Policy Tool | District Policies

5159.1Guidelines for Fund-raising Activities Within A School

The Board is aware of the educational, social and financial benefits that are derived from authorized fund-raising activities within a school. The following guidelines have been established to assist staff, students and/or parents in planning fund-raising activities:

  1. Fund-raising activities shall be cooperatively planned and conducted by school groups composed of students, teachers and/or parents with the approval of the building administration. Criteria for approval will be: quality of activity, legitimacy of purpose, educational value, age of students’ involved, proper timing and scheduling as well as planning and implementation.
  2. Fund-raising activities shall be planned and conducted to avoid any interference with the regular instructional program or with any other approved activity.
  3. Schools shall conduct fund-raising activities only within their district provided, however, that the Associate Superintendent for Instruction may approve a city-wide activity which is considered of particular merit.
  4. Fund-raising activities shall be planned and conducted so that students can gain the best possible educational benefit and social experience.
  5. Prior to making any commitment with an outside vendor for the sale of products or services, personnel involved in the activity shall ensure that proceeds from the activity significantly benefit the school. Consequently, no commitment to an outside vendor shall be made as part of a fund-raising activity, whether the activity is sponsored by the school and/or a parent-booster group, unless it is guaranteed that the school and/or parent-booster group shall receive at least 50% of the net income derived from the activity. Staff involved in fund-raising activities must ensure that the cost of any product or service sold as a result of such activity is reasonable. In any case, the cost of such products or services shall not exceed $7.50 for each product sold or service rendered. 

    Exceptions to the requirements of this paragraph may only be authorized by the Associate Superintendent for Instruction.
  6. Financial accounts of fund-raising activities must be accurately kept, using standard guidelines and procedures and such accounts must be monitored and audited by sponsors and administrators.
  7. Funds accumulated from a fund-raising activity shall be expended, with the approval of the Associate Superintendent for Instruction, only for the purposes for which the activity was planned.
  8. Activity funds shall be deposited in separate accounts to be maintained by the school. All credits and disbursements shall be approved by the activity sponsor or sponsors and by the building principal.
Previous Policy Number: GA3-R