What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is sponsorship by a crowd of many donors, each making an individual, small donation in return for a small reward, like a t-shirt or a project poster. It works really well for universities because there are large groups of people who want to see your projects succeed, such as alumni, or your friends and family.

What is fundraising?

Fundraising is when an individual or group undertake a challenge, celebrate an occasion or remember someone in support of one of the University's charitable funds. It works really well for universities because there are large groups of people, such as alumni, staff and students, who want to support student scholarships and initiatives.

Who are the sponsors?

Your sponsors will be individuals such as alumni, friends, and family. Occasionally, they may also be complete strangers! How many people your project reaches is up to you!

Can I raise more than my funding target?

Yes! There is no limit to how much you can raise and it is common for projects to raise more than their minimum and sometimes more than their funding target!

What's all-or-nothing funding?

When crowdfunding, we ask you for two amounts - the minimum target you need to carry out your project, and your ultimate target. Funds only go to the Creator if a project has reached its minimum once it hits its end date. This means you only need to carry out your project and deliver rewards if you achieve this minimum target. We recommend setting the minimum at the smallest amount you need to complete your project and successfully deliver rewards. You can still set a bigger project target as well! Most projects receive considerably more than their minimum!

All-or-nothing funding only applies to crowdfunding projects and does not impact fundraising projects. There are no minimum or maximum funding limits regarding fundraising projects as all donations go directly to the charitable fund.

YuFund Matching

Thanks to gifts from alumni and friends we're able to offer YuFund matching to eligible projects of up to 50% of their project’s minimum goal up to £1,000. If you'd like to find out if your project is eligible for YuFund support please see the YuFund application guidelines here or contact the YuStart team here to find out more about how this would apply to your project.

Are there any fees?

We cover the costs of the platform and payment processing fees, so that you always get 100% of the value of your pledges.

If my crowdfunding project is successfully funded when will I receive my funds?

Please allow at least 14 days from the end of your project for payment to be made. If you are a YUSU-ratified student group, your funds will be transferred to your own funds account. If your group is not ratified with YUSU, you must record your payment details here . It is up to you to make sure that this is done, and failure to do so may mean that payment of your funds is delayed.