Fundraising

The Smithfield School Committee makes every effort to provide sufficient funding for its programs and activities. However, the School Committee acknowledges that additional funds may be needed for initiatives that extend beyond the budget and enhance and enrich student education and related activities. This policy addresses fundraising done by student clubs and teams, parent/teacher and booster organizations, and schools.

The Committee is appreciative of such activities on behalf of students in the District, however, fundraising activities of this type should not be utilized as a substitute for programmatic and other school budget initiatives. This policy is enacted to ensure that such fundraising activities comply with applicable state law, rules, guidelines, best practices, and other District policies.

General Guidelines for Fundraising

Fundraising activities should result from a meaningful dialogue between administration, parents and teachers. Therefore, each site based administrator shall review fundraising proposals to assure and confirm compliance with policies, guidelines and state statutes and assess its impact on instruction.

All donations of materials, supplies, equipment and/or services shall be made to and become the property of the School District.

Student participation in fundraising activities shall be voluntary. Door-to-door solicitation by students from any grade level is prohibited.

Neither students nor their parents shall be given a mandated fundraising target as a requirement for participation in any school sanctioned field trip or other activity.

Fundraising activities involving the sale of food items must conform to the School District’s Wellness Policy.

Fundraising groups may not obligate school funds, personnel or property without prior approval of the Superintendent or designee.

At the start of the school year the building principal shall submit to the Superintendent a list of all recognized booster, parent, and student organizations and fundraising activities planned for the year. As new fundraising ventures are added, the list will be modified by the principal, who shall report all changes to the Superintendent.

Guidelines Specific to Parent/Teacher and Booster Organizations

Principals and teachers are encouraged to support their student, school based PTO, and booster organizations through cooperation and communication to ensure harmony with the policies and goals of the District.

Any fundraising group or organization, with the exception of sanctioned student activities, must maintain a separate savings or checking account under that organization’s name, federal identification number and, if applicable under its own state tax free designation. Such fundraising groups shall agree to a School District financial audit, from time to time, and further comply with all rules, regulations and laws pertaining to non-profit, tax-free organizations.

Funds generated by such organizations shall not be commingled with student activity funds unless such funds are donated to the District, with prior approval of the School Committee for any donations greater than $500. Such donated funds shall be spent for the purposes for which they were raised and handled consistent with guidelines, procedures and protocols issued by the Superintendent of Schools from time to time.

Any support group raising funds to enhance a student activity shall be considered a Booster Organization. The School Committee assumes the responsibility for providing all staff, equipment, facilities and uniforms required for participation in approved programs. Booster organizations may seek to enhance these programs through fundraising and volunteer assistance.

Each booster and parent organization will identify a representative who will act as liaison to the building principal.

The building principal will be responsible for providing leadership of the booster and parent organizations in his/her building through an administrator, staff person or committee structure (i.e. students, teachers, parents) of his/her designation. The principal shall be responsible for coordinating fundraising events as to prevent unnecessary strain on the resources of the community and for ensuring that fundraising goals and activities are appropriate and follow School Committee policy.

School and District Fundraisers

The District may engage in fundraising efforts for initiatives that extend beyond the budget and enhance and enrich student education and related activities. Such fundraisers shall be pre-approved by the Superintendent of Schools or designee.

In accordance with state law, regulation, guidance, and policy, donations from fundraising may be received and applied to fund District field trips with prior approval from the School Committee upon recommendation made by the Superintendent. However, the donating entity or entities shall sign an affirmative statement that the sources of funds were not based on student mandated fundraising targets for participation in such field trips.

Proceeds of all fundraising activities shall be periodically remitted to the site-based administrator or designee who shall maintain such funds in a segregated account. A verified periodic accounting, as set by the Superintendent, shall be submitted from the site-based administrator to the business manager.

ADOPTED: October 16, 2006

REVISED: October 7, 2019