Crowdfunding research
August 8, 2014
THE Oncology Network has
launched a campaign to raise
funds for The Cancer Crowd, a
crowdfunding platform dedicated
to cancer research, technology
and support projects.
The Network was trying to raise
$25,000 which would be used to
launch, manage and promote the
platform and projects, Oncology
Network marketing director
Graham Knowles said.
When launched, the platform
would be free to not-forprofit
organisations to launch
crowdfunding campaigns for their
oncology projects which needed
funding, he said.
Oncology Network executive
officer Rachael Babin said it was
difficult to attract lower levels of
funding for smaller projects and
the platform would help with this.
It would give the oncology
community a new option for
funding and a dedicated oncology
crowdfunding platform would
ensure projects were easy to find
and get people excited about,
Knowles said.
The campaign would help
educate the oncology community
about what was involved in
crowdfunding campaigns and
the associated processes and
difficulties, he said.
Projects applying to use the
platform would be vetted for
eligibility using criteria laid out by
the Oncology Network and any
ambiguous applications would
be reviewed by experts from the
oncology community, Knowles
said.
Crowdfunding sites generally
charged 5 to 10% of the target
to use the site and The Cancer
Crowd would likely charge forprofit
organisations towards the
lower end of this, he said.
Once the funding target was
reached, the platform could
likely be launched in four weeks,
Knowles said.
Within 48 hours of the
campaign’s launch, more than
13% of the target had been
pledged, the Oncology Network
said.
Knowles said this kind of
funding would develop into niche
areas, such as heart research, in
the future.
There are 56 days left to raise
the funds - CLICK HERE for more.
Research Australia ceo Elizabeth
Foley said crowdfunding was one
of the major forces of the future
and she applauded the move.
It was great to see the sector
developing digital competency,
she said, and she too believed the
sector would see more of this in
the future.
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