Fundraising Guide

Registered student organizations may conduct fundraising activities on University property. Consultation with Student Activities Office staff in the early planning stages can save time and effort and will ensure compliance with appropriate institutional regulations. Some common issues that student organizations encounter in fundraising activities include:

1. Solicitation may be conducted outside University buildings by student organizations.
2. Only membership dues and approved ticket sales may be collected inside academic buildings.
3. Student organizations cannot co-sponsor activities on campus with non-university enterprises or organizations.
4. When admission is charged for attendance at an event, the University ticket procedure must be followed. Information about the ticket procedure can be obtained in the Student Activities Office.
5. In most cases, raffles and lotteries are prohibited by Texas law. To find out if the club qualifies, contact the Student Activities Office.
6. Any distribution of food or beverages, including fundraising projects that involve food items require a Food Distribution Form from University Environmental Health and Safety.
7. Fundraisers may not be conducted for private gain. Crowdfunding websites are not permitted. 

All fundraising activities should be reviewed by Student Activities Office staff to ensure compliance with University regulations. Early review and advice from staff members is always recommended. For further details on this policy refer to the Student Activities Office website.

HornRaiser Projects

All sponsored student organizations are eligible to apply for the University’s official crowdfunding platform, HornRaiser. This is a great online tool to help students, faculty members and staff raise money for everything from research projects to class trips, uniforms and competitions. You are given the technology, taught how to use it, and then you raise funds from your own network. It is important to understand that you will be soliciting your friends, peers, etc. Annual Giving and UT Austin are not actively soliciting for your project on your behalf, that is up to you and your project leaders and champions!

If your organization wishes to submit a HornRaiser project application, you should schedule a meeting with your primary advisor prior to completing and submitting the application. Your advisor MUST review your application before submission as there are certain RecSports related rules and pieces of information to understand before you can submit. Additionally, RecSports prohibits the raising of funds for non-approved items such as to secure ownership of a vehicle/boat/trailer or pay for non-approved travel.

40 Hours for the Forty Acres

40 Hours for the Forty Acres is an annual university-wide, 40-hour fundraising event designed to inspire students, alumni and friends to make a gift to the university or to the programs or schools on campus that are meaningful to them. It typically runs during the spring semester around the month of April.

All participating organizations MUST have their #40for40 webpage text/media reviewed by their primary advisor prior to completing and submitting the information. This is to ensure your organization complies with university rules and regulations and RecSports approved expenses. RecSports prohibits the raising of funds for non-approved items such as to secure ownership of a vehicle/boat/trailer or pay for non-approved travel.

Additionally, 40 Hours for the Forty Acres charges transactional fees due to it being a campus-wide giving campaign operated by the Central Development Office. If your club receives money through general 40for40 links, you will be assessed fees! If your club receives money through an AMBASSADOR LINK, you will NOT be assessed fees! We must stress the importance of utilizing your 40for40 Ambassador, the individual connected with UT Giving on the web project!

Prohibited Crowdfunding Campaigns

Clubs are prohibited in participating in third party crowdfunding campaigns (GoFundMe, SnapRaise, etc.). These types of services take significant percentage fees of all monies raised and they also are able to save and store user data. The only approved crowdfunding is through University portals, such as the Online Giving link (open 24/7/365), HornRaiser (month-long to semester-long projects) and the 40 Hours for the Forty Acres (two-day giving campaign). If a club participated in an off-campus / third party crowdfunding, the club is subject to disciplinary sanctions. 

Grants

Texas Parents Grant

Every fall, Texas Parents awards nearly $45,000 in grants to registered student organizations’ activities, events and projects that work to enhance the UT Austin community through community service and enrich the UT Austin student campus experience. In awarding these grants, Texas Parents supports students’ efforts to put the university’s core values into practice and create a better UT Austin community.

The Student Organization Grants have been combined into one application and selection process and are awarded each fall semester in hopes of assisting student organizations in planning events for the entire academic year. Funding for these grants is made possible through the contributions and generous donations of parents, families, members and friends of the Texas Parents Association.

Grants are awarded in two categories:

• Community Service: awarded to projects that create a meaningful and safe service experience for UT students in the UT and/or Austin community.
• Student Experience: awarded to activities working to enhance and enrich the UT student campus experience.

For more information, go to the Texas Parents Grant website.