Crowdfunding at SJSU

A fundraising program powered by the SJSU community.

Crowdfunding at SJSU, branded as Spartan Sprint, gives faculty, staff, student groups, and campus partners an opportunity to rally their community around specific projects that directly benefit Spartans.

 Two focused Fall cohort windows (October Rally and November Surge) support projects directly benefitting the SJSU campus and community—from student travel to research equipment to educational programs. A limited number of projects will be part of every sprint.

 Every spring, the whole university comes together for 1857 Minutes of Giving, SJSU's campus-wide Day of Giving.

 100% of funds raised for A.S. and Tower Foundation accounts go directly to your project, with zero platform fees.

Ready to Launch a Project?
Fall applications open August 25, 2026 for the October Rally and November Surge sessions.

Campaign Options

Three options are available each year depending on project timeline and scope. All three options share the same GiveCampus platform, zero-fee structure, and support team, but differ in timing and format.

The Three Phases of a Campaign

Every Spartan Sprint campaign follows a three-phase structure from preparation to wrap-up:

Phase 1: Quiet Phase (2–4 weeks before launch)

Focus on gathering content, building your outreach team, setting a realistic fundraising goal, and securing soft-launch commitments. Teams aim to pre-seed approximately 25% of their goal prior to official launch day and set up at least one launch match or challenge.

New to crowdfunding? Spartan Sprint Coach (You will need @sjsu.edu email address to access) and SJSU Crowdfunding University will be your resources during this phase.

First-time project leads are required to complete Crowdfunding University and attend one Spartan Sprint Orientation; returning teams should use these resources as a refresher.

Phase 2: Active Phase (4 weeks live / 31 hours for 1857 Minutes of Giving)

Your project page is active on GiveCampus. Teams focus on driving visibility through email, social media, and direct contact, utilizing Advocates to amplify outreach. Mid-campaign and final-sprint matching gifts are deployed to keep momentum strong.

Phase 3: Stewardship & Reporting

Donor communication occurs in two stages:
 1. Immediate automated thank-you emails sent via GiveCampus at the time of donation.
 2. Personalized follow-up messages sent 3–6 weeks after campaign close once final reconciled reports (including offline gifts and match totals) are finalized.
 An end-of-year Impact Report is distributed to all donors to share project outcomes.

5 Steps to Launch

Eligibility & Expectations

Requirements

• Account: Must have an active Tower Foundation Account (non-RSOs) or Recognized Student Organization (RSO) A.S. Account.
• Project Scope: Funds raised must directly benefit SJSU students or campus initiatives (cannot raise for external non-profits).
• Team: Minimum of 4 active team members/promoters including the primary project lead.
• Approvals: Pre-approval from Dean/Director (departments) or Advisor/Support Staff (student clubs) required before applying.

Expectations for Project Leads

• Actively outreach via personal networks, email, and social media throughout the campaign window.
• Recruit a minimum of 3 Advocates to share and promote campaign links.
• Secure at least one match or challenge incentive for launch day.
• Complete personalized donor stewardship following final campaign reconciliation.

Key Success Drivers

Analysis across previous campaigns shows that high-performing projects share four characteristics:

1. Early Advocate Engagement: Recruiting dedicated advocates early to share outreach links is the strongest indicator of reaching funding goals.

2. Early Pre-Seeding: Securing ~25% of funds from core supporters before public launch creates immediate social proof on Day 1.

3. Tiered Match Challenges: Staging matching incentives across launch, mid-point, and final sprint pushes doubles donor urgency.

4. Authentic Follow-Up: Detailed follow-up communication connecting gifts to tangible project results builds long-term donor support.

Resources & Contact

QUICK REFERENCE: Spartan Sprint One-Pager Playbook

SJSU Crowdfunding Campaigns, including timelines, phases, eligibility, and what separates projects that hit a goal, on a single page you can bookmark or print.

Open the One-Pager

FAST ANSWERS: Spartan Sprint FAQ

Answers on accounts, fees, deadlines, Advocates, and what happens after the campaign closes.

Browse the FAQ

University Advancement · Annual Giving

 Location: Clark Hall, Floor 3
 Email: crowdfunding@sjsu.edu
 Web: sjsu.edu/advancement/help/crowdfunding