Ghent University alumni Rik and Bea wanted to celebrate their most recent birthday with a big party and they had a very clear gift preference: No flowers or chocolates, they wrote in the invitation, but a donation to the Marleen Temmerman Fund of Ghent University. Their fundraising initiative brought in close to €5,000 for the Fund.
Rik: “We got the idea from a friend, who is one of a group of people to take part in a running event each year to raise funds for another Ghent University fund, the 4Brain Fund. Bea and I thought that was such a wonderful initiative that we decided to do the same.”
Bea adds: “We have everything we need so we felt a donation to the Marleen Temmerman Fund would make a more useful gift.
A deliberate choice
Why precisely this Fund? Bea: “We know and admire Marleen Temmerman and her work on female reproductive rights. When we found out we could support her through the action platform of Ghent University, it was an easy choice. We could have suggested a Fund or a research group of our own but in truth we were immediately convinced.” Rik: “What’s more, we thought many people would recognise her name, lowering the threshold for making donations.”
To boost the success of their action, they kept it going after the party. Rik: “We gambled on the idea that it would be a topic of conversation at the party, which did lead to additional donations. We also tried to pamper our guests at the party a little bit. That may have had an impact on the size of their donation (winks).”
Thank you video from Marleen
Rik sees another reason why their fundraiser was so successful. “Ghent University immediately informs the researchers if an action is being organised for their benefit. Marleen was quick to send us a gracious thank you email.”
Bea: “So obviously we sent her an invitation. She couldn’t make it but she suggested making a video we could send along with our invitations. That charming video in which she explained her work undoubtedly convinced more people to donate.”
Simple and effective
According to Rik and Bea setting up a fundraiser at Ghent University is easier than you think. “In just a few steps you can create your own page, select the Ghent University fund you wish to support and add a brief explanation. Such a motivation helps to convince your network to donate. You can optionally set a target amount, which is an extra motivation to make a donation. You can share the link to the page via email, social media or WhatsApp, or you can send a physical invitation. People can donate anonymously or under their name. Afterwards donors get a thank you letter from the rector and, if they are eligible, they also receive a tax certificate the following year. If the fundraiser is a great success, you can always extend the deadline.
Bea: “We made a conscious decision to only share the action with our guests, via email and a physical invitation. In the invitation I also included a link to the Marleen Temmerman Fund to provide some additional background information.
Rik: "This is an excellent way of supporting a worthy cause."
Social engagement
Just as they were inspired by friends, Rik and Bea hope their story will motivate others to set up similar campaigns.
Rik: “Our whole lives, we’ve been socially engaged and active in different organisations. This is an excellent way of supporting a worthy cause. Now that we are getting on a bit, it is also important to us to pass on values such as solidarity and social engagement to young people. And it’s nice to realise that we are helping to support scientific research at Ghent University.
Would you also like to start a fundraiser to support research or education at Ghent University? Then take a look at this page. Here you will find full details on the various possibilities to raise funds and you can click through to Ghent University’s action platform.
Both Bea and Rik studied Germanic languages at Ghent University and met in Flora (Merelbeke). After graduating, Bea worked in Ghent University’s Language Centre and she is a board member of the alumni association ‘Bond van de Gentse Germanisten’. After a brief spell in teaching, Rik embarked on a career in the corporate sector and is currently a regional director at an international supermarket chain.
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