Syracuse University now has a way to kick it up a notch when it comes to fundraising.

‘CuseFunder is a crowdfunding website that allows the SU community to donate money to a specific project of their choosing.  So far, five projects have used the services of ‘CuseFunder to raise money for their cause since the website launched in June.

Corey Falter, the assistant director of direct marketing and participation, is the leader of ‘CuseFunder. He worked in collaboration with internal marketing and web development staffers to develop and launch the site.

The website has been in the works for a few years, but in the last year and a half it took off, Falter said. He said a few people had already suggested the project when he came onboard as the project leader.

Falter is now tasked with educating people about ‘CuseFunder, as it’s fairly new and relatively unknown around campus.

“‘CuseFunder is not meant to replace anything we (the university) are doing, but complement existing works,” Falter said.

But, ‘CuseFunder is one of the only ways for donors to give money to specific projects and be able to specifically track what their money is being used for, he said.

In order for an organization to use ‘CuseFunder to raise money, the Office of Development has to approve the project. The project must also be involved and work in collaboration with a college on campus.

“We try to pick projects that we think people are interested in,” Falter said. “The ideal project is one that has a lot of excitement and a passionate fan base or group that doesn’t have a way to support its program.”

Since June, Falter said ‘CuseFunder has raised more than a combined $50,000 for its projects. The highest donation was from alumnus Warren Kimble ’57, who donated $12,000 for the marching band’s travel fund, Falter said.

Along with the Syracuse University Marching Band, the School of Information Studies has enlisted ‘CuseFunder to help raise money for its The It Girls Overnight Retreat, which is an annual weekend event for local high school girls interested in the field of technology.

Through ‘CuseFunder, the iSchool set a goal to raise $5,000. Fifty-five donors later, the college has now raised $10,275 for the retreat in November.

“‘CuseFunder and crowdfunding efforts in general, have allowed the iSchool to engage our alumni and friends in a new and exciting way by telling compelling stories about our students, faculty and programs,” said Jessica Murray, the development associate for the iSchool. “We’re particularly excited about the breadth of support we’ve received from these initiatives.”

Scott Barrett, the assistant dean for advancement in the iSchool, said in an email that he was pleased with the money the iSchool has raised using ‘CuseFunder and intends to use the crowdfunding program again.

“We believe that crowdfunding is an important tool in encouraging gifts and increasing engagement with our school,” he said. “Additionally, we believe it encourages great numbers of first time donors and allows supporters the ability to direct their gifts to programs they find most meaningful.”

In the future, Falter said he wants ‘CuseFunder to help more projects raise money. He added that he hopes there’s a possibility for student organizations to use the website in the future.

Correction: In the Sept. 3 article “‘CuseFunder website solicits donations for spirited university organizations” the Office of Development’s name was misstated. The Daily Orange regrets this error. 

Published on September 3, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Olivia: otjohnso@syr.edu