Crowdfunding: Recognized Student Organization Guidelines
Crowdfund.NewHaven is the University of New Haven’s crowdfunding platform for the University’s sanctioned fundraising. Crowdfunding offers our donors a new avenue to provide support directly to the schools, programs and specific projects at the University that are most meaningful to them. Crowdfunding also helps our faculty and students achieve their philanthropic goals. Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and/or departments may fundraise using Crowdfund.NewHaven—individuals may not use the platform.
Crowdfunding ideas: innovative projects, service trips, events, research, and other University-specific ventures.
If you are interested in using Crowdfund.NewHaven for your fundraising needs, please review the guidelines below and submit the following application with as much detail as possible.
- Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) using Community Funded, the University’s Crowdfunding platform will solicit donations from current students, faculty/staff, alumni and friends for approved, specific needs of the RSO, including but not limited to: scholarships, travel expenses for a conference, money to bring speakers or performers to campus, etc.
- Per IRS regulations, we are not permitted to fundraise for any entity other than the explicit benefit of the University. RSO’s may not use this platform to solicit donations for outside philanthropies or individuals that the RSO’s may support through other means. We cannot process these donations through the website.
- Purchases must follow Student Activities guidelines, nor should the donations be used to purchase:
- alcohol
- tobacco
- sexually related products, *unless for sex education.
- RSOs are not permitted to fundraise on their own without approval from CSELO and the Office of Advancement
- RSOs coordinating a Crowdfunding campaign must follow all appropriate student government protocols to utilize funds raised and only to meet the specific need (s) of the initial request
- RSO’s who have a Crowdfunding page must have a Banner account in order to access their funds and will need to submit a formal check request for these funds as they do for the appropriate student government channels.
- These donations will be recorded under the RSO’s gift account and the amounts will roll over from year to year if unused.
- All cash/check donations should be submitted immediately to the Office of Student Activities with the appropriate donor information so that the funds can be deposited into your account and so that the donors can receive official tax credit for their support. Cash/check gifts receive a hard copy acknowledgement to serve for tax purposes.
- If a RSO wants to give a donor credit online for cash/check donation they must promptly notify unhadvancement@newhaven.eduwith the donor’s name, email, and donation amount. Only then will these gifts reflect the total raised on their site. **Cash/check donations may take 1-2 business days to appear on the team/RSO’s platform site.**