Our Crowdfunding Groups
Apply for Berkeley Crowdfunding
Deadlines and Important Dates:
Crowdfund October 1 - October 31, 2023: Apply by August 28, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
Crowdfund February 1 - February 29, 2024: Apply by November 27, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Space in each cohort is limited!
Project SMILEDoes your club sports team, RSO, fraternity/sorority, ASUC office have the resources to realize its vision? Do you have supporters who want to give to your cause?
Berkeley Crowdfunding offers a platform for you to share your story and connect with your network directly to reach your fundraising goals in 30 days! We host two cohorts of participating teams during the academic year (October, February).
Am I eligible? Yes, if you:
What is Berkeley Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a 30-day online fundraising campaign that hosts student, staff, and alumni initiatives on campus. Projects use grassroots outreach to mobilize their community and reach their goal. There are four different campaigns we offer:
Cohort: campaign held in February and October, student organizations participate;
Rec Sports: campaign solely for Recreational Sports Clubs, held October 16 - November 15, 2023
Standalone: campaigns on an independent timeline for UC Berkeley staff only
Thematic: shorter campaign based around a theme, like DEIBJ
You can learn more about each one and submit for any of the four using our application.
Our Impact
Since 2015, Berkeley Crowdfunding has hosted over 250 cohort crowdfunding projects. Last year we raised over $1.2 million for 47 campus programs and students orgs.
Average gift: $107
Average total gifts: 55
Average percent funded: 99%
UC Berkeley Women's Club SoccerLooking for other online fundraising opportunities?*
What is Big Give?
Big Give is an online 24-hour fundraising event; the entire Cal community comes together for one day to support their favorite schools and programs, compete for contest prizes and bragging rights, and highlight the power of philanthropy.
What is a Berkeley Thematic Giving Campaign?
Berkeley Thematic Giving Campaigns are online fundraising events or "hubs" that support a specific theme or goal. For example, the November 2020 Giving Day rallied support for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Social Justice (DEIBJ) programs on campus.
Contact Us
Cohort Crowdfunding, Standalone Crowdfunding
Alex Rodríguez
Assistant Director, Digital Campaigns
alexander.rodriguez@berkeley.edu
Big Give
Ryan Lawrence
Director, Digital Philanthropy
Rec Sports Crowdfunding
Liz Seal
Associate Director and Workforce Analysis & Strategic Projects Manager, Berkeley Rec Sports
Student Experience & Diversity Crowdfunding
Katherine Schiff-Welsh
Assistant Director, SED Digital Giving
kwelsh@berkeley.edu
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What is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is all about mobilizing supporters to give online through peer-to-peer connection. Our project teams build a case for support, a compelling project page, and a digital marketing plan.
The Berkeley Crowdfunding team bolsters your outreach by promoting your project to our platform of over 100,000 supporters. On average, student teams raise about $3,800! Check out some of past crowdfunding projects on the Past Projects page.
What is the difference between cohort and standalone projects?
Cohort:
a. Set campaign dates i.e. October 1 - October 31, February 1 - February 29
b. High level of service: fund management, digital fundraising and marketing training, strategic check-ins throughout campaign
c. Best for student organizations or departments new to fundraising
Standalone (staff only):
a. Participants sets campaign dates
b. Low level of service: fundraising resources and troubleshooting
c. Best for staff projects with fundraiser or fundraising FTE
See the Cohort vs. Standlalone Crowdfunding guide for more details.
How do I participate?
Before applying, please review the Berkeley Crowdfunding Guidelines. For projects with goals over $5,000, contact our program manager before applying.
We select projects based on whether they have proof of concept, an engaged team, a realistic goal, and an established or growing supporter base.
What can I do with my group’s personalized giving page on the ScaleFunder platform?
a. Tell a visual story through videos, graphics, donor walls, and more
b. Communicate with your donors directly from the platform using the Updates feature
c. Utilize Ambassador tools (like custom URLs) to recruit your supporters and widen your network
d. Show in real-time how close you are to reaching your goal
When will I receive my funds?
Funds are either disbursed by the ASUC or your sponsoring unit. This process can take 4-6 weeks after your campaign concludes, though sometimes slightly longer.
Please keep in mind ASUC organizations will incur a 7.5% fee whlie campus units will incur a 10-12.5% fee. These fees subsidize credit card processing, philanthropic staffing costs, and campus maintenance fees.
