Online fundraising for events

The basics

The University has two primary websites for online fundraising, makingagift.umn.edu for everyday giving and URaiseMN for crowdfunding projects and event-related fundraising. We encourage all groups fundraising for a U of M cause to be explicit about which U of M cause they’re fundraising for and to link directly to our giving pages, if they have a website or online presence of any kind for their activities.

Linking to the U’s online giving platform is important for the following reasons:

  • It ensures that we receive the gifts promptly. If other sites are used to collect gifts, we don’t always receive the donations in a timely manner.
  • The donors are thanked by the U and receive receipts for their tax-deductible giving.
  • We have a dedicated gift processing team to handle any giving questions or issues.

URaiseMN

The UMF crowdfunding web platform URaiseMN allows users to create customized fundraising pages for University causes and events, and provides them with the tools to solicit their networks to raise funds for their cause. Users can create an individual page, where they can fundraise for a U cause on their own, or team page that allows others to join them in fundraising for a U cause.

Restrictions on crowdfunding

  • The U’s crowdfunding site is for outright gifts only and cannot be used for:
  • Event registration
  • Memberships
  • Sponsorships
  • Any promised goods and/or services in exchange for donations