Key Requirements to Participate in YaleSOAR
Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, but intended to highlight some of the core requirements for prospective groups.
This video provides an overview of a finalized YaleSOAR campaign and may help you visualize some of the requirements below.
- Register with the Yale College Dean’s Office for 2024-25.
- If your application is approved, one representative of your group must attend a mandatory kickoff meeting with the SOAR team on Monday, October 6 or Wednesday, October 8 from 7-8 p.m. (in-person location TBA).
- Share your group's fundraising purposes, campaign title, and target dollar amount on your application .
- Write a donor-facing message (around 300 words) to present a compelling case for your fundraising goals & explain the impact of potential gifts. This will become the “About” section of your online campaign. See examples: Yale Dramat, Generational African American Students Association.
- Create a promotional plan to connect with potential donors. Brainstorm how to identify and reach out to a targeted contact list. Approved groups will work with their SOAR advisor to develop strong promotional plans.
- Commit 1-3 hours per week, per group, to developing your campaign and promotional plan between application approval and the end of the SOAR giving week. See Timeline and Due Dates for a detailed timeline of the SOAR 2025-26 commitment.
- Attend a 30-minute strategy session with your assigned advisor, to be scheduled after your application is approved.
- Create a 30-45-second fundraising video and source photos to add to your campaign page. See examples of past videos: Rural Students Alliance; Mecha de Yale; Yale South Asian Society; Living Water; Yale Black Men’s Union; Walden Peer Counseling; YUAA.
- Your organization will need to have or create an organizational bank account to receive YaleSOAR funds. It is not necessary to complete this process prior to submitting your application. Upon approval, the Yale College Business Office will contact you with instructions on setting up a Tax ID/EIN and creating an organizational bank account if you do not already have one. Please reach out to Kelly Walsh (k.walsh@yale.edu) with any questions.