Crowdfunding website launched to help community groups

West Sussex County Council has launched a new crowdfunding website to help community groups access more funding.

The West Sussex Crowd website was launched last week and allows local groups to post details of projects they need finance or volunteers for.

Projects listed on the website will also be in the running for up to £5,000 from the county council’s £330,000 Community Initiative Fund (CIF), which will be allocated in three different rounds over the year.

The website is being run by Spacehive, which was the platform used for last year’s successful crowdfunding drive to kickstart the regeneration of Madiera Terrace in Brighton and Hove.

Projects listed on the website will also be eligible for other funds from other organisations, including Crawley Borough Council, which is making money available through the website.

Speaking to New Start, the county council’s cabinet member for safer, stronger communities, Debbie Kennard, said the new website will ‘allow the community to speak’.

‘It’s going to tell us what is going on in our community,’ said Cllr Kennard. ‘It’s going to be a powerful tool for both county councillors and communities. It can make a change and help people give back to the things that we love and the places we live.

‘When the idea came along about crowdfunding, I thought it was a fantastic idea. People can do great things with a small amount. This is all about bringing people together.

‘I’m really looking forward to hearing all about exciting new ideas for community projects,’ she added.

‘We always say in a crisis, everyone gets together. If we could keep that crisis mode in our brains and help each other every day, I think we will have better and stronger communities.’

The founder and chief executive of Spacehive, Chris Gourlay, commented: ‘Spacehive are delighted to be partnering with West Sussex to bring crowdfunding to the county through the West Sussex Crowd.

‘It has been fantastic to see several groups come forward onto the platform so early with their project ideas.’

To find out more, visit West Sussex Crowd here.