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Policies By Article

4571 - Fundraising

Philosophy
There are times when fundraising becomes an important source of providing for needs over and above that which can be accommodated by regular district sources. It is also recognized that excessive solicitation can be detrimental to students, parents, and our partners in business. It is important that a careful balance of these considerations be achieved.

  1. Voluntary Participation
    Participation in any and all fundraising activities should be strictly voluntary. No student, employee or contributor should feel coercion or peer pressure to participate. In no instance should eligibility for an activity or school grades be affected by participation in fundraising.
  2. District Level Resource File
    An individual will be identified at the district level who will maintain a repository of opportunities for fundraising. Salespeople should be encouraged to provide informational material for this file.
  3. Scheduling of Fundraising
    Approved projects should be scheduled with the school level fundraising committee or the principal to avoid conflict and excessive solicitation at any given time.
  4. Advertising Outside Organization Fundraising
    Advertising for fundraising by outside organizations may be displayed in the school at the discretion of the principal. Further involvement requires approval of the school level fundraising committee or principal.
  5. Time from Class for Fundraising
    Class time should not be missed for involvement in fundraising.
  6. Parent or Business Contributions
    Solicitation in the name of the school to parents or business should be submitted to and approved by the school level fundraising committee or principal.  
  7. Fiscal Procedure
    State and Weber School District fiscal procedures must be followed with regards to any fundraising.

General Guidelines and Procedures

  1. Fundraising on a limited basis is permitted in each school to raise funds for identified school projects.
  2. After assessing the school’s needs, each school shall develop an annual fundraising plan.
  3. Written fundraising plans shall be prepared by each school using Weber School District’s School Fundraising Form and approved by the school principal. The plan should be sensitive to the school and our partners in the community. All fundraising shall be for predetermined purposes and spent only for those purposes.
  4. Students shall not be assigned to or be held responsible for the collection of funds except for approved student activities or for those projects and activities that have been approved by the school principal.
  5. Funds must be receipted and expended through District or school accounts in accordance with standard accounting procedures. PTA/PTO organizations’ fundraising activities are subject to accounting procedures established by that organization.
  6. Donations may be made through the Weber School District Foundation for business records.
  7. The efforts by parents and organizations (PTA, PTO, Booster Clubs, etc.) to support school organizations are appreciated. Parent groups together with their school organization need to follow the prescribed procedure for needs assessment, coordination and approval of the school level fundraising committee or principal.
  8. The value of the many charitable organizations is clearly recognized. Fund raising for these groups can be advertised as per guidelines. Charitable fund drives and activities seeking school involvement in the collection of goods or money are discouraged. The very limited exceptions are those charitable activities which have significant educational or humanitarian value. Such instances must have the endorsement of the principal.

ELEMENTARY FUND RAISING
Fund raising is a necessary function at the elementary school level. It is not legal in the state of Utah to charge mandatory fees in grades K-6.

GUIDELINES:

  1. Community Fundraising
    • 1.1 A maximum of 2 community fund raisers per school each school year will be allowed, e.g.:
      • candy sales
      • wrapping paper sales
  2. In-school Projects/Products
    • 2.1. In-school fund raisers will be limited to one (1) per school quarter. Projects that are not fund raisers but curricular in nature, e.g., young authors fair, mountain man rendezvous, art festivals, etc., will not be restricted but administrative discretion as to frequency and calendaring is advised. Examples:
      • book fair
      • t-shirts, sweat shirts (school logo)
      • carnivals
      • pictures
  3. Charitable Programs
    • 3.1 Charitable fund raisers will be limited to one (1) per school year. Information concerning other community drives may be made available to the students at the discretion of the building principal. Fliers should not be handed out to each student but be placed in a central location within the building where interested students could pick them up. Student involvement would be based on parent and student interest and would not be coordinated or controlled by the school. Examples:
      • Sub for Santa
      • March of Dimes
  4. Other - Grade or Class Projects (In-school)
    There will be a limit of one (1) grade or class activity at each grade level per school year. Examples:
      • Class projects - aluminum cans, etc.
      • Grade projects - economics fair, etc.
    Elementary students must not be involved in selling door to door. The building principal must approve all fundraising proposals. Building principals are encouraged to carefully evaluate the quality and effectiveness of fund raisers. Objectives for each school fund raiser should be available for all interested patrons before the project begins. 

SECONDARY FUND RAISING
A school level fundraising committee will conduct a needs assessment under the direction of the school principal. Before fundraising projects are approved, consideration should be given to realistic program requirements in harmony with school and community resources.

GUIDELINES

  1. Community Fundraising
    High Schools will be limited to a maximum of one community fund raiser per group or organization per school year. Fund raising that is associated with travel and approved by the district travel committee is not included in this maximum.

    Junior high schools will be limited to a maximum of one community fund raiser per group or organization per school year. Approved projects should be scheduled to avoid conflict and excessive fundraising at any given time.
  2. IN SCHOOL fundraising will be at the discretion of the school principal.
  3. The school group or organization wishing to conduct the fund raiser must present their proposal to and receive prior approval from the school principal. Any additional fundraising project(s) by a group or organization must be approved by the principal. Such fund raisers, to the extent possible, shall be included in the annual fundraising plan.
  4. All money collected will be placed with the school bookkeeper immediately after being collected. Two or more coaches/advisors should count and prepare funds for the bookkeeper. Detailed lists of participants and payments received should accompany all funds delivered to the bookkeeper. All paid coaches or advisors who are District employees will be paid through District payroll. Non-employees will be paid through the school bookkeeper with a school check and must sign the required IRS 1099 form.

09/05/2012

Fundraising

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