FundRAZOR | Project Application

FundRAZOR Project Application

Have a great idea? How about a team to make it happen and a crowd ready to support your cause? If so, submit your project idea today!
About FundRAZOR

FundRAZOR, the official crowdfunding platform at the University of Arkansas, is designed to help faculty, staff and students raise money for innovative ideas and important initiatives across campus. Projects are created and promoted by U of A groups to fund everything from student scholarships and cutting-edge research to service trips and once-in-a-lifetime academic experiences. You can see examples of current and past projects at fundrazor.uark.edu.
How the Application Process Works

This application will evaluate your project’s suitability for either a 15-day or 30-day crowdfunding campaign. Applications must be submitted at least *8-9 WEEKS* before the desired launch date of your campaign to allow ample time for approval, team training and content development. The FundRAZOR Committee meets about once a month to go over application submissions. Below are both timeline options.
15-Day Project Timeline

This timeline is highly recommended. More weeks in a campaign actually result in longer periods of donor inactivity and fundraising fatigue among project teams.
30-Day Project Timeline

This option is recommended for projects centered around month-long events and celebrations.
Which project timeline are you interested in?

Is this project, scholarship, and/or program housed within the University of Arkansas?
Great!

Only UA-affiliated entities can utilize FundRAZOR.
Sorry, FundRAZOR can only be used to fundraise for projects at the University of Arkansas with UA account numbers. :-(

You may want to check out the Nonprofit & Small Business Resource Center at the Fayetteville Public Library: https://www.faylib.org/non-profits-8094
Does this project have a UA Foundation account number that is currently active and able to accept gifts? These start with either a 30 or 31 and are 8 digits.
Great! What is that account number?
This should appear as either 30-XXXXXX or 31-XXXXXX. "Accounts" that start with either DS, PG, or GF are instead "worktags."
You're so close! Unfortunately, only applications with non-pending, active account numbers are considered for approval.

Do come back though when it has finished processing! :-)
Unfortunately, only applications with existing account numbers are considered for approval.

Interested in creating an account? This process can take up to 4 weeks and requires an initial donation to open an account with the Foundation. To get started, fill out the "New Project ID" form (bit.ly/NewUAAccount) and return to Gift Administration at giftagmt@uark.edu. You can also send questions to that email as well. When you have your account created, come back to see us! :-)
Would you be able to check with your Dept Finance person? Unfortunately, only applications containing an account number are considered for approval.

If your finance contact is unsure, let them know that a Foundation account number should either start with 30 or 31 and would be 8 digits long. If your team is still stumped, reach out to Gift Administration and they can help find that number for you! :-) https://advancement.uark.edu/offices/gift-services.php
Is this for a RSO or a UREC Club Sport?
Perfect!
Great!

While you can absolutely apply for a FundRAZOR project, did you know that UREC Club Sports already has its own online giving site that requires no application, required content, or task deadlines?! :-) If you choose to go that route instead, you can begin fundraising right now at bit.ly/URECClubSports!
Sorry, we cannot utilize FundRAZOR for RSOs because they run on a completely different accounting system. :-(

Due to this, departments can also not make financial donations or bank transfers to RSOs, as well as donate materials to be sold at fundraisers. All is not lost though! You can find approved ways to fundraise here: https://involvement.uark.edu/registered-student-organizations/finances-and-fundraising.php

Name

FirstLast
Are you the project leader?
Email
example@uark.edu
University of Arkansas Affiliation
Department

College or Unit Affiliation (choose only one)
Project Title
Is the purpose of this project to sell tickets for an event?
Have you submitted an event approval form yet?
Are the ticket/packages that you are wanting to sale considered at least 50% tax deductible?
Briefly Describe the Project
How would you describe your project in a nutshell?
What is the purpose of the project and how will it make a positive difference?
Explain in detail what your project is and how it is a tangible need with measurable results. Feel free to include stats or recent milestones.

Crowdfunding is all about a large number of people making small gifts, and success is ultimately measured by a project team's ability to reach out to their personal networks. Because of this, goal amounts are purely based on reach and audience size. According to research on higher education crowdfunding, below is the general rule of thumb:

1 Personal Email = $4

With this in mind, think about how many individual emails and/or phone numbers (for text messages) your team can obtain BEFORE your project launch. This will determine the best goal amount.
Considering the graph above, how much do you hope to fundraise based on your team's personal network size?
FundRAZOR project goals average between $2,000 and $10,000. Goals will ultimately be determined based on need, reach and audience size.
What is the minimum dollar amount the project would need to be successful?
If you are not able to meet 100% of your fundraising needs, what ways can you still utilize the funds?
How will funds be utilized? Upload your project’s budget.

In your budget, be as detailed as you can in showing exactly how these funds would be used. Also, show how you determined both your preferred goal amount and the minimum amount to be successful.
Cancelof

When do you propose to launch your FundRAZOR campaign?
Do you have a specific fundraising deadline?
Is there a strict date you need your funds by? Please also include event dates or other timing considerations that will benefit your campaign.
Have you budgeted time in for our Committee Review? Once submitted, an application can take up to 4 weeks to be approved.

Is there any other information you want to share that will help us evaluate your team’s potential for a successful crowdfunding campaign?
Feel free to upload any additional supporting documents.

Cancelof

Please acknowledge all the policy items below.

Rows	Acknowledge
Application: We understand that the goal amount we’ve provided is based on the size of our audience and the number of people our team will need to personally contact. If we set a higher goal, it means we'll need to have a larger existing audience to support it.
Training: If our project is selected, at least 3 people from our team will attend the required virtual training.
Quiet Phase: We understand that we will be provided with resources all along the way! We will receive a training, a recording of our training, a detailed task checklist, timeline, samples, weekly check-ins, and will be able to reach out anytime we have a question!
Quiet Phase: Our team is prepared to develop compelling page content, videos, pictures, updates and other promotional materials during the 4-5 week quiet phase.
Quiet Phase: We understand that the Annual Giving team will not be creating copy or visual content on our behalf. My campaign team will be developing our own copy, graphics, and any printed materials.
Active Phase: We understand that the Annual Giving team will not be soliciting donors on our behalf. My campaign team will be developing our own lists of personal contacts and reaching out to them directly, either through email, social media messenger, or text.
Active Phase: We understand that a single, impersonal email sent to a mass email list does not perform as well as personal 1:1 communication. Mass emails ultimately work against the peer-to-peer nature of crowdfunding and is more likely to be marked as spam.
Active Phase: My campaign team will be developing our own lists of personal contacts and reaching out to them directly, either through email, social media messenger, or text. Our team will also stay committed throughout the full time the page is live and will continually spread the word.
Active Phase: We understand that we cannot solicit large businesses, corporations and/or foundations because this falls outside Annual Giving's scope. Only approved University individuals can solicit large entities.
Stewardship Phase: Our team will reach out to donors after the project has ended to meet our stewardship requirement. This can be done either through email, mail, or emailed ThankView videos.
Stewardship Phase: If we choose to mail stewardship postcards or letters to donors after the campaign, we understand that the Annual Giving team will not be creating and sending these on our behalf. We will create the content, print the materials, and pay for the needed postage. However, the Annual Giving team will offer the opportunity to collaborate on sending virtual thank you videos through ThankView!

Signature
Should be Empty:

FundRAZOR Project Application

About FundRAZOR

How the Application Process Works

15-Day Project Timeline

30-Day Project Timeline

Great!

Sorry, FundRAZOR can only be used to fundraise for projects at the University of Arkansas with UA account numbers. :-(

You're so close! Unfortunately, only applications with non-pending, active account numbers are considered for approval.

Unfortunately, only applications with existing account numbers are considered for approval.

Would you be able to check with your Dept Finance person? Unfortunately, only applications containing an account number are considered for approval.

Perfect!

Great!

Sorry, we cannot utilize FundRAZOR for RSOs because they run on a completely different accounting system. :-(