Thanks to crowdfunding campaigns through the MinuteFund, student organizations make co-curricular experiences affordable for everyone.

Each year, UMass Amherst’s student organizations plan a variety of programming to enhance the campus experience and provide co-curricular learning opportunities. From research projects and the development of print publications to networking trips, volunteer excursions, and athletic competitions, these activities enable students to hone their talents and engage in the kind of experiences that will shape who they become after graduation.

The MinuteFund, UMass Amherst’s online crowdfunding platform, helps these groups raise the funding necessary to ensure that students can take advantage of these opportunities without a heavy financial burden.

This year, more than 1,900 donors gave nearly $160,000 to help 60 campus groups fund projects through the MinuteFund.

“Working with the MinuteFund was such a valuable experience for our team,” says Hannah Steinbrecher ’26, who helped the UMass Gymnastics Club raise $5,000 to attend a national competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “In the end, we were able to just about eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for 11 gymnasts and pay our other expenses. Seeing thousands of gymnasts coming from across the nation to showcase their passion was an amazing experience.”

Project BryceFloat, one of the most successful MinuteFund projects this year, raised more than $10,000 to support a team of five mechanical engineering seniors in designing and fabricating a moored floating structure capable of supporting and stabilizing a Vevor 400W wind turbine. Thanks to 100 generous donors, they were able to bring their project to the Floating Wind Competition at Plage Napoleon near Marseille, France.

“We were one of the few teams at the competition that did our own fundraising,” says Leo Narbonne, a member of the design team. “Attending the competition was such a priviledge, and we are grateful for the experience.”

“Having the MinuteFund allowed us to lower prices for members in addition to providing events for free as opposed to charging an additional fee.”

—ABBEY BERRY ’25
Fundraising Co-director
Women in Business

The UMass Amherst team’s structure came in second place overall at the competition and won recognition for best transportation, assembly, and installation.

Both UMass’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity and Isenberg Women in Business successfully used the MinuteFund to eliminate costs for attendees of their signature trips: the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Collegiate Challenge and Women in Business’s annual Boston Networking trip.

“In previous years, the trip was an expense fully paid by the students,” says Hannah Connolly ’25, UMass Habitat for Humanity’s fundraising coordinator and rising co-vice president of the group. With more than $10,000 raised this year, the group was able to travel to Pompano Beach, Florida and build homes for a week.

“The best thing about this experience was how rewarding it was to see communities come together and all work towards a common goal,” Connolly says. “Even the smallest of donations allowed an organization like ours to push itself and accomplish its goals.”

As an organization that strives to create professional and personal development opportunities for its members, Isenberg Women in Business wanted to make it easier for anyone to participate in their events.

“Since higher education comes at a high price tag already, not every student can pay for extra club events or dues,” says Women in Business’s fundraising co-director Abbey Berry ’25. “Having the MinuteFund allowed us to lower prices for members in addition to providing events for free as opposed to charging an additional fee.”

Fundraising co-director Ellie Meehan says the Boston Networking trip is the highlight of the group’s year, offering members exposure to prominent companies, insights into potential careers post-college, and invaluable networking opportunities. The $4,000 raised allowed participants to focus solely on learning instead of worrying about the cost of attendance.

“This initiative has fundamentally transformed our club's financial flexibility, enabling us to adapt and grow in ways that were previously impossible,” says Meehan. “Creating the MinuteFund campaign...also taught me how to approach innovation, think outside of the box, and become more adaptable than I was.”

This story was originally published by the UMass Amherst Foundation.