Please note: fundraising has tax implications. It’s important to know and understand the tax status of your organization prior to fundraising. You may reach out to the Student Engagement team to held understand your organization's tax status.
Funds should not be generated needlessly; funds should always be raised to support an organization's mission or to support operations or programs, based on current or forecasted needs. Sustainable organizations develop fundraising processes that ensure a consistent flow of resources over time.
Student organizations should work to secure various types of funding and resources, including:
- Grants (internal to Harvard and external)
- Monetary donations (corporate support, alumni donations, etc.)
- In-kind contributions (food, equipment, space, etc.)
- Sale of goods or services (merchandise, advertising space, publications, etc.)
- Event proceeds （Card donations and payments from Transactions in connection with an Event）
The Student Engagement Team is available as a resource for student organization fundraising activities.
Student organization fundraising generally follows these steps:
- Identifying potential sources of funding
- Receiving funds
- Acknowledging gifts Planning and budgeting
- Planning and budgeting
It is important to build a realistic budget with projected expenses and income. Donors want to know that there is a solid and well-documented plan to consider supporting it financially.
It is well worth the time and effort to construct a compelling narrative that describes the nature of a fundraising project, the impact it is intended to have, and how its purpose relates to prospective donors. Donors are more likely to give to projects that are both inspiring in terms of how they are presented and realistic in terms of how they are planned.