Cornell club fundraiser timeline: a four-week plan
Cornell's three-week request deadline shapes the whole schedule. Work backward from your pickup date and each step lands where it should.
Use this plan as a template and adjust for your event. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the office named here before you plan around them.
Money never touches Cornell Craves. Students pay the club directly over Venmo or Zelle, and there is no commission or fee.
A week-by-week plan
1. Four weeks out: decide and draft
Pick the product, the price, the goal and the pickup place. Choose a vendor and get product details or samples ready. If you support a charity, ask for the approval letter now.
2. Three weeks out: submit the request
Submit the Event Scheduling Request at least three weeks before the sale. Ask Cornell Dining about approval for your food, and ask the county whether a temporary food permit applies to your advertised pickup.
3. Two weeks out: get approved and post
Once you have the go-ahead, register your club on Cornell Craves if you have not already and post the drop with the price, goal, pickup spots and time windows. New clubs are reviewed before their first drop goes live, so register early.
4. One to two weeks out: promote
Share the listing link and QR code with members, social media and the campus network. Follow up after the first few days.
5. Order close: place your order
When orders close, buy exactly what was ordered from the vendor and confirm pickup helpers.
6. Pickup day: hand out and scan
Scan each student's QR pass at pickup. Afterward, review analytics and note what to change next time.
If you have less than three weeks
Cornell's rule is a minimum of three weeks for the Event Scheduling Request, so talk to the Office of Community Relations about your date before you announce anything. A later date is better than a canceled sale.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to plan a club fundraiser at Cornell?
Plan for at least four weeks, because the Event Scheduling Request is due three weeks before the sale.
Does Cornell Craves take a cut of the money?
No. Students pay the club directly through Venmo or Zelle. Cornell Craves never handles or holds the money and takes no fee.
Who can use Cornell Craves?
Clubs must be legitimate Cornell student organizations, and new clubs are reviewed before their first drop goes live. Ordering is for current Cornell students with an @cornell.edu Google account. Cornell Craves is an independent student project and is not run or endorsed by Cornell University. It does not replace any Cornell approval, and each club stays responsible for following university and county rules.
Contact
Questions or want to list a fundraiser? Email [email protected] or message @cornellcraves on Instagram.
Sources
- Cornell Student and Campus Life, Fundraising and Sales Activity page (scl.cornell.edu/get-involved/campus-events/fundraising-and-sales-activity)
- Tompkins County Whole Health, Environmental Health, Temporary Food Permit (tompkinscountyny.gov)
Last reviewed: September 2026.