Crowdfunding workshop held in Whanganui

Anna Guenther and Barry Grehan from crowdfunding company PledgeMe. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Understanding crowdfunding and how it can benefit organisations was the theme of a workshop held in Whanganui on Friday evening.

The workshop was hosted by Double Farley in Watt St, and run by Anna Guenther and Barry Grehan from crowdfunding organisation PledgeMe.

"We know there are some exceptional businesses and organisations in Whanganui with great support, so we wanted to introduce them to crowdfunding," Ms Guenther said.

She said crowdfunding often worked well in the regions because organisations had particularly good connections with their communities. She said there was the potential for many local enterprises to use the platform to fund their aspirations.

"Crowdfunding is still a relatively new concept, but we have seen it help Kiwis fund the things they care about, time and again," Ms Guenther said.

PledgeMe is just one crowdfunding platform available. It launched in 2014, and in two years has helped raised $12.7 million across 1000 campaigns.

Ms Guenther said the Whanganui workshop was part of a North Island tour, which began in Palmerston North on Thursday. It follows a South Island tour in July.

"I think people appreciate that we come to their town and visit them - that's not just something confined to the big cities," she said.