6 tips for fundraising in college

Even if you’re the sort of person comfortable asking for things, asking people for money doesn’t feel great. It’s a vulnerable feeling to need money. But the good thing is this: almost everybody alive has felt that vulnerability. And yet — even though this is one of the most relatable needs among everybody everywhere — it still feels difficult or uncomfortable to ask people for money. Thanks, unhelpful, misplaced sense of pride! Like working a job, it’s no fun, but we all gotta do it. So, here’s some tips on raising funds for yourself.

1: Share on social media

It’s our public square, it’s where we do goofs, it’s how we communicate — social media is generally where we find out about stuff. So, it’s a good idea to make sure your Mos Me link is visible where ever you exist online. Instagram has a nice link feature, TikTok lets you put the link in your bio, or if you want to make a YouTube video about your goals, just drop it in the video description. In order to raise money, you can’t tell enough people and this is a good way to make that happen.

2: Ask your community to spread the word

You’re likely a part of more than a few communities: your family, teammates, classmates, etc. These are your people — you probably talk to them more than anybody else. So, tell ‘em what you’re up to! You’d be surprised how eager people you know are to help you if they can. Whether it’s contributing themselves or just passing along your Mos Me, relying on your people when you’re in need is a great place to start.

3: Reach out to alumni groups

If they’re an alumni, they’ve been in your position before. It’s pretty easy to empathize with someone going through something you’ve been through yourself. Not only that, but alumni in a position to help current students are fairly eager to do so because helping people feels good. You aren’t even asking them something crazy like to ‘be a good person’ you’re just asking them to do something that’ll make them feel good and help you at the same time. Some resources for finding alumni networks are you school’s website, LinkedIn, social media, or a quick Google search.

4: Post on your class message board or Facebook

Speaking of people who have been in your shoes, your classmates fit that description as well. Even if most people who see your message are in the same boat as you — needing money — it’s helpful to let your intentions be known. If somebody has a line on a generous alumni and they have your Mos Me link, it’ll be easy for that generous alumni to just tap a few buttons and spread that generosity around a little bit.

5: Set a deadline

It might not seem like it when your alarm goes off in the morning, but our brains actually like schedules. Rather than launching a fundraiser with no end in sight, pick a date that you’d like to reach your goal by. Say you want to raise $400 in one month. You can take that goal and break it into smaller, more bite sized goals—for example, you could plan to message 5 people per week asking if they could support with $20. Small wins add up!

6: Say thanks to your supporters

Legendary Paramount studio head of production Bob Evans once said. “Gratitude’s the shit, baby. Aces all the way down.” Now, Bob wasn’t really a great guy but he did occasionally say pretty profound-sounding and, even less frequently, correct things like that. It’s a wonderful, humbling feeling when other people help you when you need helping. That’s why we have Mos thank you cards as an easy way to show a little bit of appreciation for the people in your life who help. It’s a small gesture but people appreciate it and you’ll feel good doing it too.

Remember: asking for money isn’t fun and it’s rarely comfortable. But, if you do these things listed here and give people the opportunity to help you out, you’ll be surprised how much they’ll come through for you. Stuck? Need a hand? Want a virtual high five? Your Mos advisor is here to support you every step of the way. Get in touch with your advisor here.