Indiana University's Famed "Little 500" Bicycle Race Taps Fundly to Power Crowdfunding Campaign for Student Scholarships

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest crowdfunding-for-good platform, Fundly (www.fundly.com), and Indiana University's "Little 500", the country's largest collegiate bike race, have teamed up to launch the first-ever crowdfunding campaign in the 63-year old annual fundraising event's history.

Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, Little 500 cyclists compete in four-person teams around a quarter-mile cinder track at Indiana University's Bill Armstrong Stadium, cheered on by tens of thousands of fans. 

The annual race, which has been the subject of numerous national news reports, sports broadcasts and the Academy Award-winning film "Breaking Away", is a world-famous fundraising event that raises much-needed scholarship funds for IU students. Sponsored by the Indiana University Student Foundation, the Little 500 has raised more than $1.5 million to-date for student scholarships.

For this year's race, taking place April 19^th and 20^th, organizers chose Fundly to power a Little 500 crowdfunding campaign and enable any cycling team and anyone else to quickly and easily launch their own personalized fundraising page on Fundly's platform.  

To date, more than 60 cycling teams have launched their own Fundly fundraising pages and are competing to see who can raise the most scholarship money. Anyone who signs up as a campaign supporter or donor receives news, updates and progress reports from the teams as they enter the homestretch in their race preparations.

"Fundly is proud to partner with the Little 500 to propel their fundraising success. This prestigious event epitomizes the very spirit of crowdfunding – extraordinary students devoting tireless effort and banding together to leverage the power of crowds in service to their community," said Dave Boyce, Fundly CEO. 

"The Little 500 is excited about leveraging Fundly's platform to launch our crowdfunding efforts and amplify our scholarship fundraising," said Dana Cummings, Director of the Indiana University Student Foundation. "The Little 500 is a model of fun, social and community-driven event fundraising, so Fundly is a perfect partner for leveraging our supporters' social networks to make fundraising more fun, social and successful." 

The Little 500's fundraising campaign page is at: http://iufoundation.fundly.com/little500

In addition to the Little 500, Fundly serves as the crowdfunding and event fundraising platform for thousands of charity run, walk, bike, swim and dance-athons and other athletic fundraising events across the country, including the Cleveland Marathon, NASCAR driver Ryan Reed's "Drive to Stop Diabetes" for the American Diabetes Association, Teach for America's Mississippi Marathon and more than 75 "Color Me Rad" 5k Runs nationwide. More about Fundly is at www.fundly.com.

About Fundly

The world's #1 crowdfunding-for-good platform, Fundly's mission is to help more people give more. The largest, most widely-adopted and easiest-to-use crowdfunding-for-good and event fundraising platform, Fundly has enabled more than 30,000 nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups, fundraising events and individual fundraisers large and small to collectively raise more than $305 million and counting. Fundly is the proven fundraising solution for everyone from local PTAs, to Run Walk Ride events, to the world's largest charities, including Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Learn more about Fundly at www.fundly.com and see Fundly in the news at http://fundly.com/press/.

About Indiana University Student Foundation

The Indiana University Student Foundation was established in 1950 in order to provide IU Bloomington undergraduates an opportunity to learn about the power of private philanthropic support, take part in community service, receive leadership training, and make life-long friendships. Student Foundation members annually organize and produce more than 100 events, activities and programs including the Little 500 bike race, and award more than $183,000 annually in scholarship and grant funds for IU Bloomington students.

Contact: Deborah Schneider / [email protected] / 415-277-6973

SOURCE Fundly