BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS [SAMPLE POLICY]

FUND-RAISING/STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS

1. Fund-Raising

A. Permissible Activities

Fund-raising activities shall be permitted only for school-related groups or organizations, including student groups. No fund-raising activities to benefit groups that are not affiliated with, or will not benefit the school, its students, or its employees will be permitted.

B. Prior Approval Required: Procedures

(1) All fund-raising activities must be approved, in advance of the activity, by the School Director.

(2) All requests to conduct fund-raising activities on school property shall be in writing, and submitted to the School Director at least 10 calendar days before the activity is to begin. The request must describe the activity itself, and the extent to which, and the manner in which, the activity shall be publicized or advertised (i.e., distributing flyers, putting up posters, morning announcements, access to the website, etc.).

(3) School resources shall not be used in connection with any promotion of a fund-raising activity. All costs of promotion must be borne by the sponsoring entity.

(4) Student groups that engage in fund-raising activities shall have an employee sponsor, who shall be responsible for ensuring the group’s compliance with this policy and any associated administrative directives.

2. Student Activity Funds

Student activity funds are subject to an annual financial audit. They shall, therefore, be subject to the same level of care applicable to the rest of the school’s funds.

A. Account

The School Director or designee shall establish a student activities account at the school depository for managing funds collected by student groups for a school-related purpose. Receipts shall be issued to the depositing group, and the moneys shall be deposited into an account at the school depository specifically designated for activity funds. Such funds shall be accounted for as required by TEA guidelines, and shall be included in the school’s annual financial audit.

B. Expenditure of Funds

(1) All funds raised by student organizations must be expended for the benefit of the students, and only for purposes authorized by the organization. Funds raised by other groups (i.e., employee-related entities) shall be used only for the purpose designated in the request to conduct the activity, as described in the written request made to the School Director or designee.

(2) Disbursements of funds raised by school groups shall be approved by the School Director or designee.

(3) All expenditure of activity funds shall be made by check. No expenditures shall be made from cash that has not been deposited in the school depository. Personal checks shall not be cashed from undeposited cash.