Crowdfunding: What's in it for Social Movements?

• In Event: 479 - Section on Global and Transnational Sociology Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Section on Global and Transnational Sociology Roundtables (one-hour). Table 01. Protest and Social Movements

Abstract

This article analyzes conservation organizations’ use of a transnational crowdfunding campaign as part of their social movement activity through interviews with key staff members of the conservation organizations and an analysis of the organizations’ crowdfunding webpage. The process by which conservation organizations generate environmental communication, including the funding involved in this process, is an important area of analysis. Obtaining resources is key to social movement success and online fundraising offers unique opportunities for social movement organizations that have not been reported on before. Findings suggest that beyond raising monetary resources, the crowdfunding initiative functions in other, non-monetary, ways. Specifically, the crowdfunding initiative offers the opportunity for framing, narrative development, and internal organizing. However, the time and resources involved with developing and running campaigns may bring about challenges as well, suggesting that resource-rich conservation organizations may be better positioned to make use of crowdfunding campaigns to raise funds to develop communication material. The study highlights the importance of considering crowdfunding in environmental communication scholarship.

Author

• Elizabeth Anne Gervais Schwarz, University of California-Riverside