HenFunder applications open
September 04, 2019
Students, faculty and staff encouraged to promote projects that benefit UD
Whether focused on recreation, health and wellness resources or scholarships to encourage academic success, organizations and groups across the University of Delaware campus fundraise for a common goal: to support student success at UD.
HenFunder, UD’s online crowdfunding platform, provides fundraising groups with the tools to make their message go even further. Launched last year with great success, HenFunder makes it easier for UD departments, programs and student groups of all sizes to effectively raise funds for campus projects, athletic programs and other causes.
“With HenFunder’s online crowdfunding platform, we can call on our entire UD community to find and support a campus cause that matters to them with gifts of any size,” said Jim Dicker, vice president of development and alumni relations. “Since HenFunder launched, we’ve seen passionate groups make the most of this resource, and we want to motivate and reward them in their quest to unite Blue Hens around their projects.”
With a fresh academic year underway, UD students, faculty and staff are encouraged to apply to launch HenFunder campaigns for their projects that align with UD’s mission. Interested UD groups should submit an application for their philanthropic project, which will then be reviewed by staff from UD’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations. On the HenFunder platform, new and returning donors can explore the various fundraising projects online, and groups can communicate with their networks via posts and emails.
Hoping to encourage even more groups to participate and make the most of this resource, there is an additional incentive to utilize HenFunder this fall. Those who work hard to quickly secure at least 25 donors through HenFunder between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, will have their cause promoted as part of the University’s overall Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign. The gifts received during that period can be at any gift level, emphasizing the importance and power of collective giving from a number of supporters.
Giving Tuesday, nationally recognized on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, will take place on Dec. 3 this year. As part of last year’s Giving Tuesday, the HenFunder platform featured several projects focused on multi-disciplinary experiential learning opportunities and specific college programs. Also, it promoted the Student Crisis Fund, which directly helps students in need.
Thanks to HenFunder, the Student Crisis Fund saw an increased outpouring of support, both on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year, said Meaghan Davidson, who oversees the Student Crisis Fund as assistant dean of students.
With this incredible influx of philanthropic support, the Student Crisis Fund was able to help 15 students, more than twice what it had in previous years, with various and unexpected financial needs. This assistance included offering travel support to a student with an ill family member, as well as support to students who needed to replace books and supplies that were damaged as the result of catastrophic events. The fund also routinely provides help for students experiencing food and home insecurity, especially during holiday breaks.
“All of us on campus want to support student success, and some people may have ideas for how they want to make a difference but don’t have the resources,” Davidson said. “On HenFunder, we got instant feedback to see how important our cause was because we saw people giving to it, and that provided a lot of affirmation that the work we are doing is important.”
If you have questions regarding HenFunder, contact Julie Donohue, assistant director of digital fundraising, at donohuej@udel.edu or submit an application here.
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