Ramfunder

Students, faculty, and staff are highly encouraged to use the Ramfunder platform. Use of external crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe and Spotfund is strongly discouraged and jeopardizes CSU’s ability to provide generous supporters with the stewardship and acknowledgement they deserve.

Use of external crowdfunding sites may result in your group being prohibited by your fiscal office from all fundraising activities in the future.

Beyond our state-of-the-art platform, Ramfunder supports its campaign teams. Campaign teams will receive a toolkit full of templates, a training, and exposure to CSU’s hundreds of thousands of alumni and friends of CSU.

The Annual Giving team manages the Ramfunder program. The Annual Giving team reserves the right discontinue an active campaign at any time due to a campaign team’s failure to comply with guidelines. If you have questions about the Ramfunder program, please contact [email protected].

Yes. You can participate in our Fall Cohort (October), our Spring Cohort (March), or both cohorts so long as you’re committed to doing your part with promotions. You must apply for each cohort when the respective application period is open.

No. Campaign page requirements have changed. Please submit fresh materials and information through our application form. If you have the link to your old campaign, you’re welcome to copy the description from it and update it as a starting point.

You must apply to participate by the specified application deadline for each cohort.

No. You can participate in our Fall Cohort (October) and/or our Spring Cohort (March) unless you’ve been granted an exception by the Annual Giving for this academic year. Read our policy for more information on this.

It’s okay if you don’t reach your goal! You will still have access to your total amount raised, minus the 5% Advancement Investment Fee (AIF) assessed on all gifts to CSU.

That said, we encourage you to pick a realistic goal when applying for your campaign. You can always raise more than your goal, but donors are more motivated when the metaphorical finish line – your campaign goal – is in sight!

Yes. In line with nonprofits, charitable organizations, colleges, universities, and most of our peer institutions who fundraise, Colorado State University assesses an Advancement Investment Fee on gifts. The Advancement Investment Fee is 5%. Therefore, you will have access to 95% of your campaign’s total raised.

The Colorado State University Foundation (CSUF) receives and manages donor funds to benefit CSU, its students, faculty, researchers, educational programs and more. There are thousands of CSU Foundation funds representing the different areas and programs on campus. Every CSUF fund has a name and corresponding 6-digit fund number (0#####), and is not to be confused with your 64-account or Student Organization Financial Account (SOFA).

We need you to tell us which fund gifts to your campaign should be deposited into. We cannot set up your campaign without it. This ensures that your area’s business office can find and make your fundraised dollars available to you for expenditure after your campaign has concluded.

Please see the next FAQ for assistance on how to find out your CSUF fund.

If you’re a student, please contact your group’s faculty/staff advisor or organization treasurer.
If you’re a faculty or staff member, please contact your area’s business office or development coordinator for assistance.

If you’ve contacted the appropriate individuals indicated above and are still struggling, please reach out to [email protected] and we can try to point you in the right direction.

You are! All campaign teams are responsible for promoting their own campaigns via social media, email, phone calls, and on-campus, when appropriate; preparing personal thank-you messages to donors; and providing regular updates to donors on their campaign’s progress to goal.

Campaign teams should consist of at least 3 people that will each focus on marketing and outreach. Marketing and outreach should be executed multiple times a week, every week for the entire duration of the month-long cohort. The larger and more active the Ramfunder campaign teams, the more likely the team is to succeed in reaching their goal.

Yes. Annual Giving will provide you with a toolkit containing email, phone, text, and social media templates as well graphics you can utilize to promote your campaign. Additionally, Annual Giving will provide a mandatory in-person training that must be attended by 1 or more members of every campaign team. This training will equip you to effectively and efficiently promote your own campaign.

Annual Giving will execute multiple rounds of mass solicitations directing people to the Ramfunder cohort landing page your campaign will be hosted on. However, this is supplemental to your efforts.

All content on campaign pages will be approved by Annual Giving, which has the right to edit, or require campaign content edits, at any point in the campaign.

Once your campaign is approved and built, a representative from Annual Giving will contact you to share your campaign link and confirm that you are sending a campaign team member to attend the required training.

Campaigns will be hosted on the Ramfunder platform for a pre-determined amount of time, typically a one-month-long period. Some exceptions may apply.

No. Monetary premiums and monetary perks are not to be used to incentivize gifts. Giveaways or other promotional items are not permissible, as they affect a donor’s right to a tax deduction.

You don’t. The CSU Foundation processes all gifts to Colorado State University and will provide official tax receipts to donors via email or mail depending on donor contact preferences.

After a donor fills out the campaign form and remits payment, they immediately receive an email confirmation thanking them for their gift. In 7-10 business days, donors will receive an official gift acknowledgement from the university thanking them for making an impact, and they will receive an official tax receipt from the CSU Foundation.

Yes. There is a $10 minimum donation requirement for all online gifts made to CSU.

Donors may give through debit card, credit card, or digital wallets including Apple Pay, Venmo, Paypal, and Google Pay.

Yes! Ramfunder campaign pages are mobile-friendly. In fact, they were designed to be mobile-forward. Most gifts made online through our platform are made through mobile devices and especially, digital wallets.

Gifts received must be used for the campaign’s stated purpose(s) and must support Colorado State University programs and initiatives. All campaigns must be non-profit in nature.

Funds cannot be redirected to a third-party, external charity or other non-profit. Colorado State University cannot act as a “pass-through” entity to provide funding to other charities.

After your campaign has ended, we will provide the appropriate fiscal officer with a report detailing your fundraising total. 95% of your total raised will be available to you given the 5% Advancement Investment Fee (AIF) accessed on all gifts to Colorado State University.

You will be responsible for reaching out to a fiscal officer in your area for assistance with access your fundraised dollars and for guidelines on expenditure guidelines. Please exercise patience when you are requesting your funds from your fiscal office. It takes time for gifts to be processed and hit your area’s accounts, and it takes time for them to process your request.

Please contact [email protected] with questions. Please allow up to three business days for a response to your email; we respond to emails in order of date received.