Digital Zakat for Disaster Resilience: A Cross-Sector Collaboration Model between Fintech Platforms, Islamic NGOs, and Government Agencies in Indonesia

Abstract

Humanitarian crises and frequent disasters in Indonesia require innovative and collaborative response models to address the “last-mile dilemma”. This article unpacks the “black box” of operational collaboration between FinTech innovation and Islamic philanthropy in the context of disaster resilience. This qualitative case study of the Kitabisa.com and The National Board of Zakat partnership (2018-2024) analyzes digital artifacts and public documents to explore the mechanisms, evolution, and challenges of the partnership. The findings map an evolution of three typological models: (1) Channeling Model (tactical and reactive partnership), (2) Integrated Campaign Model (programmatic partnership based on co-branding), and (3) Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) Model (infrastructural partnership with a transparent fee structure). The discussion analysis reveals that this evolution not only represents a sectoral maturation from sympathy-based to data-driven philanthropy but also gives rise to power dynamics, tensions of philanthropic commodification, and data governance complexities. The article concludes that this strategic collaboration is a fundamental solution to bridge the gap between the speed of digital mobilization and on-the-ground execution capacity, while simultaneously facing inherent sustainability challenges. The resulting typology serves as a conceptual framework and a practical roadmap for stakeholders in building more effective, accountable, and sustainable digital philanthropy partnerships.