CougStarter, Washington State University’s crowdfunding platform to support student clubs and organizations, recently announced a record high in participation with fundraising totals for Fall 2024.
Within merely three weeks of crowdfunding — open to WSU undergraduates and graduate students alike — a record-high number of 18 groups raised a total of $28,769 across 265 gifts. Among those 18 participating groups, Wazzu Racing raised the most funds for a single group at $7,550.
Wazzu Racing, which is the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) team at WSU, was able to cover more than half of its costs to represent the Cougs at a 2025 FSAE competition because of the donors who gave through CougStarter. Wazzu Racing designs and manufactures a quarter-sized, Formula-style race car and brings it to Michigan International Speedway each year to compete in design and dynamic events against 100-plus universities from all over the world.
“CougStarter has been great to us so far,” said Scott Kindelberger, a senior from Snoqualmie who is majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in film studies. “The CougStarter team makes it very easy for us to crowdfund. And because of the generosity of our friends, families, and alumni, we were able to raise so much this year for our competition.”
Wazzu Racing is an incredible opportunity for any student — not just engineering students — according to Kindelberger, who started at Wazzu Racing as a sophomore, joining the cockpit controls team, where he assisted with designing and manufacturing the shifter, clutch, pedal box, dashboard, and firewall.
“Our team is a very important aspect of WSU, and it’s one of the reasons that some students come to this school,” said Kindelberger, who is slated to graduate in May 2025. “Having the opportunity to build this team with the support of CougStarter has been an unforgettable and truly irreplaceable experience.”
Since 2019, CougStarter participants have raised $95,161 toward their projects. In total, CougStarter has hosted 68 student projects.
CougStarter launched in 2019 to enable donors, alumni, fellow students, partners, friends, and families to support student-led initiatives through online giving. In its inaugural year, the campaign saw donors provide more than $11,000 in support of six student projects. Since 2019, CougStarter participants have raised $95,161 toward their projects. In total, CougStarter has hosted 68 student projects.
With the help of the CougStarter team, led by WSU Foundation Assistant Director of Annual Giving Tayler Ekness, student groups have the opportunity each semester to run their own three-week fundraising campaign to finance an event or project. The prerequisites:
- Eligibility as a club, sports club, or registered student organization on a WSU campus
- Application
- Interview
“CougStarter empowers students to advocate for their passion projects, and it also provides an experiential-learning experience in fundraising, building communication skills, marketing fluency, and emotional intelligence,” said Ekness, who has led WSU students through the ins and outs of fundraising (i.e., proposals, recruitment, teamwork, goal setting) since August 2023. “There’s a moment when it clicks for them. And if we’re lucky, we cultivate a culture of philanthropy at WSU and its next generation of donors.”
CougStarter is preparing to accept applications for the Spring 2025 semester:
- Application period: Jan. 8–29
- Application screening/interviews: Jan. 13–31
- Training /campaign prep: Jan. 13–31
- Building campaign pages: Jan. 13–Feb. 10
- Live/accepting gifts: Feb. 12
- Last day to make gift: March 5
For more information about CougStarter, visit cougstarter.wsu.edu or contact wsuf.cougstarter@wsu.edu.
