The UO’s inaugural crowdfunding campaign hit a home run in its first turn at bat, raising more than its target goal in less than a month.

The effort to draw donations by reaching out to people through the Internet raised $17,500 for the UO’s Summer Academy to Inspire Learning, or SAIL. SAIL brings middle and high school students from low-income backgrounds to campus for academic summer camps that prepare them to continue their educations after high school.

With a goal of $15,000, the campaign raised $17,500 by the time it closed Nov. 13. What’s more, an anonymous donor agreed to match all gifts raised in the crowdfunding drive, which means SAIL will receive $35,000 to continue its work.

“This exciting initiative shows how bringing together a tight-knit donor community can make a huge difference for UO students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community,” said Rodrigo Hernandez, assistant director of innovative solicitations for Annual Philanthropy.

The UO created its own crowdfunding platform, DuckFunder, to connect with potential donors and manage campaigns. The site will be used to help raise money for projects or needs that otherwise might be overlooked by departments because of budget constraints.

DuckFunder will continue to run fund drives for selected projects. The next round of crowdfunding campaigns are expected to be announced by the end of November and will launch between Feb. 1 and March 3.

The program is looking especially for proposals that align with the current UO campaign priorities: access, excellence and the UO experience. Crowdfunding projects can range from a new projector in a classroom to travel expenses.

Email DuckFunder at duckfunder@uoregon.edu for more information, or visit the website. Information also is available on the giving website.

—By Greg Bolt, Public Affairs Communications