Updated June 2022
The District recognizes that fundraising by students and affiliated groups is an important part of supporting student programs and community nonprofit organizations. These guidelines have been developed to help communicate expectations for planning, approval, and implementation of Student and Adult Fundraising activities affiliated with the District’s programs.
General Planning Considerations
- All activities should be planned and carried out so as to safeguard the health, safety, and general well-being of students.
- No student can be required to participate in a fundraiser.
- Activity sponsors and school groups should thoroughly plan with building administration and allow adequate time for the approval process. The farther in advance that permission is secured, the more likely it is that correct implementation of Board Policy will occur.
- Building administration will maintain a master list of all fundraising activities for the school and central office administration to minimize the duplication of sales, overlapping of fundraisers which could overwhelm the community, and to ensure students are not distracted from their academic work.
- Student participation in school day fundraising may only occur during non-instructional periods, such as lunch or recess, with permission from the building administration.
- Schools will not be involved in any way with fundraising activities that involve the use or sale of weapons, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or medications, and/or any material that encourages violence, immorality, or abusive behavior. This also extends to students during the school day.
- Per Board Policy 707: Use of School Facilities, fundraisers from outside groups (ex. Boosters, Foundations, PTOs) that occur on District property and/or have student involvement, may not involve the use or sale of weapons, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or medications, and/or any material that encourages violence, immorality, or abusive behavior.
- Use of school or District letterhead for the purpose of student fundraising, the solicitation of monetary donations by any school-sponsored organization, or the solicitation by any outside group is not permitted.
- Building level fundraising efforts benefiting the school or a school-sponsored organization will not be included on the main district website/social media accounts. They may be included on school websites/social media with permission from building administration.
- Fundraising for personal benefit is prohibited.
- Students are prohibited from going door-to-door for sales or canvassing the community.
- When school-sponsored organizations want to raise funds for the school using social media or other crowdfunding techniques (ex. GoFundMe), the student leaders and advisor must comply with Board Policy 702.1: Crowdfunding before initiating any fundraising efforts.
- All funds collected through student fundraisers are governed by Board Policy 618: Student Activity Funds as well as relevant administrative regulations.
- All applicable sales tax must be paid on fundraiser items.
- All financial statements regarding student fundraising projects will be signed by the student officers and faculty sponsor and retained until the student activities fund has been audited.
- Fundraisers need to be in compliance with all federal, state, local, and policy regulations.
Student Fundraising
Student Fundraising is defined as any solicitation and collection of money or goods by students for any purpose.
Please review the following District guidelines before submitting a request form for approval:
- In planning fundraising activities, the first priority must be to protect the health, safety, and security of students.
- Fundraising activities should result in minimal disruption to the school day or instruction.
- When school-sponsored organizations (ex. Student Council, French Club, FBLA, etc.) want to raise funds or collect goods (ex. food or toy drives), for nonprofit charitable groups but not themselves, the school-sponsored organization should submit the Fundraising Request Form and needs written approval from building administration, but does not need approval from the District’s Director of Business Affairs.
- When school-sponsored organizations want to raise funds for the school or the school-sponsored organization, the school-sponsored organization must complete the Fundraising Request Form and receive formal approval from building administration at least four weeks prior to the start of the campaign.
- When outside companies or agencies are used for fundraising, the quality of the product and reputation of the firm must be considered. Related contracts must be reviewed and approved by the Director of Business Affairs prior to approval by the organization or start of fundraising activities.
- No money will be given to vendors prior to delivery of services. If up-front money is required, the school-sponsored organization will keep the funds if payment is required upon delivery.
- Fundraising activities shall be supportive of healthy eating and student wellness and in compliance with Board Policies 229: Student Fundraising and 246: Student Physical Activity and Nutrition.
- Board Policy 246 is only relevant for “ready to eat” food/beverages, sold to students between midnight and 30 minutes after dismissal on school days. Food sold to students during this time must also comply with USDA’s Smart Snacks in School regulations. High school administration may approve up to ten fundraisers (at each school) each year which are exempt from this requirement. Elementary and middle school administration principals may approve up to five fundraisers (at each school) each year which are exempt from this requirement. At all levels, each of these exemptions is limited to one week in length.
Adult Fundraising
Adult Fundraising is defined as any solicitation and collection of money or goods by staff, parents, or affiliated groups as a part of the school affiliated program.
Adult Fundraising is divided into two classifications:
Classification 1:
Students may be present at the fundraiser with or without their parent(s), but are not involved in the solicitation and collection of funds. The fundraiser will take place on District property. (ex. 50/50 raffle)
Classification 2:
Students may be present at the fundraiser with or without their parent(s), but are not involved in the solicitation and collection of funds. The event will not take place on District property. (ex. golf outing, skeet shoot, gun raffle) When school affiliated groups are contemplating classification 2 fundraising events, the District does not endorse these fundraising activities, but expects the affiliated group to submit the standard fundraising request forms at least one month in advance of the start of the fundraiser as a courtesy. All promotional materials for events of this sort must include the District’s standard disclaimer:
The opinions expressed here are those of [INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME HERE] and do not necessarily reflect the views of the West Shore School District. Distribution of information and/or display of material does not constitute endorsement of any product, service, organization, company, information provider, or content by the District.).
Guidelines for Adult Fundraising Classifications:
The following guidelines have been developed for sharing with the organizations and groups interested in adult fundraising and may be discussed at Principal Advisory Committee/Parent Teacher Organization meetings as needed.
- Organizations that request to conduct an Adult Fundraising activity must submit a Fundraising Request Form to building administration at least four weeks prior to the start of the campaign. Application forms are available in the main office and as a related file below.
- When students are involved with the proposed activity, and/or the fundraising event is going to occur on school grounds or at a school event, fundraisers conducted by staff, Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs), and Booster Groups must follow District guidelines for Student Fundraising and are not classified as an Adult Fundraiser.
- When PTO or Booster Clubs plan fundraisers to take place on District property, in addition to the Fundraising Request Form, they must also request the facility usage online. Groups may incur costs (ex. custodial fees) and will be responsible for paying those costs as part of their fundraising efforts. Additional information can be found on the Facility Requests page of the District website.
- 50/50 and other Small Games of Chance events also require approval from building administration and the Director of Business Affairs prior to their start. PTO or Booster Clubs wishing to sponsor small games of chance should review the requirements found in the District Procedural Guidelines for the Operation of Small Games of Chance and must submit a copy of their Small Games of Chance license as well as evidence of valid Blanket Bond coverage for organization's treasurer with the Fundraising Request Form.
- If a PTO or Booster Club wants to distribute fliers about approved fundraisers to students in schools other than the one they are affiliated with, a Flier Distribution Request Form must be submitted. Fliers for distribution in a PTO or Booster Club’s school can be approved by the building administration.
- Those who are planning PTO, Booster Groups, and other adult fundraising events that do not occur with student involvement and do not occur on school grounds (Classification 2), should be mindful of:
- the timing of the fundraising event related to other events in the community
- the potential presence of students if the fundraising includes items/activities which would be prohibited for student groups (ex. alcohol, gambling, weapons)
Questions Regarding Student or Adult Fundraising
Please contact building administration with any specific questions you may have about fundraising activities.