business partnered with one of these neighborhood crowdfunding cartels to provide a matching system, or perhaps more importantly, social media promotion to their pages, sites, and networks. Or a business could feature one crowdfunding campaign each month with a handbill at their register. Forget sponsoring baseball teams, better brand equity can be bought by supporting cool local projects!

Would be great to see stories (not abstractions) of how people are overcoming economic and class inertia.

Jay

--
jay.standish //skype
@yodelheck //twitter
jaystandish.com //web

[Malcolm]

Please use malcol...@alum.mit.edu

Sent from my iPhone

[Ariel Dougherty]

Yes, agreed.  Eldan's question is important:

what can designers of crowdfunding campaigns (and crowdfunding resources, for that matter) do to maximise that upside and minimise the built-in bias?

Question: does "crowdfunding resources" also mean the sites (Kickstarter, Crowdrise, etc)?

...........I have been trying to focus on this thread for almost two weeks.  Been MIA due to a Crowdfunding effort...the emotional ups and downs....Now with 8 days to go, and just over 90% funded, I (and the principle--I'm the cheerleader) can breathe again. 

So back to the concern of addressing the traditionally marginalized communities:

1)  We can build and refer to various models and resources -- like here:  http://www.womenarts.org/skills/crowdfunding.htm   I'll check around, do outreach to a few other communities, if this kind of list is useful for Handbook.

2)  The Crowdfunding sites however, IMO, need to play a role as well: 
      A) greater platform for cross search / cross reference (not necessarily "public") but that serves dual purposes of project designer and donor/backers. 
      B)  possible joint or interactive platform development  between crowdfunder with one of more of these communities  (I am especially interested in this)
      C)  adjustment in fees  a) from the site  b) from the "banking" agent.

On searches there are external issues, available "search" processes can be "loaded".  As an exercise try a YouTube search for "women" or "feminist" and you will see what I mean.  This site:  NIST.TV developed simply to by pass that problem.....  But each "solution" like this has a cost.   What is the mutually benefical way to develop?

 
        Thank you.   Best, Ariel

--
________________________________________________________________
Ariel Dougherty            advocate 4 gendered media                  www.mediaequity.org
575. 894. 1844  fx 575. 894. 1845  Ariel...@gmail.com   Twitter:  MediaEquity
latest piece:  Three Feminist Media Principles: Envisioning a Path to a Less Violent, More Truthful Media
Associate Producer:! Women Art Revolution Lynn Hershman Leeson's documentary
             on Feminist Art Movement, Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival                                        
          NYC premiere at MOMA March 3rd at 6:30;  NYC Theatrical run June 1 -7 at IFC Center

[Sue Wilson]

Another question:

Can crowdfunding apply to associations?

Thanks!

~Sue

On 4/22/11, Ariel Dougherty <ariel...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes, agreed. Eldan's question is important:
>

> *what can designers of crowdfunding campaigns (and crowdfunding resources,
> for that matter) do to maximise that upside and minimise the built-in bias?*

> *Ariel Dougherty * advocate 4 *gendered media *

> www.mediaequity.org
> 575. 894. 1844 fx 575. 894. 1845 Ariel...@gmail.com Twitter:
> MediaEquity

> latest piece: *Three Feminist Media Principles: Envisioning a Path to a
> Less Violent, More Truthful Media* <http://bit.ly/dGXn6N>

> Associate Producer:! Women Art

> Revolution<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103596277969&s=5182&e=0017hOkMxJhp8NbPnDedNo9zRY0Lpel4toBSKLddbCtZJbrlvl_kEtDw88pZmzI-r_tQRJy6ovaL63g2GbRMzazSp6uuBg3DLTmI-s5u_soWKFUgHSmOQVHdzLKxAxt5OOs>

> Lynn
> Hershman Leeson's documentary
> on Feminist Art Movement, Premiered at Toronto International
> Film

> Festival<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103596277969&s=5182&e=0017hOkMxJhp8PfSAmoHfCzPiCBf_2t8Oxg6CnXwy7MVGhcmQ-NUTBzkh5wFyc0utlCAdom8See28HDfqoXZqHjQWvLF2R1umD_MWfwvbkwGGwW7nH3ItIOgvRJd-64j8pF5g6MIcIMKBMH0ChcG1YPk0kc_KCWwrHWzmOwXlxikL0D4EAG9fdWWQ==>
>
> <http://www.sundance.org/festival/film-events/new-frontier/> NYC

> premiere at MOMA March 3rd at 6:30; NYC Theatrical run June 1 -7 at IFC

> Center <http://www.ifccenter.com/>
>

--
SueWilsonReports.com
4354 Town Center Blvd. Ste 114-110
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
209-245-6724
cell 916-812-4931

[Joe Brewer]

Hi Sue,

Can you elaborate? What kinds of associations are you thinking of?
What capabilities do you see them lacking that a community-engagement
process like crowdfunding might serve?

Please help us better understand where you're coming from so we get a
better sense of what to include in the manual to address it.

Best,

Joe

On Apr 22, 1:53 pm, Sue Wilson <suewilsonrepo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Another question:
>
> Can crowdfunding apply to associations?
>
> Thanks!
>
> ~Sue
>

> > On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 6:10 AM, Malcolm <best.malc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Please use malcolm.b...@alum.mit.edu
>
> >> Sent from my iPhone

> > 575. 894. 1844  fx 575. 894. 1845  ArielCam...@gmail.com   Twitter:

> > MediaEquity
> > latest piece:  *Three Feminist Media Principles: Envisioning a Path to a
> > Less Violent, More Truthful Media* <http://bit.ly/dGXn6N>
> > Associate Producer:! Women Art

> > Revolution<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103596277969&s=5182&e=0017hOkMxJhp8NbPn...>

> > Lynn
> > Hershman Leeson's documentary
> >              on Feminist Art Movement, Premiered at Toronto International
> > Film

> > Festival<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103596277969&s=5182&e=0017hOkMxJhp8PfSA...>

[Sue Wilson]

Hi, Joe,

I am starting a new organization. I'll be encouraging small local
groups to form in each community to knock on their TV and Radio
stations' doors and hold them accountable to their public interest
obligations. The org will be an umbrella group to unite the locals
under a national banner.

I don't see doing this as a for-profit, and I'm looking for a 501 C 3
alternative, so am thinking this could be an association, where
perhaps each group would pay a fee every year to join. I'm really not
adept at this organizational stuff, but it seems similar to crowd
source funding.

Thanks!

~Sue