Ignite Ole Miss Project Application
Ignite Ole Miss is the University of Mississippi’s crowdfunding platform for community fundraising. Crowdfunding offers our donors a new avenue to provide support directly to the schools, programs, and specific projects at the university that are most meaningful to them. Crowdfunding also assists our faculty and students achieve their philanthropic goals. Crowdfunding ideas: innovative projects, service trips, events, research, and other UM-specific ventures.
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3 PHASES OF A PROJECT
QUIET PHASE (campaign pre-launch)

•  This phase should begin approximately 4-6 weeks before the project’s launch date.
•  This time will be spent getting your campaign ready (writing content, creating videos, compiling your email list, developing strategies, etc.).
•  Your group will have several meetings with an Ignite Ole Miss coordinator to help you develop and plan your project.

ACTIVE PHASE (campaign launch)

•  This phase will last 30-45 days and constitutes the live campaign.
•  These weeks are crucial! During the campaign, team members are expected to send out at least six (6) email “asks” to their personal contact lists, make four (4) or more updates to their project page, push out asks via social media, and otherwise make themselves available to answer questions about and raise awareness around their project.

FULFILLMENT PHASE (post-campaign)

•  After the project, groups are responsible for sending out thank-you emails, final updates, and any promised perks to donors.
•  Remember—making your donors feel special now means that they will want to come back and support your next project.
1. PROJECT CATEGORY
Choose the one category that is most applicable *
2. PROJECT CREATOR | PERSONAL INFORMATION
Ignite Ole Miss users must be part of the Ole Miss community via an academic department, student group, or other official entity.
Please select one of the following *
First Name *
Last Name *
Email Address *
Work Phone *
Cell Phone *
Department/Organization Name *
Position/Role/Title *
3. STUDENT ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
(if applicable)
Is the organization a registered Ole Miss Student Organization?
Clear selection
Department/Organization Affiliation
Advisor Name (if applicable)
Advisor's Position/Role/Title
Advisor's Email
4. PROJECT INFORMATION | GENERAL
Ignite Ole Miss projects must support Ole Miss' overall mission by improving our community—on campus and beyond. Crowdfunding does more than bring in funds—it also serves as a marketing tool to raise awareness of your mission. Crowdfunding is most effective for funding specific projects or campaigns but does not work well for general unrestricted fundraising. It is best to be clear and specific about what you’re trying to fund. Today’s donors want to know where their money is going and how it will make a difference.
Project Name *
Number of Active Project Team Members *
Tell us about your group or organization *
Tell us about the purpose of your project *
Tell us about your target audience *
Tell us how this project will impact the institution or the greater community *
5. PROJECT INFORMATION | FINANCIAL
Typical crowdfunding projects raise between $2,000 - $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.
Total estimated cost of the project *
Amount already raised (if applicable) *
Estimated crowdfunding dollar goal *
List any additional organization fundraising activities and dates
Why do you think you'll be successful in achieving your financial goal? *
Is the project funding urgent (time dependent)? *
Ideally, when would you like to launch the live phase of your project? *
6. PROJECT INFORMATION | SOCIAL MEDIA
Crowdfunding relies on personal networking—your best supporters love Ole Miss, but they REALLY love you and your project. Crowdfunding is a peer-to-peer solicitation rather than an institutional solicitation. You can 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 or your team do not have a pre-existing audience (personal or otherwise), then crowdfunding might not be the best platform to raise money for your project.
Organization/Department Website or Blog *
Organization/Department Facebook Page *
Organization/Department Twitter Page *
Number of relevant email contacts *
Number of Facebook followers *
Number of Twitter followers *
Average number of Facebook posts per week *
Average number of Twitter posts per week *
7. PROJECT INFORMATION | TEAM PARTICIPATION
Project campaigns run for 30-45 days but projects require a full 10-12 weeks of focused, intense work before and after the campaign. The project creator will need to provide updates and remain actively engaged (new videos, social media postings such as Twitter and Facebook, campus events, and email). It is recommended that the project creator commit 1 hour per day and each team member commit 30-60 minutes per day for the length of the active campaign.
How many team members do you have who will actively help you promote the project via email and social media? *
How will your team reach out to recent graduates and/or former members to enlist their financial support? *
Please give any other information that may be useful for determining your potential success in promoting your project *
8. PROJECT MATERIALS
The best way to get donors to support your cause through crowdfunding is to create an emotional and compelling fundraising page. When possible, it is best to use pictures and videos to tell a convincing and irresistible story, as well as to explain to people exactly how much money you need and how the money will be used.
NOTE: *The video does not need to be produced in high-quality; “grass roots” videos work well for crowdfunding because they are authentic and compelling. Departments or organizations can shoot their own video using an iPad or camera.
Do you have images to include for the project? *
If not, do you have capabilities to create or obtain images for the project? *
Do you have a video to include for the project? *
If not, do you have capabilities to create a video to communicate goals, objectives, and the need for your crowdfunding campaign? *
9. DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT
Most campus departments have a communications specialist. This specialist can provide design and marketing assistance to increase your project’s success.
Have you informed your department’s communications specialist about your project application submission (if applicable)? *
Have you informed your department’s leadership (Dean, Vice Chancellor, Executive Director, etc.) about your project application submission? *
What is your department’s communications specialist’s name, email address and contact number (if applicable)? *
APPLICATION PROCESS
The Ignite Ole Miss Selection Committee will approve project applications.
THANK YOU!
We appreciate your interest in Ignite Ole Miss and will be contacting you shortly about your project application. Contact us at igniteolemiss@gmail.com with any questions.
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