FUNDRAISING BY STUDENTS
This policy does not apply to Booster Clubs, PTOs, Friends of Music, Friends of NiskArt, Friends of Niskayuna Rowing, and other district-recognized and adult-driven organizations and their fundraising efforts.
The Board of Education recognizes that there are times when it may be beneficial for students to raise funds for specific school projects and activities. The Board also recognizes its responsibility to protect students, parents, and community members of the District from undue pressures applied through these fundraising efforts. The guidelines outlined in this policy are intended to provide schools with the ability to raise funds without unduly pressuring students, patrons, and/or community members to support or participate in fundraising activities.
Permission and Authority
Fundraising projects in which students sell merchandise, provide services, or in other ways solicit money for school activities shall be sponsored by school organizations (including related organizations) with the express written approval of the building principal (for school-based applications) or the appropriate academic director.
Each student group or team wishing to conduct a fundraiser shall submit a completed application on a form prescribed by the district. A completed application must include, at a minimum: the name of the group/organization; the name, address, and telephone of the adult organizing the fundraiser the explicit purpose(s) of the fundraising activity; a brief description of the fundraising activity; targeted amount of money to be raised; identification of any external or third-party vendors expected to be engaged in the fundraising activity; and disclosure/attachment of any contract (with an external or third-party vendor) related to the fundraising activity.
Each approved fundraiser shall have a clearly articulated start and end date listed as part of the application for approval. Ongoing, year-round solicitation of funds is discouraged but shall be considered for approval on a case-by-case basis.
Student Engagement
All fundraisers shall, to the degree possible, be organized by students, led by students, and conducted for the exclusive benefit of students. It is understood that teachers, coaches, and/or advisors may play a significant supervisory and advisory role to students engaged in fundraising activities, but at no time should fundraising activities be organized and conducted exclusively by adults/staff.
No student shall be required to participate in fundraising as a condition of participation in any school event or school-sponsored activity. It is further understood that no student shall be pressured or coerced into participating in fundraising activities, nor shall any student face academic, social, participatory, or disciplinary consequences as a result of the decision to participate, or not participate, in fundraising activities.
Fundraising Activities
Generally, fundraising may include the sale of merchandise or the provision of services, provided that the merchandise and services are consistent with prevailing law, regulation, and district policy. Door-to-door sales or solicitation shall not be permitted for students in grades UPK-6. Door-to-door sales and solicitation may be conducted on a limited basis for students in grades 7-12, provided that an appropriate safety plan has been reviewed and approved by the principal or director. This safety plan will be on file with the application.
Funds raised via approved fundraising activities shall benefit the entire class, team, club or group, regardless of each individual’s participation. No student shall be entitled to any direct refund of monies raised during an approved fundraising activity. Instead, the funds raised shall be applied towards the class/team/club expenses.
Restricted or Prohibited Fundraising Activities
1. Raffles, lotteries, and all other games of chance are expressly prohibited.
2. The sale of any food or beverages in schools or on school grounds may be permitted subject to review and approval by the district’s Director of Food and Nutrition.
3. Fundraisers promoting alcohol, drugs, and tobacco and fundraising activities in which participants will be engaged in the sale, service, or use/consumption of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco are expressly prohibited.
4. Direct sales of goods in which the class/team/club yields less than 50% of the gross proceeds (of merchandise sold) are subject to special approval.
5. Fundraisers otherwise inconsistent with prevailing law, board policy, or the district’s Code of Conduct are expressly prohibited.
6. Fundraising shall only be used to raise funds in excess of those funds provided by the district’s general fund budget, or to raise funds to pay for activities and experiences that are not included in the district’s core program offerings. Therefore, fundraising activities shall not be conducted to raise funds for expenses considered ordinary and contingent to the class, club, or activity in which the student is participating.
Timing and Frequency of Fundraising Activities
1. Ordinarily, each class, team, club, or activity should be limited to one fundraiser during each academic year (July 1 through June 30).
2. In addition to the aforementioned fundraiser, a class/team/club may engage in additional fundraising for specific purposes (trip, experience, event) subject to the review and approval of the principal or director.
Interscholastic Athletic Team Fundraisers
1. All interscholastic team fundraising shall be conducted in cooperation with the all-sports booster club that is recognized by the district/board.
2. Student participation in out-of-season fundraising through a travel team, youth league, or other outside-of-school program shall not be subject to this policy and guidelines, nor shall the funds raised by such groups be used to offset in-season athletic expenditures.
Fundraising Promotion
No fundraising materials including flyers, advertisements, or posters may be distributed or posted in schools or on school property without advance written approval of the Principal or program director.
Accounting and Recordkeeping
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- The Board of Education shall be responsible for the protection and supervision of the financial affairs of all co-curricular and extracurricular activities. A board-appointed faculty advisor shall oversee the finances of all student clubs and activities and a central treasurer shall manage the deposits, withdrawals, and debits of all student club and activity accounts.
- All fundraising proceeds (cash, check, electronic payment) shall be deposited into the sponsoring organization’s account. Funds may not be deposited into an individual’s personal account.
- All disbursements from co-curricular and extracurricular activity accounts shall be processed in a manner prescribed by the faculty advisor.
- A profit-and-loss statement shall be required to be completed and submitted to the faculty advisor at the conclusion of every fundraiser.
- Sales tax, as applicable, shall be paid from funds raised prior to any other disbursements from the fundraising account.
- Funds raised through a booster club, parent-teacher association or organization, or other board-recognized affiliated organization shall be accounted for in full compliance with the organization’s constitution, by-laws, and policies. These organizations shall require, at a minimum, a profit-and-loss statement at the conclusion of each fundraising activity.
- All donations by other individuals or external organizations will be acknowledged by the Board of Education under Consent Agenda at the next regular meeting per Board of Education policy.
Disclosure of Consideration
Any fees, reimbursements, incentives, prizes, or other consideration provided to a class advisor, team coach, club advisor or student must be disclosed to the central faculty advisor (for school-sponsored activities) or the affiliated organization in writing.
Annual Reporting
Each year, the central faculty advisor shall submit a report detailing the total number of fundraising activities conducted during the academic year (July 1 through June 30). At a minimum, the report shall list, for each fundraising activity, the name of the class/team/club, the purpose of the fundraising activity, and the sum of money raised.
New York State Constitution, Article 8, Section 1
Education Law Section 414
8 NYCRR Section 19.6
NOTE: Refer also to Policies #3272 – Advertising in Schools
#3271 – Solicitation of Charitable Donations
#5520 – Extra classroom Activity Fund
#5230 – Acceptance of Gifts, Grants, and Bequests to the School
#6111 – Staff Conflict of Interest
#7500 – Equity in Education
Adopted February 27, 2018, Revised and Updated October 8, 2024