Want to support STEM education for girls? Help build a Mars rover? “Be a Gator Donator” and help buy a John Deere Gator to facilitate student research at the university’s Quail Ridge natural reserve?

These are among the dozen projects offered by student, faculty and staff teams participating in Crowdfund UC Davis, a new fundraising effort from the Annual and Special Gifts Program in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.

The program, which launched Feb. 1 and runs all month, is already bringing in impressive amounts of cash and visibility.

“We’re thrilled to have this new stream of fundraising,” said Victoria Choi, president of the UC Davis Student Foundation, which is partnering with the UC Davis Library to raise $5,000 for a new group study room as this year’s Senior Class Challenge. “We’re generating a lot of excitement, including on social media, and we’re bringing in new donors.”

University-sanctioned platform

That was the idea behind starting Crowdfund UC Davis — the first university-sanctioned crowdfunding platform at UC Davis. Michelle Poesy, senior director of the Annual and Special Gifts Program, modeled Crowdfund UC Davis on a successful program at UC Berkeley.

“Crowdfunding is a great way for students, faculty and staff to raise money for projects they’re excited about, and we are really pleased to have a dozen groups sign up for our very first effort,” Poesy said.

The Annual and Special Gifts Program, in cooperation with Advancement Services in Development and Alumni Relations, reviews applications, and also provides the platform, guidance and some publicity — but it’s up to project teams to fuel the marketing and networking that leads to success.

A pair of monthlong Crowdfund UC Davis cohorts are planned per year, with the next one in October. The application period for the October session opens in late March. Learn more here.

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