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About Pitch In
Pitch In provides LTU students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to create dynamic mini-campaigns for their funding needs. All applicants should review the following information carefully to ensure their project, if selected, has the greatest chance for success!
Applications should be submitted at least eight weeks prior to your desired campaign end date.
Typical Campaign Timeline
QUIET PHASE – The office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement will use the content in your application to generate your page. this time will be spent getting your campaign ready (writing content, compiling your email list, developing strategies, etc.).
ACTIVE PHASE – This phase will typically last four to six weeks and constitutes the live campaign. These weeks are crucial! During the campaign, project owners should:
FULFILLMENT PHASE
After the campaign ends, Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement will generate a report of all project donors to send to the Lead Project Owner. Groups are responsible for sending out their own thank-you emails with final updates as well as furnishing all perks or incentives promised to donors.
Why should I Pitch in instead of another crowdfunding website?
Pitch In is the only LTU sanctioned platform for Lawrence Tech crowdfunding projects. Because gifts are made through the university, unlike other websites like GoFundMe and Kickstarter, they are eligible for tax deductions and donors will receive formal acknowledgement.
Other crowdfunding sites take a fee of 5-10% of funds raised and the individual or group receiving the funds may incur a tax liability.
What types of projects or funding needs are right for Pitch In?
Because Lawrence Technological University is a 501(c)(3) educational organization, projects will only be considered if they are seeking funding for one of the following:
– Faculty sponsored research or other scholarly or creative works that will increase the profile of LTU
– Educational equipment/technology to be used in classrooms or laboratories
– On-campus capital improvements or facilities upgrades
– Activities of registered student organizations, or student groups with a faculty or staff sponsor, that directly relate to education or student enrichment
– Travel, equipment, or other needs of non-athletic organizations
– Student scholarships.
How much can I expect to raise?
Typical crowdfunding projects attract between $2,000 and $10,000. Of course, this number will depend entirely on the size of your potential donor pool, your personal contacts and the amount of personal effort devoted to the project. It is best to set modest, attainable and realistic goals—and transcend them. Your donors will be inspired to support a project if it reflects success and momentum.
How will people learn about my project on Pitch In?
Crowdfunding relies on personal networking—your best supporters like LTU, but they love you and your project! Crowdfunding uses peer-to-peer solicitation rather than institutional solicitation. Use your personal, group, department or team’s email lists, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, LinkedIn groups, etc. to promote your project. It’s best to bring your own “crowd.” If you do not have a pre-existing audience (personal or otherwise), then crowdfunding might not be the best platform to raise money for your project. Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement will not send mass communications on your behalf.
How much time will it take to create and manage a project through Pitch In?
Project campaigns usually run for 30-45 days, but plan on your project requiring 10-12 weeks of focused, intense work before and after the campaign. The project owners will need to provide updates and remain actively engaged (new videos, social media postings, campus events, email, etc.). It is recommended that the lead project owner commit 1 hour per day, and each team member commit 30-60 minutes per day, for the length of the active campaign. Remember: crowdfunding is not just “easy money”!
What else do I need to know before I submit my project?
All projects must be approved by the appropriate Dean, advisor, or other administrator and have an LTU approved gift account into which funds will be distributed. If a group or project does not have an LTU gift account already created, Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and Business Services will determine whether or not the project/group qualifies for its own LTU gift account. When appropriate, funds may be dispersed to a departmental account. A holding account CANNOT be used.