crowdfunding

American  

[kroud-fuhn-ding] / ˈkraʊdˌfʌn dɪŋ /

Or crowd-funding

noun

1. the activity or process of raising money from a large number of people, typically through a website, as for a project or small business.

---

Other Word Forms

• crowdfunded
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of crowdfunding

First recorded in 2005–10; crowd ¹ + fund + -ing ¹

Explanation

Crowdfunding is raising money online for a business or project. Most successful crowdfunding ventures get donations from a large number of people. If you've always wanted to open a bookstore but don't have the money to buy books and rent a space, you could try crowdfunding. Online platforms allow would-be entrepreneurs to describe their business ideas and invite people to donate. Crowdfunding is used to raise money for art projects, travel, and medical expenses that aren't covered by insurance. The term dates from around 2010, coined from crowd, "large group of people," and fund, "supply with money."

Example Sentences

A crowdfunding page set up to cover funeral and memorial expenses, the search for Vazquez’s dog Coco, medical and other costs offered some heartbreaking details.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The trial is just the latest in a long line of controversies to blight the once-revered abode, which is currently owned by developer Steven “Bo” Belmont, CEO of “real estate crowdfunding firm” Belwood Investments.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

In 2020, Mintram launched a crowdfunding appeal to cover winter costs and said he would consider selling his house to ensure the park survived during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

But his family saw the stress the payments were causing him and set up a crowdfunding page, where they raised roughly $25,000 to cover the rest of his payments.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Purchased through community crowdfunding, the vehicle has become a symbol of how local residents stepped in to help Nepal's police rebuild after one of the most violent episodes of unrest in recent years.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026