In response to a recent study – Living on the Edge – which called attention to economic insecurity among Jewish households in Greater Rhode Island, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island has developed an online crowdfunding website called Jboost.org. This website is intended to “raise funds to raise the community” by growing safety net services, promoting self-sufficiency and increasing access to Jewish life in Greater Rhode Island.

Based on the success of other crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, the Alliance aims to involve a large number of small funders – as opposed to a few large funders – to reach a financial goal to boost projects for 501(c)(3)s throughout greater Rhode Island.