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How is Beam different from other crowdfunding platforms?
How is Beam different from other crowdfunding platforms?

Learn about our unique, personalised model

Alex Stephany avatar
Written by Alex Stephany
Updated over a week ago

We built Beam because we saw the need for a completely different type of crowdfunding platform. There are five major differences between Beam and other crowdfunding platforms.

1. Collaborative, not competitive

On other crowdfunding platforms, some campaigns succeed and others fail. Beam is different. We ensure every campaign successfully funds by splitting over 80% of donations fairly between all campaigns. So far, 100% of our campaigns have successfully funded.

2. Fair community

On other crowdfunding platforms, you have to choose a specific campaign to fund. On Beam, as well as supporting a specific person, you can let Beam direct your donation for you, using an algorithm that spreads donations without regard to any personal characteristics.

Donate monthly and the same algorithm automatically allocates your donation to a new person each month. This creates a fair community where campaigns fund at an almost identical rate, while allowing you to support a diverse group of people.

3. Partnered with experts

Beam is partnered with more than 50 leading charities and government partners, who make referrals of their clients to Beam. We’re also advised by prominent figures in the social impact sector. 

4. Crowdfunding + Services

Beam is a hybrid between a crowdfunding platform and a services organisation. Each person has a caseworker, an employee of Beam who supports them all the way into a job or home. Beam also looks after donations and purchases the budgeted items for each campaign on behalf of each person. We never hand out cash to the people we support.

5. Outcomes-focused

Other crowdfunding platforms have a business model that incentivises them to raise large sums of money, regardless of how that money is spent. Beam, on the other hand, is an outcomes-based organisation. We view success in terms of people finding and sustaining jobs and homes, using the least funding possible to achieve those ends. 

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