Abstract
Online charitable crowdfunding has become an increasingly prevalent way for Canadians to deal with costs that they would otherwise not be able to shoulder on their own. With the onset of COVID-19 and related lockdown measures, there is evidence of a surge in crowdfunding use relating to the pandemic. This study gathered, classified, and analysed Canadian crowdfunding campaigns created in response to COVID-19 from GoFundMe.com, a popular crowdfunding platform. Spatio-temporal analysis of classified campaigns allowed for observation of emergent trends in the distribution of pandemic-related need incidence and financial support throughout the pandemic. Campaigns raising money on behalf of established charities were the most common in the sample, and accounted for the greatest portion of funding raised, while campaigns for businesses made up a small proportion. Dense metropolitan areas accounted for the vast majority of campaign locations, and total sample funding was disproportionately raised by campaigners in Ontario and British Columbia.
Highlights
In times of crisis, charitable crowdfunding serves as a popular method to connect those willing to give with those in need
Charitable crowdfunding has become an increasingly popular way for people to deal with unmanageable expenses, and the expenses incurred by many millions of Canadians over the last twelve months due to COVID-19 are no exception
Collection and analysis of COVID-19 related crowdfunding campaigns from GoFundMe revealed a significant number of Canadians who had turned to crowdfunding to help themselves personally, but more so on behalf of charitable organizations in Canada and abroad
Summary
Charitable crowdfunding serves as a popular method to connect those willing to give with those in need. From the half-billion dollars raised by the American Red Cross on behalf those impacted by the 2010 Haiti earthquake [1], to concerts raising money to fight SARS [2], and even to donations made at grocery store checkouts, crowdfunding initiatives funded by everyday people have been known to raise generous sums when the need arises. Even though these crowdfunding initiatives manifest in different forms, their unifying aspect is that they are charitable in nature, and on behalf of those in need as opposed to equity-based crowdfunding which raises money for the launch of a business venture.
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