This fall, four George Washington University student organizations have been selected to participate in Colonial Crowdfunding, a program that enables student-led ventures to seek support from the GW community. This is the fifth semester of Colonial Crowdfunding.
George Washington Today spoke to the student leaders spearheading this fall’s projects to find out more about what they hope to accomplish.
Association of Queer Women and Allies: Hosting GW's First D.C.-Area LGBTQ+ Leadership Conference
Crowdfunding goal: $4,000
Project: The Association of Queer Women and Allies is seeking to connect LGBTQ+ community leaders from D.C.-area universities, high schools and professional organizations through a first-of-its kind LGBTQ+ Leadership Conference at GW.
Why you should support them: “There is so much potential within the D.C. LGBTQ+ community, but we need to continue to provide opportunities for young people to build connections and share knowledge. And we want to make sure we're providing opportunities for GW students to connect to the amazing, vibrant community that exists in this city,” senior Tara Fitzmartin said.
GW Raas: Costume and Competition Support
Crowdfunding goal: $2,000
Project: GW Raas, a co-ed dance team that specializes in Raas Garba, a seasonal folk dance originating from Gujarat, India, is seeking support to defray competition costs—including materials for costumes and props and competition registration fees—to allow the organization to be inclusive and accessible to members from a variety of backgrounds.
Why you should support them: “The money raised will ease the financial burden on the team and enable those who have a limited financial capacity to still participate with and enjoy the team," senior Brinda Temburni said.
GW-TV: Upgrade Equipment for Out-of-Studio Filming
Crowdfunding goal: $4,750
Project: GW-TV is seeking to update to high-definition equipment for out-of-studio filming to bring more high-quality content to a wider audience.
Why you should support them: “We provide a service to the GW community. We're doing a lot of live video, especially for sports and news channels, and we want to make sure our coverage outside of the studio matches the quality of our in-studio productions," sophomore Kyra Armstrong said.
Mu Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta: Trunks Up Scholarship
Crowdfunding goal: $3,500
Project: The Mu Beta Chapter is fundraising to provide high school senior girls from Washington, D.C., with a trunk worth of school supplies and toiletries for college.
Why you should support them: “This program is about trying to ease the burden for young women entering college. There is a weight that can fall on a girl's shoulders that comes with buying supplies not covered by financial aid packages. We want these young women to be able to start their college career off with a focus on academics,” senior Gabriella Joseph said.
Colonial Crowdfunding has enabled student organizations to raise more than $28,000 for 23 projects that benefit the university and greater communities.
To apply, registered student organizations submit project applications through the Center for Student Engagement’s OrgSync portal. A committee of students and staff reviews each submission and selects promising projects to move forward. So far, Colonial Crowdfunding has received 86 applications and 27 percent have been selected to manage a fundraiser.
