Student Involvement

Student Organization Fundraising

Student Organization Fundraising  

This is a guide for Student Organizations who are interested in fundraising for their group. 

Why fundraise? Fundraising can allow you to do more for your members and campus as a whole. Plus, money you earn through fundraisers rolls over from one school year to the next! 

Student Organizations must follow the spending policies and Fundraising Policy, which includes registering all fundraisers in EngageXU for approval at least two weeks in advance. The responsibility for registering, promoting, and executing the fundraiser is on the students. The following options are examples of types of fundraisers that are possible, but this document is not an exhaustive list. Some fundraising partners may require non-profit tax information about Xavier University, which can be found on the OSI website. 

Reminder: Xavier University fundraisers may not use Cash App, Venmo, GoFundMe, or similar third-party money-collection platforms. Instead, for on-site sales, students may collect cash or checks made out to Xavier University and deposits may be made at the Bursar’s Office in Musketeer Mezzanine. 

Tips: The most successful fundraising campaigns set explicit goals, such as a target amount of money, and share a hope of what they will do with the money. For instance, stating a conference you hope to attend or a program you want to host may make people more inclined to donate. Furthermore, fundraisers are only as effective as their promotion. 

 

Merchandise:

These fundraisers involve selling goods to members of the Xavier community and beyond and may last several days or even weeks. Depending on the product, you may be required to reach set quotas. You may also need to seek a quote from vendors beforehand, based on your needs. Certain vendors may use their own platform for sales, while others may require you to use EngageXU to build a storefront. Be sure to inquire about the method of orchestrating a fundraiser if you choose to partner with a third party. 

 

One-day, On-campus Fundraising Programs:

These fundraisers are best suited for a one-time, on-site event with all of your organization’s members present. For each event, different steps may be needed to remain compliant with university policies on risk management. 

  • Dance marathons/walk-a-thons 
  • Dunk tanks 
  • Fun runs/5Ks
  • Midnight snack events
    • Example: pizza, Taco Bell, McDonald’s fries, etc.  
  • Pie in the face
  • Tournaments 
    • Euchre, dodgeball, powderpuff football, basketball, Spikeball, cornhole, etc. 

 

Restaurants & Local Partnerships:

The following list includes a variety of local businesses, many of whom have partnered with Xavier in the past to Fundraise. Each corporation may have different requirements for eligibility, how far in advance you must plan your fundraiser, and how the donation amount is determined. Based on the best available information, this guide includes estimated percentages of proceeds that an organization may receive (subject to vendor discretion). 

 

Sporting Event Ticket Sales/Concessions Staffing: 

With so many popular major sports franchises in Cincinnati, there are many avenues for fundraising! You may be able to buy a block of tickets at a reduced price and then re-sell them to your members or people outside your organization. Sporting venues also frequently solicit volunteers to help staff concession stands during games, allotting a portion of sales to the volunteer group. This commitment varies from one venue to another, as some require you to bring a certain number of volunteers and commit to multiple dates. Pay close attention to the season of the teams below to assess if your organization will be around to fundraise at their sporting events. 

  • Cincinnati Bengals 
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • Cincinnati Cyclones 
    • (513) 421-7825
  • FC Cincinnati - Group Ticket Sales
    • Contact: Zach Lutz (513)-977-6332 
  • Xavier University Cintas Center Concessions

 

Requests for Donations & Sponsorships:

Direct donations can be a powerful tool for your organization, as you can usually keep every dollar received through this method. Whether seeking support from friends and family or asking your members to pay a small fee to join your group, this can be a great way to subsidize your costs. If you plan to receive monetary donations or donated items to raffle from a business or corporation, please work with Taylor Schultheis (schultheist@xavier.edu) from the Annual Fund Office. 

  • Corporate sponsors
  • Dues collection
  • Letter-writing campaigns
  • March Gladness
  • Silent auctions 
    • Asynchronous bidding contest for donated items (e.g. applying for tickets or gift cards provided by local entertainment venues) 

 

Event Ticketing:

Whether your organization wants to charge event attendees by the plate, by the seat, or by the table, selling tickets to an event you host is a common and powerful fundraising option. Depending on the volume of tickets you plan to sell and the nature of your event, plan to meet with an OSI team member to discuss your ticketing plan first to maintain compliance with university regulations and best practices! We advise that you have a no-refunds policy for all ticket sales. 

  • Ticket sales for events for members of Xavier and/or general public 
    • Examples: galas, performances, meals, retreats, etc.