MISD Fund Raising Guidelines
 

MISD FUNDRAISING GUIDELINES

In the spring of 2001, a committee made up of parent group representatives and MISD administration began meeting regarding MISD’s current fundraising guidelines. The committee was formed with three objectives in mind:

1. To protect the students and parents from being exploited for fundraising purposes

2. To protect local businesses from excessive requests for money, good, or services to support school-related activities

3. To protect community members from intrusive solicitations

The committee also worked to better define the different types of fundraisers, as well as clarify some points that had been confusing within the text of MISD’s current guidelines on fundraising. The committee members met several times and engaged in very thoughtful conversation regarding an issue that impacts our entire community. One thing pointed out by the committee members is the fact that currently no district-wide record of all the fundraising activities exists. This makes it difficult to pinpoint all of the issues/concerns arising from the fundraising guidelines. However, the guidelines below will address the reporting of fundraising activities.

The first section of the guidelines will establish the definitions for the various types of fundraising. The number in parenthesis indicates which group this type of fundraising intrudes upon.

1 = Student and Parents
2 = Local businesses
3 = Community members (non-parents/businesses)

If a number is not present, the opinion of the committee is that type of fundraising is not necessarily intrusive upon anyone. Those providing the money have done so voluntarily. Additionally, if a number is not present, this type of fundraiser will not be regulated. This will be explained further in the text of the guidelines.

· Sales

External door-to-door sales (1 & 3)
Companies in the business of fundraising supply merchandise for students to sell door-to-door, with profits shared between the external company and the fundraising group. Ex: candy, candles
(If students are Pre-k through fifth grade students are physically going door-to-door in their neighborhood, the fundraising activity is in direct violation of the current fundraising guidelines. In most cases, the children sell to their parents and friends of parents)

External campus-based sales
Companies in the business of fundraising supply merchandise for on-campus sales, with profits shared between the external companies and fundraising group. Ex: book fairs/Market Day

Local door-to-door sales (1, 2, & 3)
Students sell products and/or services donated by local businesses. Ex: Raffles

Local campus-based sales (2)
Products and/or services donated by local businesses are sold on campus. Ex: silent auctions

Non-solicited campus-based sales
Items made voluntarily by students or their parents are sold on-campus. Ex: bake sales

Event-based sales
Items from any source related to and sold at a specific event. Ex: club t-shirts commemorating a performance

· Services

Door-to-door services (1 & 3)
Students go door-to-door offering a service in exchange for donation Ex: painting addresses on curbs.

Campus-based services
Goods are sold in conjunction with a school activity Ex: concession stands, program sales/ football program

Community services
Students go into the community to offer a service in exchange for a donation Ex. Car washes

· Activities

Campus-based events
Events run on school grounds for which tickets are sold. Ex: carnivals, ice cream socials, field days

Sponsored activities (1, 3)
Activities in which people are asked to sponsor student’s participation Ex: walk-a-thons, basketball shoot-out

· Advertisement
(Solicitations for advertising differ from solicitations for contributions in that the business receives value for the ad cost in the form of visibility and publicity)

Programs
Local merchants are asked to pay for print advertising. Ex: football/basketball programs

Give-aways
Local merchants are asked to contribute promotional items to be given away at an event.
Ex: miniature balls tossed into the stands by cheerleaders

Door prizes(2)
Local merchants are asked to contribute goods or services to be given away at an event. Ex: door prizes at PTA/PTO meetings

Special Notes

All school-related groups will submit all fundraising events, as well as what the proceeds will fund, to the campus(es) with which they are associated. Each campus, and principal, will be responsible for ensuring that the above guidelines are monitored and enforced.

The Office of Communications will help provide clarification in the event of a question.

(If you are a booster club that falls under UIL rules, you must also report your activities to the MISD athletic department.)

All school-related groups will be allowed three regulated fundraisers, as long as the three fundraisers do not “intrude” upon three different groups. (1. Parents/students; 2. Local businesses; 3. Community members)

All school-related groups will be allowed an unlimited amount of unregulated fundraisers.


See Fundraising Regulations