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Subject: Submit a UMD crowdfunding application today Description: Dear CMNS students— Launch UMD (http://www.launch.umd.edu) is now accepting applications for its 30-day spring crowdfunding rounds. The deadline for submitting applications for the spring is December 11 (for best consideration). The application is available at www.launch.umd.edu. Let me know if you have an idea that you want to propose and I’ll be happy to provide feedback on your application before you submit it for review. What could you do with $5,000 or $10,000 or more, to support a student project, trip, activity, lab, course or competition? Do you have any projects coming up or things that you dream of doing but just don’t have the necessary funding? UMD’s crowdfunding effort called Launch UMD (https://www.launch.umd.edu/) could provide the funding you need! Crowdfunding is a great way to engage members of the UMD community, including alumni and families of students, with specific, exciting projects initiated by our students, faculty and staff. Money can be used for things like equipment, competitions, sending students to a conference or training or to conduct research; and sustainability and community efforts. Launch UMD began in April 2014 with a pilot round of five crowdfunding projects, all of which met and exceeded their fundraising goals. Last fall, a CMNS entomology project to “save the bees” by placing sentinel hives around the state of Maryland blew past its initial goal of $8,000 and raised $24,105. Another CMNS project to purchase a 3-D scanner and printer for geology raised $8,000, which was $1,000 more than its goal. CMNS projects last spring raised more than $5,000 to bring the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly back to campus and nearly $9,000 to build an astronomy all-sky camera network in Maryland. CMNS projects this fall raised $10,000 to purchase a weather balloon system and $4,000 for a K-12 STEM tutoring and mentoring program. -- Abby V. Robinson, Ph.D. Director of Communications College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences University of Maryland 2318 Symons Hall [log in to unmask] | 301-405-5845 Connect with UMD Science: Web | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Contact Person: Abby Robinson Contact Email: [log in to unmask]