Student Fundraising
Overview
The college supports and encourages efforts to raise funds for approved ministry efforts, particularly from friends, family, and your home church. You will receive specific instruction and guidance from your director or coordinator.
Additionally, you may need to work with the office of college advancement (OCA), through Janna Mori, director of donor relations. This department is responsible for seeing that constituents are treated appropriately, year and after. This office oversees solicitations and ensures donors get receipts in a timely manner, are thanked, and receive updates on what their funds are accomplishing.
If you are considering a fundraiser of any type and are unsure of the implications for the donor or the college, contact Janna Mori.
Student FAQs
Is my group approved to fundraise?
Fundraising letters to family/friends
Other common questions
Are gifts to Westmont tax-deductible?
What happens to donor funds if my group has been fully funded?
Will donors be added to Westmont mailings?
Approved to fundraise?Make sure that you have institutional approval to pursue significant fundraising related to the college. The college will not process checks for unapproved groups.Even if you are an approved group under a student-led organization such as WCSA or WACC, receiving funds from their budget, if your goal is to raise a significant amount of funds (more than $500), you will need to be approved by the college.Even established ministry groups are typically asked to renew their group’s statement of purpose and other items each year to their staff coordinator, to be deemed approved for the current year. If you are launching a new group and aren’t sure where to begin, contact Janna Mori.
Getting approval to fundraiseMinistries must receive approval from the institution itself to conduct fundraising associated with Westmont.Your team may be approved based on being a
- Ministry team
- Intercultural or Cross-Cultural
- Other, as approved by special committee (Click here for application)For more on approval process, go to: Fundraising Approval Details
Bakesale or similar fundraiser:
Bake sales do not typically involve an offical non-profit receipt (which would be used for tax-deductions). You can work with directly with Student Life to organize this.
Raffles:
Westmont chooses not to engage in fundraising through raffles.
Silent auction
If your approved group is planning a silent auction that will depend on donations from any local businesses, contact Janna Mori.
Fundraising letters:
For approved groups, the bulk of your fundraising will be from family, friends and your home church. Your staff coordinator will help to ensure that your letters contain important language related to their tax-deductible gift.
Solicit alumni
OCA will not provide lists of Westmont’s alumni and/or donors. Aside from personal contacts, students (individuals or groups) may not contact alumni / donors independently to solicit them, whether the contact is by email, phone call, letter, etc. Contact Janna Mori if you have questions.
Solicit local businesses
Approved fundraising groups should contact Janna Mori well in advance of any contact with local businesses, bringing a list of potential businesses to solicit. This office coordinates your list with that of other student groups, as well as the college’s overall relationship with the business — so your list will undergo review and recommendations (including recommendation not to solicit when needed).
Solicit for supplies
For groups approved to solicit, any “gifts-in-kind” received, that is, a noncash donation such as lumber, gift certificates, or other supplies, involve documention. The college must have information about these gifts in order to issue donor receipts and give recognition. Contact Janna Mori for assistance.
Solicit local churches
While students are encouraged to turn primarily to their home church for support, students groups may ask their local church family for funds. For approved fundraising groups, you are encouraged to ensure that only one appeal is sent per team as many students attend local churches. In addition, one appeal is sent annually to local churches on behalf of current student ministry teams.
How should donor write a check
Make checks out to “Westmont College”, (as the tax-exempt nonprofit), designation (“Potter’s Clay”) noted in the memo line.
Can donors give online
Your supporters can give online using the online donation form. They can fill in the team name they wish to support.
Are gifts to Westmont tax-deductible?
Westmont is a not for profit, and gifts are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law. Donors should consult their tax advisor.
What happens to donor funds if my group (student ministry team, for example) has been fully funded?
Generally, if the team is fully funded, the gifts will go to current unfunded teams. Each mailing should include language that notifies the donor about what will happen to additional funds that year.
Will donors be added to Westmont mailings?
Westmont will assume that friends do not wish to receive college publications. The letters sent from students should always give an “opt-in” option only. If the college makes an error and sends unwanted publications, direct them to notify Janna Mori to correct the error. Westmont never shares its mailing lists and puts the highest value on donor confidentiality.
For Help
Questions related to fundraising topics (whether or not listed above), direct to: Janna Mori, Director of Donor Relations at jmori@westmont.edu; ext. 6833.