FCPS Fundraising Reg. 1370 rough draft 4/2015
Here you go, folks! Calling all Boosterthon haters and lovers, Tag Day people, etc.
This is a brand-new draft of the fundraising regulation. Remember, it is just a draft. Some good stuff, lots of problems and questions. I also attached the audit done last fall by Internal Audit. Read it closely. It has some important stuff in there, particularly what constitutes a school-sponsored fundraiser. There is also the current Risk Management sheet regarding sponsorship, plus the new 5810.
What defines a school-sponsored fundraiser? It looks like it involves staff, students, etc., but it is not consistent.
What is co-sponsorship? There are multiple references to it. Absolutely no description anywhere that I can find. None. Zero. Nada. Zip. Somebody has to hold the liability, particularly for kids and money. I think the school system wants the parent groups to assume all the liability and they want to keep all the money. Are you OK with that?
They are talking about school-related groups opening their books on all fundraisers. I think. Maybe. It is not clear. They are talking about having to discuss all school-related fundraisers with the principal and some are "on behalf" of the school, others are yours. Do you think you should have to open the books to the school on all your fundraisers? Their record on prying records out of parent groups hasn't been too great lately by the way, so don't count on this. Have fun with this one.
If school-related groups are fundraising "on behalf" of the school, they can collect the money, put it into their bank account, but have to turn it over to the school. Along with complete records. Hopefully. What exactly does "on behalf" mean to you? Are you acting as a formal representative of the school, or aiding the school more indirectly? Why not just run the money through the school in the first place? How is the school really going to know if they got it all? How can you tell people it is "on behalf" of the school but the money is going into somebody else's bank account FIRST? Promises are made to be broken sometimes. Stuff tends to disappear with too many cooks in the kitchen. Money can have a very wayward path. It trickles out everywhere.
I can't tell what the policy is on using students to fundraise. This is all over the map. Does it have to be school-sponsored? The Internal Audit report clearly says it does, several times. The draft is very vague. The 5810 says any revenue of a school-related organization involving students has to be receipted into the school accounts. Right from the beginning or later on? The Risk Management sheet says anything involving students and staff and during the school day is generally school-sponsored. How about students and staff outside of the school day? Anytime staff are involved in their official role, it should be school-sponsored. If students are fundraising, even on a Saturday, for their classes or school, is that not an activity of the school? That looks like school activity funds, which have to run through internal accounts. How do you feel about your kids being used to fund a private corporation? I did not like doing that. You can't see where it goes. It could go to Cornell. They could send somebody on vacation. (And they do.) Some of these parent groups have some wild ideas. So do some of the schools, but at least you can see it. You can also do a directed donation to a school.
They are talking about using instructional hours to fundraise. For either the school or the school-related groups. Whose said that was okay? They just don't want "significant" interruptions. What is significant? How do you feel about using taxpayer funded instructional time for fundraisers, for either the school or what are technically private corporations? School activity funds are NOT supposed to be used to fund school-related organizations. That is very clear in the 5810. School activity funds are funds related to any and all activities of the school involving students, staff, property, etc. The school system holds the ultimate responsibility for what goes on during the school day. This is a big problem to work out.
They have a plan for crowd funding!!! Hey, you Facebook people! This could work really well. GoFund Me, here you go.
And they also have a little section about how if school-related groups don't cooperate you are basically done for. Nice addition there!
They also make it very clear fundraisers are optional. Good.
They have a ways to go with this.
Speak up!
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