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Stanford
Office of Student Engagement

Corporate Fundraising Program

Overview

The Corporate Fundraising Program allows student organizations to solicit charitable donations or gifts from corporations in support of their year-round programming.

Participation in the program is a privilege and requires advance approval from the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) and the Office of Development.

The Corporate Fundraising Program supports student organizations in soliciting charitable gifts from corporations. Program participants cannot pursue foundation support or grants from other organizations. This distinction is important: while gifts may carry donor intent, they are not formally tracked or managed like a grant, which typically involve defined deliverables, reporting requirements, and ongoing oversight.

Student organizations are expected to use corporate fundraising to address defined gaps in their funding needs. The program is not intended to support raising funds without a clear plan for their use or fundraising beyond demonstrated need.

Student organizations apply in Spring Quarter to fundraise during the following academic year. Organizations may not solicit corporate donors until approval is granted.

Criteria for Approval

Corporate fundraising proposals must:

  • Align with the organization’s mission and programming
  • Support year-round activities, not a single event
  • Demonstrate a clear need for corporate support (fundraising gaps in funding)
  • Include a specific and realistic fundraising timeline
  • Include a contingency plan
  • Be structured as charitable gifts, not contracts, commercial sponsorships, or grants
  • Present a reasonable and achievable fundraising goal

As a general guideline, we limit fundraising goals to 10% more than the amount raised the previous year. Requests above this level may require additional review and approval.

Advising Requirements

To support effective planning and oversight, advising requirements are tied to an organization’s Corporate Fundraising goals.

$50,000 and Above

Organizations must have:

  • A faculty advisor meeting 2–3 times per quarter
  • An advisory board meeting at least once per quarter

Additional expectations include:

  • Coordination with relevant campus partners, such as Development, ASSU, and Risk Management
  • Strong documentation, budgeting, and planning practices
  • Participation in specialized training, if required

$20,000 – $49,999

Organizations must have:

  • A faculty advisor meeting at least once per quarter

Under $20,000

A faculty adviser is strongly recommended and an advisory committee is welcomed, but no additional advising requirements beyond standard expectations.

Future Requirement Beginning in 2027

Faculty advisors and/or advisory boards will be required to formally review and approve Corporate Fundraising applications before submission.

Program Timeline

Step 1: Attend a Required Training

All student organizations must attend a Corporate Fundraising training to apply.

2026–2027 Training Sessions:

  • May 11 at 1:00 PM
  • May 20 at 6:00 PM

Step 2: Prepare a Fundraising Proposal

Your proposal must include the following materials.

Annual Budget

Your budget should include:

  • Realistic projected expenses
  • All on-campus funding sources and earned revenue
  • Proposed corporate fundraising goal
  • Optional contingency, typically 10–15%

Prospect List

Your prospect list should include:

  • Target corporations aligned with your organization’s mission
  • Identified contacts and relationships, if available
  • A clear rationale for each prospect

A focused, strategic list is expected. Large, unfocused lists will not be approved.

Solicitation Letter

Your draft solicitation letter should include:

  • The organization’s mission and purpose
  • The funding need
  • How funds will be used
  • The specific request

End-of-Year Report, if applicable

Repeat applicants must submit a summary of prior fundraising performance and stewardship.

Step 3: Meet with OSE

Organizations must meet with an OSE advisor to review proposals. Most proposals require revision before submission.

Step 4: Submit Application

Submit your application through CardinalEngage by the deadline.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, May 26

Step 5: Review and Approval

  • Applications are reviewed by OSE and the Office of Development.
  • Decisions begin to be released: Friday, June 26
  • Incomplete proposals may delay review.

Step 6: Conduct Fundraising

Once approved:

  • Only approved prospects may be contacted
  • Student organizations may not sign contracts or agreements
  • All contributions must be processed as charitable gifts to Stanford

Processing Timeline:

  • 1–3 months for donor confirmation
  • 6–8 weeks for funds to transfer after receipt

Step 7: Steward Donors

Organizations are expected to provide timely and thoughtful donor stewardship, including acknowledgments and follow-up.

Budget and Fundraising Adjustments

All changes to approved fundraising plans must be submitted through a formal request process, including:

  • Requests to raise funds beyond the approved amount
  • Budget modifications
  • Changes to planned expenditures

Requests will be reviewed with relevant advisors and evaluated based on the following factors.

Donor or Gift Risk

Any concerns about the donor or source of funds must be resolved before approval.

Programmatic Impact

Requests will be reviewed to determine whether the proposed change significantly alters the organization’s programming scope and whether the organization has the capacity to support the change.

Requests that do not raise concerns are typically approved.

Spending Guidelines

All Corporate Fundraising expenditures must comply with:

  • ASSU funding policies
  • Stanford University financial and operational policies

Important Program Dates 2026–2027

  • Application Opens: May 11
  • Training Sessions: May 11 and May 20
  • Application Deadline: May 26
  • Decisions Begin: June 26

Tips for Success

  • Start early. Corporate fundraising requires significant lead time.
  • Develop a realistic, well-supported budget.
  • Focus on a small number of strong corporate prospects.
  • Ensure alignment between fundraising goals and organizational capacity.
  • Maintain consistent follow-up with donors.
  • Provide prompt and meaningful stewardship.