The Board of Education may accept donations and gifts of personal property to be used for the educational benefit of students.

The Board of Education shall establish and maintain a fund for the handling of monetary gifts and donations.

The Superintendent of Schools shall determine the criteria to be met in acceptance of gifts and donations, and the procedure for examining and evaluating offers of gifts and donations to the school district.

All gifts and donations shall be accepted for the school district as a whole, and not for a particular school. At the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools, gifts and donations may be used in a particular school.

 

Gifts and Donations Through Crowdfunding

For the purposes of this policy, crowdfunding is the process of requesting a specific gift or donation to fund a specific purchase or project, typically through websites or social media designated for this purpose.  Crowdfunding does not include requests for donations the District makes using the District’s own website or social media.

Crowdfunding is a unique form of fundraising.  Therefore, the following rules will apply whenever the District, a District employee, or other volunteer or agent of the District seeks gifts and donations through a crowdfunding website intended to benefit the District, District employees acting in their capacity as District employees, or the District’s students.  Before any donation is requested, the building Principal, must be informed of the request to ensure that the request does not conflict with other fundraising efforts.  Requests will be forwarded from Principals to the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for approval.  

All donations or gifts that are requested using the District’s name, referencing the employee’s position with the District even if the District is not named, or requested on behalf of the students specifically or in general are considered District property.  The Superintendent or his/her designee will be informed if donations or gifts are received using crowdfunding so that the gift may be appropriately acknowledged by the District, and the donation may be deposited in the appropriate District account or a gift may be inventoried.

The Board in establishing this policy directs the Superintendent to develop regulations to ensure equitable practices are followed with the implementation of this policy.

 

(cf. 3200 – School District Receipt of Money)

(cf. 3453 - School Activity Fund)

(cf. 3453.1 – Inactive School Activity Fund Accounts)

 

Legal Reference:       Connecticut General Statutes

 

                                  7-194 Powers.

 

                                  10-9 Bequests for educational purposes.

 

Policy revised:	May 12, 2022	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Policy adopted:	October 8, 2002	Hamden, Connecticut