DOES CIVIC CROWDFUNDING REPRESENT AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO SPREAD PARTICIPATORY CITIZENSHIP?

The authors investigate whether Web Civic Crowdfunding can support local authorities in the financing of public initiatives that are not a priority for municipalities or that can’t be realized due to the limited budgets of local entities. After illustrating how some platforms of Civic Crowdfunding work, adopting a phenomenon-based approach, authors highlight the technological and cultural limits that this tool finds in the Italian context. Some suggestions are proposed, they are useful for removing these limits and for creating the right conditions to promote and increase the use of Web Civic Crowdfunding. The outcomes of the paper might be useful for the management of local authorities and for common people who can consider the opportunities linked to the application of this innovative approach of funding public service and social needs