Matchfunding: financing the Sustainable Development Goals from the local scale- A case study of short food supply chains in the Community of Madrid

Civic crowdfunding can be considered as a sustainable finance modality that takes into consideration not only the economic evaluation of projects, but also their social and environmental impacts. This article aims to analyze civic crowdfunding and matchfunding as tools to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the local and regional levels. To this end, we analyzed the pilot experience of crowdfunding with institutional support called “Matchfunding Madrid Km Region”, which seeks to promote innovation in short food supply chains and local food. In addition, interviews were conducted with the political leaders of 35 municipalities in the Region of Madrid about acceptability, benefits and barriers that matchfunding may have in local administrations. Civic crowdfunding, and specifically matchfunding, is a tool that has a great potential to finance local projects that bring about progress to sustainable development and set a political and social agenda around the SDGs. Among other benefits, these mechanisms foster citizen participation and entrepreneurial activity. To promote their implementation by local and regional administrations, a greater dissemination of good practices and research on these mechanisms at the local and regional scale is necessary.