Our Crowdfunding Groups
Apply for Berkeley Crowdfunding
Deadlines and Important Dates:
Crowdfund October 1 - October 31, 2022: Apply by August 24, 2022 at 11:59 pm.
**Crowdfund April 1 - April 15, 2023: Apply by February 10, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Space in each cohort is limited!
**As of the 2022-2023 school year, Berkeley Crowdfunding will host the Spring cohort in April instead of February. We aim to build off the momentum of March's Big Give, and provide teams more time to prepare for their campaign.
Project SMILEDoes your program, club sport team, student organization, fraternity/sorority, or student government office have the resources to realize its vision? Do you have supporters but haven’t yet been able to mobilize them to give?
Berkeley Crowdfunding offers a platform to use storytelling and peer-to-peer connection to reach your fundraising goals in a 30-day campaign, two cohorts of participating teams during the academic year.
Eligible Projects: Are affiliated with UC Berkeley and non-profit in nature; have a sponsoring Berkeley department, program, or center in which donations can be deposited into; consist of project leaders that are willing to create and market promotion materials before, during, and after the campaign; and gain approval by submitting an application before the next round’s deadline.
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.
Submit a cohort crowdfunding application. Please note student organizations participate in cohort fundraising only.
Submit a standalone crowdfunding application. Please note standalone projects are limited to UC Berkeley staff only.
See our Cohort vs. Standalone Crowdfunding guide for more details.
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: $126
Average total gifts: 42
Average percent funded: 102%
UC Berkeley Women's Club SoccerLooking for other online fundraising opportunities?*
*This is not a complete list; please contact us with any specific questions about the best fit for your project's funding needs.
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
Becca Lizarraga
Assistant Director, Digital Philanthropy
Alex Rodríguez
Assistant Director, Digital Student Giving
alexander.rodriguez@berkeley.edu
Standalone crowdfunding, Big Give, giving days
Ryan Lawrence
Director, Digital Philanthropy
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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.
How do I participate?
Before applying, please review the Berkeley Crowdfunding Guidelines. For projects with goals over $10,000, contact our program manager before applying.
We select projects based on whether they have proof of concept, an engaged team, 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 from the platform using the Updates feature
c. Utilize Ambassador tools to recruit your supporters and widen your network
What is the difference between cohort and standalone projects?
Cohort:
a. Set campaign dates i.e. October 1 - October 31, April 1 - April 30
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.
When will I receive my funds?
Funds are either disbursed by the ASUC or your sponsoring unit. This process can take 2-3 weeks after your campaign concludes, though sometimes slightly longer.
