CROWDFUDING AS A METHOD OF FINANCING ECOLOGICAL PROJECT

Abstract

Crowdfunding is a method of financing new ventures, enabling individual founders of commercial, cultural or social projects to demand financing for many people, often in return for future products or actions. Crowdfunding projects can vary considerably in both purpose and size, from small art projects to entrepreneurs. It should be emphasized that crowdfunding successfully enters the field of environmental projects. Not infrequently, it achieves a higher success rate than other ideas funded by the online community. Other platforms are being created in the world dedicated to financing „green” investments. The aim of the article is presenting the concept of crowdfunding, its essence and assumptions in the context of acquiring capital for ecological projects. The first part of the article presents the essence of crowdfunding, a typology of crowdfunding models, the second part presents the state of global crowdfunding, while in the third part the results of research on crowdfunding platforms operating in the world that operate in the area of environmental protection and examples of the most interesting ones. A study of crowdfunding platforms operating in the world was carried out. The research involved identification of platforms, crowdfunding models and their classification. After the selection, platforms have been distinguished that deal with the financing of ecological projects. As a result of the study, 29 operating world crowdfunding platforms have been identified that operate on the basis of a donation, loan and share model. The article raises a new but important aspect of financing activities, especially organic. It should be noted that there is still little knowledge about the role of crowdfunding in financing environmental projects in the world. The article examines how many crowdfunding platforms support ecological projects, to what extent and by what model.