In an effort to drive a collaborative and productive academic atmosphere, the Center for Research and Community Engagement Development (P4M) at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), in collaboration with the Financial Markets and Institutions Research Group (RG), organized a Working Paper Forum event titled “The Success of Social Project in Online Donation-Based Crowdfunding in Indonesia.” The event, which was conducted virtually via a Zoom Meeting on Tuesday, April 27, 2026, was attended by faculty members and students within FEB UNS.

The Head of P4M FEB UNS, Dr. Wahyu Widarjo, S.E., M.Si., stated in his opening remarks that the selected theme is highly relevant to the rapidly growing phenomenon of crowdfunding in Indonesia. “Through this activity, we aim to enhance the academic atmosphere within the faculty to encourage research interest as well as the quantity and quality of studies. This is also part of our joint efforts to achieve key performance indicators (IKU) and establish FEB as a world-class faculty,” he expressed.

Furthermore, he also hoped that participants would gain insights from the speaker, who possesses extensive experience in generating publications for reputable international journals.

The speaker for this event, Tastaftiyan Risfandy, S.E., M.Sc., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs at FEB UNS, presented his research regarding the success of social projects on donation-based crowdfunding platforms in Indonesia, specifically utilizing data from the Kitabisa platform. He explained that crowdfunding is a funding method that involves contributions from numerous individuals to support a project or initiative, particularly those of a social nature.

The study utilized data from 2,814 crowdfunding campaigns spanning the 2018–2026 period. The research findings indicate that social campaigns possess a higher probability of success compared to other types of campaigns. Additionally, factors such as the funding target, the experience of the fundraiser, and momentum—such as the month of Ramadan—also influence campaign success rates. Notably, Indonesia is recorded as one of the most generous countries in the world, with 83% of the population participating in donations in 2021.

Furthermore, the study discovered regional differences, where social campaigns located outside Java Island tend to be more successful than those within Java. Cultural factors, social solidarity, and donor participation serve as vital elements in determining campaign success. Overall, the results of this study confirm that social campaigns significantly increase the probability of funding success and the total amount of funds collected.

Hopefully, this forum can nurture an exchange of ideas and a strengthening of the research culture will take place within FEB UNS, while simultaneously contributing to the expansion of literature on donation-based crowdfunding in Indonesia. This activity supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) through the strengthening of academic research, and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through the collaboration between units and research groups in advancing scientific knowledge.