ProjectDAL is Dalhousie University’s peer-to-peer crowdfunding platform. Campaign creators can easily share their fundraising projects with their networks, providing them with a simple & direct way to give. You can create a campaign online, track its progress, and celebrate your fundraising milestones!
Our team is here to support you in your fundraising efforts. Read on to find out if your project is eligible and how projectDAL can help you achieve your goals.
projectDal can be used by any Dalhousie student, faculty or staff member, or a member of our alumni and friends group. Almost anything goes, as long as the project is connected to the university (in other words, projectDal can only be used for fundraising efforts that support projects within the university and that directly benefit the Dalhousie community). Projects which are aimed at raising funds for a particular individual may not be suitable for projectDAL and we would encourage you to reach out to projectdal@dal.ca if you have a project of this nature. If you have more questions or would like some more details please review our FAQs and Terms of Use.
How much should you ask for? It’s important to think this through carefully before embarking on a fundraising project. You need to set a clear, measurable goal, break it down to show what the money will pay for, and add in any fundraising costs. This will give you your total campaign goal.
Tip: Rather than saying “we want to raise money for the volleyball team,” a measurable goal would be “$3,000 to purchase $150 worth of equipment for 20 students.” It’s important to break the total down to show exactly where the money will go and what it will be used for.
First ask yourself, why are you fundraising for your cause or project? What gets you excited and motivated to fund this vision? What difference will the funds make? Why should someone support this cause? Put a short story together that makes you stand out, engages your audience and gives them a reason to donate.
Now that you’ve thought through your campaign goal and story, it’s time to get creative! Make a short video so people can see who is behind the project and why you’re so committed to it. Make it fresh, fun, authentic, and easy to understand. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through and share your personal connection to the project, if it fits. Ideally, you want your video to be compelling — something a donor would be willing to share with their network of contacts.
Once you have set up your crowdfunding campaign, it’s time to promote your cause. Email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are all excellent ways to spread the word to your key audiences. You’ll need campaign champions and key influencers on board to help you get support for your project. We have a Campaign Toolkit that gives more detail on how to connect to your audiences, let them know about your project, and inspire them to support you in your efforts.
It’s important to keep your donors updated on your success. Make sure you post updates to your project every 10 days or so. Another way to keep your fans informed is to create an email list and send out several updates with news, events and other information. It’s a great way to let people know how the project is going, and to stay connected.
Questions?
Contact: Venna Penney, Office of Advancement – venna.penney@dal.ca
or 902.266.6963.
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