CONTRIBUTION GUIDELINES FOR K-12 FROM INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS | Administrative Procedures

9211 - CONTRIBUTION GUIDELINES FOR K-12 FROM INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

Introduction:

A coordinated effort between the Brevard Schools Foundation and schools will strengthen a school’s earning potential, will result in more success, and will reduce duplication of effort.

Recommendations:

There is only one K-12 Foundation. The Board has established that foundation as the Brevard Schools Foundation.
1. The Brevard Schools Foundation should coordinate all District-wide fundraising activities.
2. Individual schools have restricted funds in the Foundation to obtain non-profit status.
3. The foundation serves as the fiscal agent for all private gifts.
There should be a screening process for new programs produced by corporations for schools.
The following will be used to determine eligibility:
1. Educational Value:
  1. Does the program have a real educational purpose?
  2. Does the education value out weigh the marketing value to the business/organization?
  3. Does the education component enhance District curriculum?
  4. Do we really need another program or is this duplication?
2. Business Decision:
  1. Who is making money?
  2. Is this advertising disguised as a traffic generator for business?
  3. Who is promoting it – a marketing department or ad agency?
  4. Is this project positioning schools as the unpaid marketing agent for the business?
  5. If advertising is involved in the program, does it meet district standards, and is education receiving a real benefit from the partnership?
3. Ethics:
  1. Do parents have to make additional purchases? Is there a hidden agenda in the message?
  2. Is their advertising imbedded into the program being offered?
  3. Is someone making a profit at the expense of the children?
There is an established advertising policy.
1. Political advertisements are not permitted.
2. Advertising in school newsletters, athletic fields, etc. should be regulated.
3. Schools are not to be unpaid distribution outlets for business.
4. Advertising should be viewed as such, and not disguised in curriculum, educational materials, school supplies, or awards. If advertising is determined to be acceptable, a fair market value will be charged.
5. The classroom and curriculum will be shielded from advertising.
6. Teachers and schools are not to be placed in a position of product endorsements, directly or indirectly.
Contests are to be reviewed and screened.
1. Contests connected to business promotions need to provide a financial benefit to education. Some promoters use student contests for profit.
2. Contests need to provide a quality educational benefit.
3. Contests that place a financial burden on students or schools need to be avoided.
  Questions to ask:
  Does the benefit outweigh the expense of the contest?
  
  Who is financially benefiting?
  Is there a guaranteed benefit for schools?
  Are the organizers using the contest to promote an agenda?
  
  How much lead-time are participants given?
  Is the contest is an expense to schools and students?
  Will the participants really win something or be associated with a prestigious award?
  
  Is some other organization benefiting financially at the expense of education?
Incentive programs should have no strings attached:
Recommended criteria and suggestions:
1. Coupon awards that direct students to a point of sale should not be permitted unless the entire family benefits. This is most common when restaurants promote incentive awards.
2. If products are donated to the school for an entire class at no charge or an entire class is invited to a business for an award celebration, at no charge, this also is acceptable.
3. Providing free or discounted food, merchandise or admissions are common coupon-advertising techniques used by marketing departments. These are not charitable gifts, but a form of advertising and should be treated as such.
4. When teachers and schools accept sponsored incentive programs, they are often positioned as giving their indirect endorsement of the product.
Program/project requests should be prioritized and based on need.
Suggestions:
1. Projects should support the First in Florida Strategic Plan.
2. Projects should be focused and limited.
3. Review new and re-occurring requests. Each should be accompanied by a budget and evaluated.
4. Established programs with annual donors should be viewed differently than a program in its first or second year. Rule of thumb: established programs have three-year reviews. New programs placed on three (3) year probationary period should be reviewed yearly.
5. Protect your donors. If they are major annual sponsors of a project, do not continue to ask them to support additional programs, seek out other partnerships for funding. The Brevard Schools Foundation can assist in this process.
6. Programs that are controversial or cater to a political agenda are to be avoided.
Remain ethical, focused on quality, and results, and avoid:
1. Requesting funds that supplant tax dollars.
2. Requesting funds if an individual could personally benefit.
3. Requesting funding of personnel projects, such as staff get-togethers or staff retirement parties.
4. Accepting donations that require parents to purchase additional goods through incentive awards.
5. Sending multiple requests to the same donor or company asking for additional contributions.
The solicitation of District level gifts should be coordinated through the Brevard Schools Foundation.
1. Employees involved in bid process should never solicit funds from vendors.
2. Employees should not solicit sponsorship for retirement parties.
3. Employees should not accept personal gifts from vendors.
4. Employees soliciting funds for personal gain is unacceptable.
5. Employees soliciting funds for political gain is unacceptable
The Brevard Schools Foundation should serve as the fiscal agent for grants and lend technical support to school applicants.
State and Federal grants requiring private matches may request assistance from the Brevard Schools Foundation in obtaining such matches. The Foundation has the option of reviewing the grant and determining if obtaining a private match is feasible.
Competitive programs are more appealing to donors and increase accountability.
1. Scholarships, grants, and awards should provide an open and fair application process.
2. Selection and judging committees should guard against conflicts of interests.
3. Centralized scholarships, grants, and award programs that provide opportunities for multiple schools will attract larger donations from donors.