1. Reflect back on the objective of the tool you built: did you exceed it, or fall short? If so, why?

The objective of this platform is to allow citizens to share their ideas and raise the necessary funds for those shared ideas. This platform allows citizens to directly impact the development of their city on the grassroots level. The platform provides Gent residents and businesses with an alternative way to support their projects financially. It is an advanced communication platform where citizens can discuss and propose policy issues to the Government for further discussion. The finality of the efforts of the City of Ghent is to facilitate the crowdfunding of Ghent (non-) profit projects. Ensuring that a crowdfunding platform is operational in Ghent that is at the same time easily accessible, of high quality and reliable.

The platform is still active, it was launched in 2015. There are a number of ongoing crowdfunding initiatives and several initiatives have met their crowdfunding targets on the platform. Since the launch of crowdfunding.gent in March 2015, more than 110 initiatives have raised a total of more than  €300 000. We didn’t have a concrete objective, but we are very satisfied with it.

2. What are the tools’ metrics for success and what does metric say – how well did the tool do?

Do not have concrete metrics for success, however koalect, the developer of the platform, says we are doing well. 

3. Were your assumptions that the tool you built would: increase participation/engagement or tackle an issue/raise awareness correct?

Yes, we wanted to make it possible for the people of Ghent to take the reins themselves, and set up their own initiative online. They don’t have to wait for subsidies from the city, or if they miss out on a subsidy, they can still realise their project thanks to crowdfunding. Because it is a platform full of Ghent’s initiatives, we as a city also have a good overview of what is happening in our city, and we can offer extra support where necessary.

4. Do you think you chose the right approach – and what would you do differently?

We are satisfied the way it is. Unfortunately, we sometimes have too little time for very good follow-up, but most initiatives work very independently. We are also happy with the partner who developed our platform for us (Koalect) and the communication with them.

1. 1. 5. What are you hearing from users? What do they enjoy in tool? What do they find challenging?

Users find the tool very user-friendly and easy to use.

1. 1. 6. Did your tool deliver what you were hoping for? Are they useful for your key user audience? Are they being adopted?

We sometimes get requests from other cities or organisations and see that they have adopted the tool.

1. 1. 7. What worked well through the implementation process? What areas have room for improvement?

In the beginning, Koalect could not meet all our needs. For example, paying with QR codes was not possible, but in the meantime, these problems have been solved. Currently, everything runs the way we want it to. The only improvement we now want to make is to make the platform even more widely known through a broad communication campaign. We will start this in the spring (2022).