You must be a Registered Student Organization (RSO) in good standing (i.e., active).  

OR MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING  

• Represent a distinct project, initiative, or specific group with a named student leader responsible for campaign outreach and execution  

• Be associated with an active, pre-existing Foundation fund that independently supports the group’s intended purpose 

• Be approved through a central review process involving the Foundation’s crowdfunding and annual giving teams as well as the sponsoring unit  

AND 

• Funds raised must be used to benefit current University of Connecticut students, staff, and programs.  

• All participating groups must be approved by an appropriate University program director, staff advisor, or faculty member.  

• If your group is part of a larger third-party institution, you must be identified on the giving page as “The UConn chapter of … at the University of Connecticut”.  

• Groups cannot raise money to donate or provide support to other nonprofit organizations or businesses. Funds must be raised and used to benefit the group’s UConn activities.  

• Student fundraisers are strictly prohibited from keeping any portion of the funds raised as profit or compensation.  

• Student fundraisers are strictly prohibited from recording or maintaining any donor information.  

Donors can give through the UConn Foundation’s online giving pages (GiveCampus). GiveCampus offers credit card, Venmo, Paypal, Cash App, ApplePay, and DAFpay payment options. 

• Teams cannot use personal Venmo, CashApp or any other platforms to directly accept donations.  

• Groups should never handle cash or credit card gifts from donors. 

• There is a $5 minimum for Ignite gifts.  

Please do not make multiple gifts under different names using the same credit card number. 

• Individual donors are distinguished by credit card billing name. They will only count as a unique donor once based on that billing name. 

• Donors should use their real names. Fake names or inappropriate comments will result in penalties to your total points and may result in removal from the Ignite program. 

• Any attempt to artificially inflate donor counts, fundraising totals, challenge results, or other elements of the competition may result in disqualification, loss of points, or removal from the Ignite program. 

• The UConn Foundation reserves the right to review, adjust, or remove gifts that appear fraudulent, duplicated, refunded, disputed, or otherwise inconsistent with the spirit of the competition. 

Student organizations may wish to use giveaways or promotional incentives to generate interest in their Ignite campaign. Because Ignite gifts are charitable donations, certain incentives and fundraising activities are not permitted. 

Permitted 

• Free token items approved by the UConn Foundation that are available regardless of whether an individual makes a donation 

• Other Foundation-approved promotional activities that do not require a contribution to participate 

Not Permitted 

• Bake sales 

• Raffles or auctions 

• Restaurant fundraising nights 

• Events with paid admission 

• T-shirt, water bottle, or other merchandise sales 

• Any promotion that requires a donation to enter, participate, or receive a prize 

• Any promotion that provides goods, services, discounts, or other benefits in exchange for making a donation 

Additional entries, prizes, or rewards based on gift amount

Additional Guidelines 

• Any proposed giveaway, contest, incentive, or promotion not specifically listed above must be approved by the UConn Foundation before implementation. 

• The UConn Foundation reserves the right to prohibit or modify any promotion that does not comply with University, Foundation, legal, or tax requirements. 

• Any attempt to circumvent these rules may result in disqualification from the competition. 

Student organizations are responsible for ensuring that all content on their Ignite giving page remains accurate, appropriate, and consistent with University and Foundation standards throughout the campaign. The UConn Foundation reserves the right to edit, remove, or require changes to any content at any time. 

Content must not 

• Disparage or speak negatively about the University of Connecticut, the UConn Foundation, or any individual or organization. 

• Include false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims. 

• Contain offensive, discriminatory, harassing, or otherwise inappropriate content. 

• Promote commercial businesses, products, services, political campaigns, or fundraising efforts for non-UConn organizations. 

• Use photos, videos, logos, or other content without permission. 

Page Updates 

• Approval before launch does not constitute approval of future edits. 

• Any updates made during the campaign must continue to comply with these guidelines. 

• Violations may result in content removal, page suspension, loss of points, or removal from the Ignite program. 

Additional Funds Clause 

All giving pages must include the sentence below in the “About” section. 

“Any additional funds will be used for the general activities of UConn student-led organizations.” 

All contributions to the University of Connecticut Foundation Inc. are subject to certain administrative fees that are used to support Foundation operating expenses, as well as other priority needs determined by the school, college or unit receiving the gift. A fee of 5% will apply. Everything raised after this gift fee is applied supports the designated student group. 

Ignite 2026 is set to award $35,000 in funding to participating groups across five prize vaults. Final scoring will be tabulated following the conclusion of Ignite, with results shared shortly after.

Law Leaderboard 

Scoring: 10 points per donor, 0.5 points per dollar.  

Ignite Day Scoring: 12 points per donor, 1 point per dollar. 

Groups ranked 1-5 by point total. 

Funded by John F. Buckley Jr., ’84 JD for UConn School of Law student organizations only.

More information coming soon!

October 14 

Earn extra two points per unique donor (12 points) and an extra 0.5 points per dollar (1 point)!

Ignite Day Tabling: 

Sign up for in-person tabling on Fairfield Way (Storrs) to connect with potential donors face-to-face! 

• Sign-ups available soon 

• 36 one-hour time slots available (first come, first served) 

• Increase your visibility and engage students directly to secure more donations 

The UConn Foundation will support groups before and throughout their fundraising campaigns. 

The Foundation will promote Ignite through UConn Alumni social media posts, emails to alumni, donors, parents, faculty, and staff, and traditional mail pieces. 

Student group leads may request the names and email addresses of their Ignite 2025 donors to support year-over-year donor retention. 

The Foundation will communicate with student group leads from application through final results. Leads may email or text the Foundation with questions, attend weekly office hours, or schedule a one-on-one meeting with Jonathan Wilson, Associate Director of Crowdfunding. 

Email: jwilson@foundation.uconn.edu

Text: 860-816-8936 

All donations will be deposited into a UConn Foundation fund and will be available for use in accordance with UConn Foundation policies. This will ensure that donations will be used as intended. No money will be distributed to individuals and all distributions will require UConn signatory review. Registered student organizations should work with the Student Activities Business Office to access funds.

If a violation of the terms and conditions or confidentiality agreement occurs, we have the right to terminate your project and contest participation without notice. 

People don’t give because a group needs money. They give because they believe in what that group does. 

Share: 

• What your organization does 

• Why it matters 

• How it impacts members 

• What support through Ignite will make possible 

The more personal and authentic your story is, the more likely supporters are to connect with it. 

Ignite is most successful when it’s a group effort. 

Every member can help by: 

• Sharing the campaign 

• Reaching out to personal networks 

• Posting on social media 

• Thanking supporters 

Consider creating a friendly competition within your organization or setting goals for member participation. Groups that engage more members typically reach more supporters. 

Start with the people already connected to your organization. 

Potential supporters may include: 

• Friends and family 
• Current and former members 
• Alumni 
• Faculty and staff 
• Coaches and advisors 
• Classmates 

A personal message is often more effective than a mass appeal. Share why your organization matters to you and include a direct link to your Ignite page. 

Consistent promotion helps your organization stay visible throughout Ignite. 

Best practices include: 

• Posting regularly on social media 

• Sharing photos and videos 

• Using graphics from the Ignite Advocate Toolkit 

• Including your Ignite page link 

• Using #UConnIgnite 

• Tagging @uconnignite and @uconnalumni 

• Encouraging members to share content from their own accounts 

The more people who see your campaign, the more opportunities you’ll have to gain support. 

Successful campaigns don’t stop after launch day. 

Keep supporters engaged by: 

• Celebrating milestones 

• Sharing updates and progress 

• Highlighting donor impact 

• Building excitement around Ignite Day 

• Thanking supporters promptly 

Momentum encourages additional participation and helps your organization stay top of mind throughout the campaign.