Business, Economics and Finance

Not in the Municipal Budget? Try Crowdfunding

WPSU | By Kate Lao Shaffner

Published July 17, 2014 at 8:49 AM EDT

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Meagan Tuttle, a planner for the Borough of State College, said most of the feedback she’s heard from community members about crowdfunding has been positive.";

Kelly Tunney

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Tuttle says residents have requested upgrades at Smithfield Park. If the site is chosen for State College’s pilot crowdfunding project, funds could go to replacing old equipment and replacing mulch with a rubberized surface.";

Kelly Tunney

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The Carlisle West Side Neighbors group are working to turn Heberlig Palmer Park into a gathering space for community members of all ages.

courtesy of Brenda Landis/Carlisle West Side Neighbors

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Rodrigo Davies said DonorsChoose.org is arguably the first civic crowdfunding platform, but civic crowdfunding projects didn’t really start taking off until 2009-2010. ";

courtesy of Rodrigo Davies

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Philly’s Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics partnered with the city’s Parks and Rec Department for the city’s second crowdfunding project, the River Recreation Center Community Garden.";s:3:"u

courtesy of Anne Preston/Rivera Rec Center

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The community garden at the Rivera Recreation Center is an intergenerational project. There are plots for children as well as for seniors from the Mann Older Adult Center.

courtesy of Anne Preston/Rivera Rec Center

You've likely heard about crowdfunding on web platforms like Kickstarter. It's where people submit an idea and anyone can sign up to help fund it.

But crowdfunding isn't just a tool for raising money to produce a movie, manufacture a gadget, or make gourmet potato salad. Communities are turning to this funding model for civic projects.

Read the full version of this report at the website of Keystone Crossroads, a new statewide public media initiative reporting on the challenges facing Pennsylvania's cities. WPSU is a participating station.