3080 Activity Funds, Fund Raising, Crowdfunding, Grants, Donations
This policy identifies and establishes basic guidelines regarding Activity Funds, as well as identifies the differences between grants and crowdfunding, and establishes guidelines regarding crowdfunding, school-related fundraising, selling products, or door prizes using school-supported organizations’ names, the school’s name, or involving students and employees.
ACTIVITY FUNDS
Activity funds are revenues collected from student or other extracurricular activities that are conducted in the school district, and control of such funds is statutorily exercised by the Board of Education. These funds are non- appropriated funds (not received from state or federal government or through local tax receipts). School Activity Funds are managed and operated under the guidance of a district staff member for the benefit of students, and are governed by policies and guidelines set by the Oklahoma Department of Education, Oklahoma Statute Title 70 § 5-129 and the Union Public Schools Board of Education. The Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent and/or Chief Financial Officer or designees to establish School Activity Fund procedures and practices consistent with Board of Education policies and Oklahoma law.
School activity fund budgets must be approved by the Board of Education annually and when revised.
Establishment of new activity fund sub-accounts for student organizations must be approved by the Superintendent or designee prior to Board of Education approval.
Provided any activity fund sub-account has fulfilled the function and purpose for which the account was established, any remaining balance may be transferred to another sub-account by the Activity Funds District custodian after approval by the Board of Education.
Specific procedures for the School Activity Fund are detailed in the Union Public Schools Activity Fund Manual. GRANTS
Grants are funds that are disbursed to a recipient or organization by a government department, foundation, or corporation to fund a specific project. To receive a grant, an application or proposal must be submitted to a potential funder and the recipient must meet certain qualifications. All grant applications must be received by the Director of Federal Programs or designee and approved by the Board of Education, if needed, prior to submission to the granting authority.
DONATIONS
Any single cash donation greater than $100 must be approved by the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, and ratified by the Board of Education. Cash donations received with no designated use or purpose may be deposited in either an approved activity fund or the Gifts and Endowment fund. Cash donations received with a designated use or purpose, other than payroll-related, shall be deposited into the Gifts and Endowments fund. Cash donations to be used for tutoring or other payroll-dispersed expenditures shall be deposited in either an approved activity fund or the general fund.
Refer to Policy #3150, Asset Management, for guidelines regarding donations of furniture and equipment, which also must be approved by the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, and ratified by the Board of Education. Donations of consumable items may be accepted by the site or department administrator at their discretion.
CROWDFUNDING
Crowdfunding donations (collaborative funding via the Internet) by any employee outside of any sanctioned organization must follow Board of Education guidelines. In particular, crowdfunding applications must be completed, submitted and approved by the appropriate administrator(s) prior to the project being posted on the crowdfunding website and the subsequent crowdfunding donations must be approved by the Board of Education. Crowdfunding shall be used for the solicitation of tangible property. While crowdfunding platforms allow for the solicitation of funds to be used for professional development or field trips, these activities may only be requested when the funds are to be paid directly to the service provider, and not submitted directly to the District. All items purchased or donated through district-approved entities such as DonorsChoose.org become the property of the district and must be submitted to the Board of Education for approval and acceptance. See also Board Policy #3150 - Asset Management.
FUNDRAISING
POLICIES THAT AFFECT BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES
A. Fund-raising activities shall be approved in advance by the principals so they will minimize time away from class, either during the activity or in training for participation in the activity.
B. A faculty member or faculty sponsor must assist with a fund-raising activity.
C. All funds received must be deposited in the school’s activity fund, unless the Chief Financial Officer or designee has given prior approval to deposit into an alternate fund. When large fundraisers benefitting charitable organizations outside Union Public Schools are held at a site, checks may be addressed directly to the organization, i.e. United Way or Make a Wish. All checks for outside organizations must be delivered to the organization as soon as the fundraiser is completed.
D. No company or other outside organization representative shall be permitted to visit the schools during school hours for the purpose of selling to students or faculty.
E. Requests for school fund-raising activities must be approved by the Board of Education annually and when revised, in advance of the activity, in accordance with state law.
F. Food sold to students during the school day must comply with the nutritional standards of the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010, and those fundraisers must be approved by the Child Nutrition Department prior to the activity.
G. All district purchasing policies must be followed.
H. Fund-raising activities which involve consignment merchandise for resale shall be encumbered at one-hundred percent (100%) of the estimated cost of the goods or services. However, if the consignment goods are non- perishable and returnable, then with prior Board of Education approval, a minimum ten percent (10%) of the estimated cost of the goods or services must be encumbered.
I. If an individual activity account does not have sufficient funds to encumber the cost of a proposed fund raiser, then the site principal may elect to provide temporary funding using the site general activity fund.
J Establishment of new activity fund projects for student organizations must be approved by the Superintendent or designee prior to Board of Education approval.
K, No fund-raising activity shall be approved that will in any way interrupt or take away from class time either as part of the activity or in training for the activity with the following exceptions:
1. Since physical education is an activity class which emphasizes physical fitness, certain athletic fundraising activities, such as a jog-a-thon, may be allowed during the time a student has allotted for physical education. The association must request this in writing, stating the type, date, purpose, and length of the activity. At no time will more than two days be allotted for each of these activities.
2. Students may only participate in the actual athletic-type fundraiser during the time they have allotted for physical education.
3. It is the desire and goal of the Board of Education to encourage all students to develop a deep appreciation for reading and good media skills. Furthermore, the Board of Education views book fairs as important vehicles in accomplishing these desires and goals. Therefore, book fairs may be allowed during the regular school hours as well as before and after school.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FUND-RAISING POLICY
A. The sale of student pictures and book fairs are fund-raising activities which are allowed with prior Board of Education approval.
B. 
No fund-raising activity shall be approved which, by its nature or by promised prizes or awards, would induce or require elementary students to go door-to-door without adult supervision (e.g., selling products or sponsorships).
SECONDARY SCHOOL FUND-RAISING POLICY
A. The sale of student pictures and book fairs are fund-raising activities allowed with prior Board of Education approval.
B. Fund raisers which are co-sponsored by a parent organization for the purpose of a trip to reward students for their successful participation in an organization or out-of-state competition must receive prior Board of Education approval.
C. All fund-raising activities at the secondary level must be approved by the sponsor and principal establishing that the fund raiser:
1. Meets the safety, moral, ecological, and economic standards reflected by the district and that it complies with federal, state, and local regulations.
2. Meets the criteria established by this policy.
Revised 6/10/96
Revised 12/8/97
Revised 12/14/15
Revised 11/14/16
Revised 1/8/01
Revised 1/14/02
Revised 12/8/03
Revised 12/13/04
Revised 12/10/07
Revised 12/8/14
Revised 12/10/18
Revised 12/9/19
Revised 12/14/2020
Revised 12/13/21
Revised 12/12/22