Vanguard provides you with all the filmmaking tools you need to complete class assignments, but you may want to consider extra expenses, such as food, water and gas. Your faculty recommends that you work those costs into your personal budget rather than attempting to fundraise–saving your connections and efforts for your Senior Project.
For your Senior Project, you should create an itemized budget as part of your pre-production process. Knowing in advance what things will cost and how much money you need is a prerequisite to doing any sort of fundraising. Donors need to see how you will use their donation–having a production budget is a great of way of demonstrating that their investment will not go to waste. There are a few ways you can raise money for your project, check with your professors for permission and assistance.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com are great ways to raise cash donations for your project. However, bear in mind that you need to plan these campaigns carefully. Most of the people you will reach with your crowdfunding campaign are friends and family–you will need to invest time and effort on social media to drive people to your page. Incentives are a common part of crowd-funding campaign, but you need to make sure you are not promising items that cost more than the donation, or items that you will not deliver on. As student filmmaker at Vanguard, you should have a deep sense of personal integrity that extends to your art. Represent yourself, your project, and the university well.
Direct Donations
If you have a relative or family friend who is interested in donating in excess of $100 to your project, you may want to have them donate that money directly to the university. Since Vanguard is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donor can receive a tax write-off. You can then access the money by submitting receipts for reimbursement to the Communication Department. Check with Krystal Komatsu in the Communication office for instructions on the exact process for you and your donor. An important note: do not solicit donations from your internship employer.
In-Kind Donations
Another way you can raise money for your project is through in-kind donations. For example, instead of asking for money so you can buy dinner for your crew, see if a local restaurant will donate the actual dinner. Do remember that Vanguard student clubs frequently ask for these in-kind donations from local merchants, so try further away from the campus for greater success. Check the Index of Forms for a Donation Letter template you can use.