Fundraising
Fundraising activities are a great way to contribute to student success and can be conducted at your school as long as you meet and adhere to the board policies and guidelines.
Before planning your fundraiser, consult the board's fundraising policies and procedures available under the By-laws & Policies section. Fundraising activities should not become a burden on students, parents or staff. Remember that your school community may not be comfortable contributing large amounts or frequently throughout the year. Always be respectful of how you address the issue or share the information. Parents and students should always know for what purpose or need the money is collected for. Fundraising efforts also shouldn't interfere with the delivery of the regular school program.
Approvals
Before starting a fundraiser, School Councils must seek approval of the school principal. Activities extending beyond the school community or raising funds for outside organizations require approval of the superintendent of education.
In addition, fundraising efforts must be aligned with your school's goals. It cannot replace public funding for education. You can only fundraise for enhancements or extras – things that the school does not receive ministry funding for. Fundraising to support items such as textbooks and learning materials that are already funded through the school budget will not be approved.
Additionally, the board has the right to place restrictions on any fundraising activities that are unsafe in order to protect students and prevent student exploitation. With this in mind, School Council members must always consider a student's well-being while planning and conducting fundraisers.
To learn more about fundraising for School Councils, review our
fundraising guidelines tip sheet.