Civic Crowdfunding in Milan: Between Grass-Roots Actors and Policy Opportunities

In this chapter we present an analysis of civic crowdfunding promoted by the Milan Municipality: it is the most systematic experience conducted in Italy thus far, and the one that permits to draw some reflections, potentially useful also for other Local Authorities. The chapter is organised in paragraphs: the first one is an overview of civic crowdfunding in Italy; the second one discusses the crowdfunding initiative promoted by the Milan Municipality and the main elements emerging from the campaigns conducted so far; in the third one we propose some interpretative hypotheses moving from fieldwork conducted through interviews to some actors involved; finally, the conclusions aim at reconnecting some evidence emerging from the Milan case to the wider international debate on civic crowdfunding as a form of social, economic and political innovation.