Our Crowdfunding Groups
UCLA Spark is the official crowdfunding platform of the University of California, Los Angeles. It’s a space where members of the UCLA and Bruin community can come together to create, support, and share fundraising campaigns aimed at solving the world’s problems and reimagining its possibilities.
On UCLA Spark, you can:
- Discover limited-time projects launched by UCLA students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends.
- Make tax-deductible donations using a convenient and secure online form.
- Share projects with other advocates to help generate even greater interest for the campaign
- Keep tabs on progress made toward goals and stay up-to-date on the impact made with your philanthropy.
See some of our FAQs below, but please, feel free to contact the Spark team if we can answer any questions you have.
Who can apply to use Spark?
All registered UCLA student organizations, competitive sports and academic teams, full-time faculty, UCLA staff members, development officers, schools, colleges, institutes, departments, alumni, and pretty much any other member of the UCLA community that would like to raise funds for the UCLA Foundation.
Does this sound like your team? Excellent! Let’s talk:
Email uclaspark@support.ucla.edu
What do Spark donations support?
It depends on the project! Past projects have used donations to fund scholarships or travel, to launch rockets and boats, and to expand research opportunities. We want you to feel AMAZING about making your philanthropic investment with UCLA Spark, which is why the projects we host are required to keep you updated on the impact your donations have made even after the crowdfunding campaign is over.
Why should someone contribute?
There are a number of reasons why you might contribute, but feeling passionate about the project and how your gift will help change our community is certainly a big reason. Your gift, whether big or small, supports the Bruins who are remarkable pioneers, scholars, global leaders and thought drivers.
Are gifts tax deductible?
Absolutely! All gifts to UCLA Spark campaigns are tax-deductible. Please note, sometimes if you receive a cool perk (such as a super awesome T-shirt) that has a fair market price and, following UCLA policy guidelines, the cost of that shirt is deducted from your total tax deductible amount.
For your records, UCLA’s federal taxpayer ID number for gifts to the UCLA Foundation is 95-2250801. Please visit the UCLA Foundation disclosures site for additional information.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Donor Relations team and mention the Spark Campaign you gave to and they’ll be sure to help. You may direct questions via email to gifts@support.ucla.edu or call (310) 794-2447.
What kind of campaigns are successful on Spark?
Successful campaigns typically are community-focused and are led by passionate project managers who are fearless in their quest to make a difference.
How long does it take prepare for a campaign?
We typically recommend that crowdfunding teams set aside 30-45 days to plan and prepare prior to their campaign launch. A good rule of thumb is to apply 90 days before you need your funding in the bank. That gives a team time to apply, be approved, plan and implement their campaigns within one of crowdfunding modules.
What are my options when making anonymous donations?
We are happy to respect your privacy and you are free to hide your name, the amount you donate, or all information regarding your donation from a project's donor wall. However, selecting these options does not mean that your donation is anonymous to the UCLA Foundation, and you will receive donor credit and all applicable tax benefits.
If you're interested in making a truly anonymous donation to any crowdfunding project, please contact our team at (310) 794-9081.
Where can I learn about your Privacy Policy?
Right here.
How can I get in contact with UCLA Spark?
Feel free to reach out to our UCLA Spark team anytime, we’d love to talk about your crowdfunding project ideas.
Phone: (310) 794-9091
Email: uclaspark@support.ucla.edu
Messaging Opt-In
By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from UCLA and UCLA Spark. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies.
Absolutely! All gifts to UCLA Spark campaigns are tax-deductible.
However, if you claim a perk that has a Fair Market Value associated with it, your tax deductible amount will be the amount of your donation minus the Fair Market Value of the selected perk.
For your records, UCLA’s federal taxpayer ID number for gifts to the UCLA Foundation is 95-2250801. Please visit the UCLA Foundation disclosures site for additional information.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Donor Relations team and mention the Spark Campaign you gave to and they’ll be sure to help. You may direct questions via email to gifts@support.ucla.edu or call (310) 794-9081.
Of course, and we are grateful for your generosity. Please send a check made payable to the UCLA Foundation to PO Box 7145, Pasadena, CA 91109, referencing the Spark campaign you would like to support on the Memo Line. Note that there will be a delay in adding your contribution to the donor wall as your contribution must be manually processed after being delivered to our secure lockbox.
Not if you don't want one! Simply enter the amount you'd like to donate in the topmost field under 'Please enter the amount you would like to contribute:', and then select the 'No Perk' option.
Of course! The levels are simply intended for you to better understand how your gift will make a difference. Simply fill in the amount you'd like to donate in the top most field under 'Please enter the amount you would like to contribute:', and then complete the rest of the donation form. We can accept donations between $1 and $999,999.99 via the Spark online giving site. If you would like to add a note regarding your gift being in honor of or in memory of someone, or wish to donate anonymously, just write us a note.
We are happy to respect your privacy and you are free to hide your name, the amount you donate, or all information regarding your donation from a project's donor wall. If you select this option, you will not receive any form of public acknowledgement for your gift i.e. social media shout outs. However, selecting these options does not mean that your donation is anonymous to the UCLA Foundation, and you will receive donor credit and all applicable tax benefits.
Yes. UCLA has long been one of the top U.S. destinations for international students, as well as a leader in U.S. students studying abroad. We welcome the support of our alumni and friends across the globe.
You can select the country associated with your billing address on this donation page. For additional information related to tax-deductibility, please see the information presented by the UCLA Foundation regarding Giving From Abroad.
For more information on giving from abroad, please contact:
Bill Kinsella, Director of Gift Policy, at williamk@support.ucla.edu or +1 (310) 794-3453
Yes. As is customary with universities and other non-profit organizations across the country, a one-time administrative fee is applied to all new gifts, providing essential support to UCLA's overall operation - such as providing use on our crowdfunding platform free of charge to the projects we host. The fee is currently 6.5 percent.