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Maine RSU 21

Maine Regional School Unit 21

Arundel · Kennebunk · Kennebunkport

KCD - REVENUE ENHANCEMENT/GIFTS TO SCHOOLS

  • Section K: School Community Relations

KCD - REVENUE ENHANCEMENT/GIFTS TO SCHOOLS

  1. Definitions
    1. Gift – A “gift” is money or property given to the school unit with no consideration given or expected in return. An item offered with the expectation that consideration, in any form, will be received in return (e.g., a scoreboard with advertising) is not a “gift” subject to this policy, but is a purchase subject to applicable purchasing policies and procedures (i.e., KHB - Advertising in the Schools). 
    2. Outright Gift – A gift given with no conditions and not held in trust.
    3. Gift in Trust – A gift held in trust by a trustee.
    4. Conditional Gift or Prospective Gift – A gift for a specified purpose that will require the school unit to comply with a specified condition or conditions and that will require the expenditure of school unit funds in the future.
    5. Legislative Body – The voters, except in a charter municipality, the body specified by the charter.
       
  2. Acceptance of Gifts

    The Board may accept and receive outright gifts or gifts in trust for any specified benevolent or educational purpose consistent with the district’s goals and with state law. In determining whether to accept a gift, the Board may consider the following criteria:
    1. Whether the gift will Eenhance student education and achievement.
    2. Whether the gift will Aassist in the maintenance of existing educational and athletic programs and facilities.
    3. Whether the gift will Aassist in the development and funding of new educational and athletic programs and facilities.
    4. Whether the gift will Pprovide scholarships for students participating in academic, athletic, or activity programs who demonstrate merit or financial need. 

The Board reserves the right to decline to accept any gift that does not contribute toward the achievement of the goals of the district or that would tend to adversely affect the district. The Board is under no obligation to accept a gift, or to replace an accepted gift if it is destroyed, lost, stolen or becomes worn out.

Prior to the acceptance of a conditional gift, the Board must obtain approval by the voters of the district. The district must comply with the conditions of such conditional gift. 

If the Board receives written notice from a prospective donor or a representative of the donor, of a proposed gift, they shall submit the matter to the next regular meeting of the Board or shall call a special meeting. The Board shall, within 10 days after the meeting, send written notice of its acceptance or rejection.

Any gift accepted by the district shall become the property of the district, may not be returned without the approval of the Board, and is subject to the same controls and regulations as are other properties of the district.

The district shall comply with all deposit and investment procedures in relation to gifted funds.

  1. Revenue Enhancement
    The Board recognizes that the development of alternative sources of funding for the district’s educational programs and facilities is desirable. Opportunities are available to enhance or supplement traditional sources of school district revenue through the pursuit of fundraising activities, sponsorships, marketing activities, grants, and other similar activities. The Board encourages the Superintendent/designees to pursue federal, state, foundation, corporate, and other grants for the support of the schools and the enhancement of educational opportunities.

The district will consider opportunities for revenue enhancement such as sponsorships, grants, advertising, and fundraising. Any revenue enhancement opportunity pursued by the district must be consistent with the values and educational mission of the district. It is the policy of the Board to comply with all Federal and State requirements that may be a condition of receipt of grant funds.The Board has the exclusive discretion to determine whether to accept or decline any revenue enhancement opportunity. The factors to be considered by the Board include, but are not limited to:

  1. The extent to which such revenue enhancement opportunity limits or restrains the district’s discretion or its ability to pursue other opportunities.
  2. The duration of the arrangement or agreement and the district’s ability/discretion to terminate the arrangement/agreement.
  3. The extent to which the revenue enhancement opportunity imposes any obligation on the district, either presently or in the future, financial, or otherwise, and whether the opportunity is subject to conditions acceptable to the district.
  4. The extent to which accepting the revenue enhancement opportunity would impair the tax-advantaged status of any district borrowing instrument.  
  5. The extent to which the revenue enhancement opportunity constitutes a conflict of interest or creates the appearance of or potential for a conflict of interest. 
  6. The extent to which the revenue enhancement opportunity interjects advertising or commercialism into the schools or classrooms, pursuant to Policy FF – Naming of School Facilities  and Policy KHB – Advertising in the Schools. The Board may designate an administrator or committee to investigate, evaluate and/or consider potential revenue enhancement opportunities and to report its findings and recommendations to the Board.

When a grant application or proposal is presented to the Superintendent for approval, the Superintendent/designee will determine the availability of resources should matching funds  be required; whether additional resources will be needed for continuation of the program when the grant expires; and measures that will be used to evaluate whether the objectives of the grant are being achieved.

All grant funds received will be deposited into District accounts.  Applicable Federal and State regulations, Board policies and  District procedures regarding purchasing, contracting, expenditures, and accounting will be followed in the administration and monitoring of grant funds.  Staff positions created through grant funding will be filled pursuant to Board policy. 

Legal References: 

20-A MRSA 1476; 20-A MRSA 4005

Cross References: 

Policy FF – Naming of School Facilities

Policy KHB – Advertising in the Schools

Revised: 1/9/2023

Revised: 9/11/2023

Revised: 12/2/2024


 

  • Section K