Working for a cause
When Tania Burstin introduced the concept of online crowdfunding to the market back in 2007, it was met with hesitation. But today, it’s an institution in Australian fundraising, and has significant applications in the Jewish community too. Phoebe Roth reports.
WHEN Tania Burstin was volunteering for a charity 10 years ago, the team was trying to raise money for a fun run. She recalls it wasn’t easy, coordinating cash and cheques from all directions.
“I thought there must be a better way. I did some research, and decided to start an online fundraising platform where the charity would be the beneficiary, and people could request donations on their own online page from their friends and family,” she explains.
Indeed, it was the first donation platform of its kind in Australia. Little did Burstin expect it would grow to be Australia’s biggest personal-cause crowdfunding site.