Crowdfunding

Virginia Tech Gives Back Through Jump Crowdfunding Platform

• By Staff
• 05/30/17

Virginia Tech early last month launched its own crowdfunding platform called Jump, which showcases campus projects in need of financial support. Already, more than 300 donors have contributed more than $21,000 to the four campus initiatives on the platform.

The “Youth access with arts with the Moss Arts Center” initiative, for example, has exceeded its original $6,000 fundraising goal by about 125 percent. Since opening the fall of 2013, the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech has held “performances, artists residencies in schools, youth gallery exhibitions and other opportunities” to more than 12,000 children, the campaign page states. The funding will be used to provide quality arts experiences for more K–12 students, including a school matinee for performance for more than 1,200 students.

Other initiatives include:

• The “iSupport Virginia Tech Student Giving Campaign” initiative, which has raised 52 percent of its $3,403 overall goal. The student-driven campaign builds on the Beyond Boundaries Scholars program, which will help support underrepresented and high-achieving students at the university;
• The “Preventing head injuries in youth soccer” initiative, led by researchers at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, which has reached 100 percent of its $10,000 goal to further test headbands for youth soccer players that reduce concussion risk; and
• “VT Relay Productions Fund,” which has reached 12 percent of its $2,500 goal to sustain the largest collegiate Relay For Life.

According to a Virginia Tech statement, the university will add more resources to Jump over the summer — including a toolkit for prospective crowdfunding users.