Putting the “Fun” in Fundraising

Fundraising in college can be tough. Although many students are passionate activists with large social networks, their time and resources are often limited. That's where the 48-Hour Flash Fundraiser comes in.

Vivanista is pairing up with Eventbrite to launch a fun competition for college students who want to raise money for good causes, but might not have the time or budget to do so otherwise. This March, student groups can apply for a $100 micro-grant through Vivanista, and if selected, use that money to organize and execute an innovative 48-hour fundraiser.

The group that raises the most money from April 16th to 17th wins $1,000 for the 501(c)3 organization of their choice, in addition to their own fundraising proceeds. Vivanista will announce the overall winner on April 18th.

The competition also includes a social aspect, asking users to vote for their favorite groups in the categories of Most Spirit, Best Creativity and Greatest Social Impact. The three winning groups for each category will be announced on April 25th, with awards of $500 each.

While this concept of flash fundraising is relatively new, it is quickly becoming more popular. We recently witnessed one such example with Zynga, whose players raised over $1 million in just 36 hours for Save the Children's Japan relief effort. Zynga incorporated donation options directly into their games, exemplifying fun and tech-savvy fundraising.

As an undergraduate, I know I tend to thrive under pressure and love a good challenge. Vivanista's 48-hour competition might be a great way to engage students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to organize a fundraiser as well as a way to encourage donating on college campuses.

It will be interesting to see how college students will use and expand upon social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter when promoting their Flash Fundraisers. Will groups produce videos or photo galleries to document their fundraising events? And how effective will these types of “flash” acts prove to be?

Learn more about the 48-Hour Flash Fundraiser and apply online here.

Guest Blogger Lauren Scherr is an intern at the Case Foundation.