Fundraising

Fundraising is one of the best and most proactive ways to make your group self-sufficient, finance your group’s activities and gain valuable experience for the participating members. All student group fundraising activities must follow University policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal laws. When planning a fundraiser, keep the following in mind:

• Reserved spaces and contact tables must display the name of the student group and be staffed at all times by the members of the student group which have reserved space for the fundraiser or sale.
• The name of the sponsoring student group must be prominently displayed in all advertising and other communications connected with the fundraising or sales effort, including at the event site itself.
• Registered student groups should be aware of policies pertaining to Use of the University of Minnesota Name, Marks and Logos for CLPs and RSOs for use on any merchandise.
• Groups must save all receipts for expenses incurred as a result of the sale and/or fundraiser and a deposit slip of the amount received from the sale and/or fundraiser. Student Activities reserves the right to request a financial report from any group should they deem it necessary. Should you be requested to submit a financial report, all receipts must be attached. Failure to respond to a request for a financial report will result in loss of all sale and/or fundraising privileges for the remainder of the academic year and could result in the loss of student group status.
• Groups must comply with all University of Minnesota, local, state, and federal policies and guidelines. Failure to comply with these policies and procedures could affect student group status with Student Unions & Activities. This includes being responsible for any and all taxes associated with your sale and/or fundraiser.
• Student groups may conduct on-campus sales & fundraising activities up to 5 days per semester. Groups can conduct 1 bake sale per semester.
• Groups may not host "raffles" without a permit from the Minnesota Gambling Control Board, as raffles by definition involve ticket sales. "Prize drawings" are permitted without a state permit so long as money is not exchanged.
• Student groups conducting a sale or fundraiser must be registered and in good standing with Student Unions & Activities.
• A group’s privileges of engaging in sales and/or fundraising activities is subject to immediate cancellation if the methods used interfere with general University operations, are disorderly, improper, obstruct traffic, or if they otherwise interfere with an individual’s rights to privacy and/or freedom from harassment.
• Proceeds must go back to the student group, unless monies collected are intended to benefit an off-campus agency, nonprofit organization or musician, guest speaker, performing artist, etc., and the sales are directly related to an event sponsored by a student group. Off-campus agencies, nonprofit organizations, musicians, guest speakers, or performing artists shall not be permitted to solicit funds on campus unless they have a contract with the University of Minnesota or are sponsored by a student group as a sales and/or fundraising activity in accordance with the following procedures outlined by Student Unions & Activities.
• No individuals may profit as a result of the sale and/or fundraiser.
• Sales conducted by non-University vendors invited by student groups to participate in a student group-sponsored event at a University facility (including outdoor spaces) must abide by all University policies and procedures that apply to that facility and as permitted by its responsible administrator(s). When the reservation solely consists of a contact table, personnel from non-University vendors or companies are not allowed at the contact table, when sales or sales-related, fundraising or commercial activities are being conducted.
• Sales and/or fundraising activities shall not be conducted in classrooms, campus offices, residential facilities, and/or other University buildings, without written consent of the instructor or appropriate administrator.
• Sales and/or fundraising activities involving food must comply with the Policy for Serving Food or Refreshments on University Property in association with meetings, social gatherings, and special events, including filing all necessary permits with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Bake Sales can occur once per semester per student group.
• Gambling is illegal in the State of Minnesota without an approved permit. Student groups generally may not conduct any gambling tournaments or games of chance with or without a permit from the state and may ONLY conduct a raffle with an approved permit from the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Please see below for more details on gambling.
• Donation jars and/or donation solicitation are considered fundraising on campus and groups conducting these activities need a permit to do so. Solicitation of donations is also limited to the five (5) days per semester or summer session guideline.
• University policy prohibits the use of University property by non-University entities for the purpose of revenue generation or the sale, solicitation, or promotion of goods or services. (Policy: Use and Lease of Real Estate: Appendix to Policy: Using and Leasing University Real Estate (Permissible Uses and Scheduling Priority, Non-permissible uses 1 & 2)
  • Registered student groups may have non-University sponsors in support of a primary event; however, the primary purpose of the event cannot be non-University vendor or sponsor presence, promotion, or sales.
  • When a registered student group has non-University sponsors of an event, insurance requirements and sponsorship agreements may be required.
  • If promotional materials, including apparel, are created with sponsor logos, the sponsorship must be acknowledged via text as to not imply a University partnership.

Student groups may host ticketed events as a form of revenue. Please consider the following in planning for ticket sales:

• Many popular forms of funding (e.g., SSF and SUA Grants) and popular venues (e.g., Ted Mann Concert Hall) have specific policies regarding ticket sales. Review any and all funding sources and venues for ticket sales policies.
• If your student group is a Campus Life Program, check with your CLP advisor and department about how to facilitate ticket sales. Your department financial processes may dictate a certain method of selling tickets and collecting ticket revenue.
• How will you facilitate ticket sales? Where can people buy tickets (e.g., online, in-person, or both)? When can they buy tickets (e.g., only before, only at the door, both)? Who is collecting the money? Can people pay in cash? If so, how will you manage the cash?
• How much your tickets cost will affect attendance. You may want to consider have different prices for different audience members (e.g., UMN Students pay less than General Public) while still adhering to the Board of Regents Policy on Diversity, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action that your group is required to follow.
• What will the ticket get an attendee? General admission vs. assigned seat? Food and beverage? Special access to speakers/performers?
• What is your policy on refunds or transferring ticket ownership?
• At the event, how will you manage who does and does not have a ticket?

Registered Student Organizations wishing to solicit donations or contributions from off-campus sources must follow local, state, and federal laws.

Campus Life Programs wishing to solicit donations or contributions from off-campus sources must obtain the approval of the Office of the Director of the University of Minnesota Foundation if all of the following conditions are true:

1. The money solicited would be given to the student group for its use.
2. The money would be channeled to the student group through the University.
3. The amount of money sought is $1,000 or more.

All contributions received by CLPs from off-campus sources, with or without approval from the University of Minnesota Foundation, must be channeled through the University of Minnesota Foundation. As such, these may be tax-deductible for the giver. This is not the case for Registered Student Organizations, unless they obtain 501(c) status with the IRS.

Off campus sales by CLPs need to be approved by the University of Minnesota Foundation consistent with University policy on fundraising.