When Zoe took over financial responsibilities for Cornell Women’s Club Lacrosse, she inherited a system that worked—technically—but lacked structure and oversight. Like many student-run teams, Cornell Lacrosse were relying on a personal Venmo account to manage all team finances. Players sent their dues directly to the treasurer’s Venmo, and the funds sat in her personal bank account.
To keep things organized, the treasurer maintained a spreadsheet that tracked how much money belonged to the team versus what was personal. While this method got the job done in past years, it came with clear limitations:
- Lack of transparency: Only the treasurer had access to the spreadsheet and Venmo account, leaving the rest of the executive board in the dark about the team’s financial status.
- No clear separation of funds: Team money was mixed in with personal finances, raising concerns around accountability and accuracy.
Zoe quickly realized that this ad hoc system wasn’t scalable or efficient, especially as the team grew and expenses became more frequent. While exploring options for opening a bank account, she discovered Crowded through a Cornell recommendation and decided to make the switch.
Before Crowded, everything ran through my personal Venmo and bank account. It was stressful keeping track of who paid what, and honestly, it felt risky mixing personal and team money.
How Crowded Modernized Dues Collection and Team Payments for Cornell Lacrosse
The e-board is really grateful to have a dedicated account instead of relying on someone’s personal banking. It’s made a huge difference—not just in how we manage money, but in how confident we feel handling it.
