Voor je Buurt is a Dutch crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform focused on local social and green initiatives. Based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, it helps residents, associations and neighbourhood groups raise money, recruit volunteers, and find materials or expertise for projects in their street, district, village or city. The platform is also used by public bodies, funds and companies that want to support local initiatives through matchfunding or dedicated programmes.
The project was started in 2012 as a pilot by Kennisland, together with Netwerk Democratie and other partners. The platform itself launched in 2013. Since then, Stichting Voor je Buurt has operated it independently. The organisation says its mission is to enable as many people as possible to take action for a local social or green cause. It also notes that it was among the first platforms worldwide to specialise in crowdfunding for local civic initiatives.
Methodologically, Voor je Buurt combines an online platform with hands-on campaign support. Initiators can set up a campaign to gather funds, time, space or materials, while the organisation and its partners help assess feasibility and guide the process. This mix of digital tools and personal сопровождение is also used in programmes developed for municipalities, foundations and companies.
Current figures on the website indicate 3,088 completed campaigns, 188,257 donors and €12,689,722 raised through crowdfunding. The platform also reports €2,050,859.65 in matchfunding via partners and says it has supported campaigns for 13 years. Recent activity includes a strategic merger with GoodUp, aimed at scaling support for social initiatives by linking them more effectively to businesses, municipalities and funds.