Syracuse Student Uses Instagram to Help Nonprofits Raise Funds
Syracuse University student Jack Adler and twin sister Kate received a Hunter Watson Entrepreneurial Award for their fundraising organization, 3 Dollar Challenge.
The grassroots organization is focused on helping nonprofits connect with Gen Z audiences by harnessing the power of large-scale viral social media campaigns and $3 “micro-donations.”
The project started when the twins’ freshman year of college was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. While quarantining at home in Villanova, Pennsylvania, the two became inspired by an influx of viral Instagram trends where users tag and challenge friends to post photos of themselves.
The siblings adopted the trend with a twist — they created an Instagram page asking people to post a video, donate $3, and tag five people. Within 24 hours they had raised nearly $10,000.
Now, Jack and Kate are trademarking the name “3 Dollar Challenge” and helping other organizations catalyze the power of social media to engage young donors.
“Technology and culture are accelerating at a rapid rate, yet sectors like fundraising struggle to keep up with the times,” Jack says. “With the 3 Dollar Challenge, 3 is all you need to make a meaningful impact. We’ve created a secure and empowering way for socially conscious Gen Zs to raise money by using platforms they’re familiar with.”
The company will design, build, test and deploy social media campaigns, and report on the progress of campaigns in real-time.
“At the end of the campaign, 3DC analyzes its success to improve the company’s future campaigns. Our revenue will be based on our performance and value we provide to our customers, typically a 10% fee of the fundraising total,” Jack says.
Hunter’s Fund
Hunter’s Fund honors the life of Hunter Watson, a young man of extremely diverse talents who was killed at 20-years-old when he was fatally injured as a passenger in a distracted driving collision.
Through distracted driving education and awarding grants to help young people’s involvement in performing arts, music, computer science, and entrepreneurship, Hunter’s Fund empowers young people in their careers and keeps Hunter’s spirit alive.
Are you a young entrepreneur interested in applying for a grant from the Hunter Watson Memorial Fund? Click here to learn more.