性视界

Platform model

is a British crowdfunding platform that funds civic projects that improve neighborhoods and public spaces. It seeks to 鈥渕ake it as easy as possible for as many people as possible to bring their civic environment to life.鈥澛燜ormer architecture and urban planning journalist Chris Gourlay founded Spacehive in 2011 because he wanted to democratize urban planning, which he felt was held back by the 鈥渕erry-go-round of planning meetings, consultations, fundraising rallies and paperwork.鈥�

Spacehive encourages all project types鈥攂ig and small鈥攖o use its platform. To date, the total value of funded projects is聽拢3.8 million, with the average value of a project at聽拢28,500.聽Previously funded projects include a community center in South Wales, a collective artists space in Croydon, and a papier mache Queen’s Head for a parade.

Here is how the funding process works:

1. Anyone can login and create a project page, which entails describing the project in detail, identifying聽the location, and selecting the fundraising target and deadline.
2. Spacehive approves the project.
3. Spacehive posts the project.
4. Users view projects by type, city and neighborhood and choose which ones to fund.
5. If the project reaches its fundraising goal by its deadline, then the project is funded. Like Kickstarter, Spacehive uses an all-or-nothing funding model; projects that fall short of their goal are not funded.

Pathways to a Just Digital Future

Watch this tech inequality series featuring scholars, practitioners, & activists

Spacehive also allows users to create hives, which are incubators for projects that “work by connecting project creators with communities of likeminded supporters鈥攆rom local people to companies and councils鈥攖hat want to make things happen”. There are now 35 hives on the platform, and are typically set up around a neighborhood or idea. For example, there is a Save Santa hive that collects Christmas themed projects. There is also the #MakeMCR聽hive, which focuses on projects to improve Manchester. Check out the video below on #MakeMCR:

搁别惫别苍耻别听尘辞诲别濒

Spacehive makes money through a series of fees. Although it is free to create a project, successful projects are charged a 5% commission fee (Spacehive adds the commission fee to the overall project cost so the crowd ends up paying the fee). There is also a small transaction fee for successful projects; this fee changes for each project. For example, a project funded by 10,000 small donations will have a higher transaction fee than a project funded by a single large donation. Spacehive also charges聽拢2,000 + VAT a year to maintain a hive.

Incentives

Those who contribute to projects on Spacehive聽are motivated by the desire to enrich their own community. The projects affect their day-to-day lives, so it does not matter that they do not receive a physical product or equity in a company like on Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Spacehive leverages community聽to create a sense of ownership amongst the crowd. It is rewarding, for example, to walk by a park in your neighborhood or attend an arts festival that you helped fund. Additionally, there is no minimum donation and many project goals are small,聽so users still feel like they are making a difference even with a small amount.

Spacehive also incentivizes participation through聽corporate and government partners that聽match the money raised by the crowd for each project. These partners include Experian and the Mayor of London.

Challenges and growth聽

Going forward, Spacehive must聽maintain a聽good relationship with local governments. Spacehive in a way subverts local governments by going directly to the crowd to fund projects, yet it also must work with local governments to implement projects once they are funded. Therefore, it is essential for Spacehive to work hand-in-hand with local governments and emphasize its positive role in local communities.

Another challenge for Spacehive if it wants to grow聽is increasing the amount of projects on the site. In theory the crowd should be motivated by the desire to improve their neighborhood, but many users are busy and would rather contribute to instead of create a project. One way to incentivize project creation is to create a prize or reward for the creator if the project is fully funded.