CV Fundraising PROPOSAL

“CV Excellence Campaign”

Katherine Cleland and Rhonda Simpson (with Fred Kane)

Proposal:

1. Have a new group “CV Excellence Team” sponsor a fundraising campaign via the 509J foundation, providing education, pledge cards, referrals to the foundation pledge web site and training to fundraising coordinators (parent volunteers who act as treasurers or fundraisers for organizations) and teachers on how to work with the foundation.

2. Goal: Raise $25000 in the next 6 months—by Nov. 2008

Tactics:

1. Make pledge cards available to all fundraising group coordinators at CV (beginning with choir and teacher development this spring).
2. Educate fundraising coordinators about 509J foundation, tax status and pledges. Also educate about endowment possibilities.
3. Educate teachers about identifying and using funds from the 509J foundation.
4. Encourage “ less restricted donations”- see attached sheet.
5. Welcome all donations from families, no amount too small. Have a list of known programs attached to the pledge card (see example).
6. Create a process whereby fundraising coordinators have visibility to contributions made through the foundation. (need to work with foundation on this)
7. For major gifts (greater than $10,000), refer donor to foundation for advice and coordination.
8. Create a visible oversight and semi-annual reporting on disbursement of * funds, using websites and list serve.
2. Timeline:
1. Spring ’08 Announce program, work with partners
2. Spring ’08 begin with information and training of coordinators.
3. Summer ’08 work with Alumni and major donors.
4. Summer ’08 kick off with pledge cards and related information in the registration packets.
5. Summer ’08 Develop Disbursement and Reporting procedures for new funds such as CV Teacher Development, CV Music Fund, CV facilities fund.
6. Fall ’08 train teachers on access and disbursement process.
7. ’08-’09 Make pledge cards available to all season activity groups. Report on progress vs Goals for both raising and disbursement of funds (web site page?)

Background:

• CV is one of the least developed schools in 509J with respect to use of the 509J foundation for financial support of the school and its activities. CV has raised less than 2/3 of the amount CHS has raised through the foundation so far this year.
• There are many needs at the school that could be met by a directed giving campaign, and many willing parents and alumni, but they are only asked in a piecemeal way.
• There is a group of parents involved with the CV choir who would like to begin a campaign to meet the financial needs for music, competitions and other expenses. They would like to develop a model that can be use for other groups and activities that would include developing an endowment at the 509J foundation.
• The 509J foundation is working on programs that support school fundraising through pledge cards and credit card payments and are more than willing to help.
• The 509J foundation prefers that equity between the schools is maintained, but understands the parent’s interest in supporting their schools and activities. Some kind of balance needs to be maintained, but no formal guidelines are in place.
• Many parents are not well informed about tax deduction status of gifts to the foundation vs. CVPO and CV Boosters which are not tax exempt. (as far as we know)
• Funds from the 509J foundation can only be dispersed by PO. Fundraising coordinators are suggested to keep other accounts available for petty cash expenses.
• Many teachers/Advisors are unaware that there are designated funds at the foundation. 509J foundation is putting together a notification process, but teachers need to be trained (jointly by Denise and 509J?) to ask Denise for what funds are available, and trained to use District Credit card and other methods to access the funds.
• Jefferson school has a very successful program with pledges that they have built over the years. We will adapt what we can from that.

Partners:

• 509J foundation
• CV administration- -esp. Denise.
• CV Boosters
• CV “Activity” Fundraising coordinators-

Considerations:

• Donor fatigue- / levy backlash—Mitigate by voluntary nature of program, educational focus, and tie to students, activities and excellence of CV.
• Pressure- Mitigate by sensitive reporting on progress, and no arm twisting. no parents ID’d by name. (except as needed for reporting participation fees given thru 509J Foundation…such as Ski team coaches fees)
• Concerns from parents:
• Funds will not go to designated project: -- education…509J foundation is separate entity from school, and all designated funds are earmarked and can only be accessed by the appropriate staff member via a PO process. Make available 509J foundation annual reports. Publicize 509J foundation web site.
• Add more here
• HP parents may wish to contribute via HP matching gifts in November—ensure that 509J foundation is on the HP list of options, and have information on the pledge information about doubling HP contributions via HP, or via the HP equipment donation program.
• Concerns from CVPO-
• Will CVPO funds create a tax situation for CVPO—current limit is $5000?—need tax advice, believe that 509J foundation receives money, should not affect CVPO taxes.
• Denise…will this be too great a burden for her? Be sure to talk to her
• Craig E. be sure to talk to him
• Oversight, is that too great a burden to be responsible for where the money is spent?
• Foundation: Can they do an appropriate job with their accounting systems and procedures (essentially can we trust them?)

Reporting and Oversight:

• Funds that are dispersed via an allocation process, or are not directly designated will have CVPO supported semi-annual reporting process to show: A. Who is making the decisions, B. What the criteria are and C. Where the funds were spent for that half year. Applies to: CVPO Fund (in place), CV Principals Fund, CV Technology Fund, CV Music Fund, CV Teacher Development Fund, and the Facilities fund (TBD).

Possible donor Sheet: CV Excellence Campaign

CVPO encourages you to support Crescent Valley High School via the CV Excellence Campaign. We are hoping to raise $25,000 for CV over the next 6 months via contributions thru the 509J foundation. Most gifts are tax deductable (put in wording here)

CV Administration and staff have identified 8 general areas of funding that there are urgent needs, however, you can designate any activity or area of your choice to support the school in its continued pursuit of excellence.