Crowdfunder (UK)

Crowdfunder (UK)
Name	Crowdfunder (UK)
Type	Private
Industry	Philanthropy, Fundraising, Technology
Founded	2011
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Key people	Alan Barlow (Chief Executive), Andrea Phillips (Chair)
Products	Crowdfunding platform, Community grants, Events

Crowdfunder (UK) is a British crowdfunding platform founded in 2011 that connects project creators with individual backers across the United Kingdom. It operates within a landscape populated by platforms, charities, foundations, and public bodies, and has hosted campaigns for arts, sports, social enterprises, heritage projects, and emergency relief. Crowdfunder (UK) has collaborated with local authorities, trusts, and corporations to provide match-funding, grants, and prize incentives.

History

Crowdfunder (UK) emerged in 2011 amid a wave of online crowdfunding initiatives alongside platforms such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, JustGiving, GoFundMe, and Patreon. Early activity coincided with debates in the Parliament of the United Kingdom about digital fundraising, and with policy developments from bodies such as the Financial Conduct Authority. Founders positioned the platform to serve community projects in towns like Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham, and to complement funding sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Comic Relief, and local City Council grant schemes. Over time Crowdfunder (UK) formed partnerships with organizations including BBC, National Lottery Community Fund, Sport England, and regional entities such as Greater London Authority and Scottish Government. The platform expanded during crises—supporting campaigns after events like the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the Grenfell Tower fire, and the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom—and engaged with charities such as The Trussell Trust, Save the Children, Shelter (charity), and British Red Cross.

Platform and Services

The platform offers project pages, multimedia hosting, social sharing tools, and integration with payment processors used by organizations like Barclays, HSBC, Worldpay, and Stripe (company). Creators include individuals, registered charities like RSPCA, Cancer Research UK, community interest companies, social enterprises, and arts organisations such as Royal Shakespeare Company, Tate Modern, National Theatre, and local theatres in Leeds and Glasgow. Crowdfunder (UK) provides administrative dashboards akin to services from Salesforce, outreach tools compatible with Mailchimp, and analytics features similar to offerings by Google Analytics. It supports campaigns for festivals such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe, film projects associated with British Film Institute, sports clubs linked to Football Association, and heritage projects working with institutions like English Heritage and Historic England.

Funding Models and Fees

Crowdfunder (UK) operates primarily using all-or-nothing and keep-it-all models familiar to users of Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Fee structures reference payment processing norms set by firms like PayPal Holdings and Stripe (company), and adhere to guidelines from the Information Commissioner's Office and consumer protection practices discussed in the Competition and Markets Authority. The platform has offered free listing for some charity campaigns while applying platform fees or optional tips on other projects in line with practices by JustGiving and GoFundMe. For match-funding initiatives, Crowdfunder has collaborated with funders such as National Lottery Community Fund, Young Start (Scotland), European Social Fund (historically), and private philanthropists as seen in schemes funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Fee transparency and dispute handling have been influenced by rulings and guidance from bodies such as the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Notable Campaigns and Impact

Crowdfunder (UK) has facilitated campaigns that raised funds for cultural restoration projects connected to St Paul's Cathedral, local museums like Imperial War Museum, community sports infrastructure for clubs affiliated with Football Association, and arts education programs involving institutions such as Royal Opera House. It supported emergency relief following the Grenfell Tower fire and local recovery efforts after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, collaborating with charities such as The Felix Project and Refuge (charity). Campaigns have been run by prominent individuals and groups associated with entities like Sir Paul McCartney, Dame Judi Dench, Banksy, and organisations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, and Greenpeace (UK). Impact assessments referenced case studies that mirror evaluations conducted by bodies like the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Nesta on the social value of crowdfunding and community finance in towns including Newcastle upon Tyne and Cardiff.

Regulatory and Legal Issues

Crowdfunder (UK) must comply with regulations and guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority, the Information Commissioner's Office, and consumer protection oversight from the Competition and Markets Authority and Citizens Advice. Legal considerations include charitable law interpreted by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, taxation guidance from HM Revenue and Customs, and contract principles applied in disputes arbitrated by tribunals such as the Civil Procedure Rules courts and Small Claims Court. Data protection responsibilities reflect the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. The platform has adapted policies in response to legal challenges seen in the sector, such as precedent-setting cases involving JustGiving and regulatory initiatives driven by reports from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Partnerships and Corporate Structure

Crowdfunder (UK) has entered into partnerships with media organisations including BBC, Guardian Media Group, and ITV, philanthropic trusts such as the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, sports bodies like Sport England and UK Sport, and cultural funders like Arts Council England and British Council. Corporate partners have included Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, and technology firms such as Stripe (company) and Amazon Web Services. Governance involves trustees and executives comparable to governance models at organisations like Nesta and The National Lottery Community Fund. The company has engaged in collaborative initiatives with local authorities across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and with national programmes linked to the National Lottery.

Category:Crowdfunding