THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM. CROWDFUNDING IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.
Submit Your Project Application Request
Thank you for your interest in organizing and running a UM Foundation Crowdfunding project.
We encourage you to provide as much information as possible when submitting the form on this page. The details you provide will help UM Foundation staff assess whether your project is a good candidate for crowdfunding.
Application Timeline
Applications will be received year-round, but approved crowdfunding campaigns will run on the schedule described in the table below.
Application Due by: | Approval Announced by: | Campaign Launch: |
| February 21 | March 15 | April - May
|
| May 30 | June 15 | August - September * |
| August 31 | September 15 | October - November |
November 30 (of prior year)
| December 15 (of prior year)
| January - February |
*Summer campaigns are generally less successful, but if that timing is preferred, applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We evaluate each applicant to ensure they possess the strong commitment needed to run a successful campaign. Crowdfunding relies on personal networking, so it's best to bring your own "crowd." If your project is selected and launched on the UM Foundation Crowdfunding platform you should be prepared to use your personal, group, department or team email lists as well as social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote your campaign and the impact your project will make on campus.
A Note About Fundraising Goals
Typical UMF crowdfunding projects raise between $500-$5,000. Setting realistic goals helps keep motivation strong and gives your donors a target to work toward. Your target goal should keep in mind the following:
- the financial needs your project is trying to address,
- the size of your potential donor pool
- your personal contacts, and
- the amount of personal effort devoted to the project from your project team.
It is best to set modest, attainable, and realistic goals--and surpass them. Your donors will be inspired to support a project if it shows success and momentum. Best practices show that the more team members you have utilizing their personal networks to share your campaign, the more successful it will be.
Website & Social Media
The key to successful crowdfunding is tapping into personal networking—your most dedicated supporters love the University of Montana, but they are really going to be excited about you and your project. Crowdfunding is a peer-to-peer solicitation rather than an institutional solicitation. You can use your personal or group email lists, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, LinkedIn groups, etc. to promote your project. Remember, it’s best to bring your own “crowd.”
Collect Your Team
In addition to a designated team leader, project teams may elect to have additional people in leadership or ambassador roles. The larger the project goal, the larger the project team should be. Project ambassadors are volunteers committed to fundraising on behalf of the project. Each ambassador may be asked to send emails to their contact list during the campaign. These emails include pre-launch announcements, campaign updates, and donor thank yous. Ambassadors can also support the project leader with other aspects of the campaign. They can write campaign updates, appear in a campaign video, or send thank you notes.
Please complete and submit the application form on this page and a UM Foundation staff member will be in touch once the Office of Annual Giving has assessed your submission. All applicants should be prepared to participate in an application review process where they will meet with the Director of Annual Giving to review specific information about their project and be asked to describe their marketing plans.
