Parent-Teacher-Student Group Guidelines

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) prohibits tax-exempt organizations from requiring people to participate in fundraisers. Likewise, PTA/PTSAs may not require an amount to be “donated” in lieu of participating in the fundraiser. People may choose whether to participate in a fundraiser and may choose whether to donate to the local PTA/PTSA. If a person decides not to participate, that person cannot be excluded from having the opportunity to benefit from the fundraiser and cannot be penalized in any way for choosing not to participate in the fundraiser. Furthermore, benefits given by a tax-exempt organization cannot be based on participation in a fundraiser or based on revenues raised individually. Therefore, regardless if a person participates in a fundraiser and regardless of the amount of revenue generated, that person cannot be denied the opportunity to receive an equal benefit.

The school district is prohibited by Texas law from sponsoring or conducting any raffle or bingo game conducted for raising money. However, there is a state Charitable Raffle Enabling Act (and one for bingo) that allows organizations that support schools to conduct raffles under certain conditions. A raffle is any activity that involves awarding a prize — anything of value from a cake, to a car, to one or more people who have purchased a ticket.

The Charitable Raffle Enabling Act, effective January 1, 1990, permits “qualified organizations” to hold up to two raffles per calendar year, with certain specified restrictions.

A “qualified organization” is a nonprofit organization that has existed for at least three preceding years, during which it has had a governing body duly elected by its members and is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code; does not distribute any of its income to its members, officers or governing body; does not devote a substantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation, and does not participate in any political campaign.

The language of the law is very technical. If you are considering holding a raffle to benefit an organization, you should check the statutes to be sure your group qualifies.

Per GKB Local board policy, no raffles, bingo, or other games of chance may be advertised, held on district property, or tickets sold on district property.  Therefore, a raffle cannot be promoted with district resources (i.e. no posters/flyers on campuses, on the district, owned websites, nor via Peachjar.)

While you may hold a casino night as a service to our students, you may not hold a casino night as a fundraiser. This is restricted by the State of Texas. FAQ

• All food fundraisers must meet the Texas Department of Agriculture Competitive Food Nutritional Standards. 
• Please check with your campus before committing to any sales of food or concessions.
• Ideas for Fun and Healthy Fundraising
• Restaurants/businesses that include the promotion of alcohol in their name and/or logo should alter their name and/or logo to adhere to Board Policy on Advertising. (ex: BJ’s Brewhouse needs to provide a logo that does not include “brewhouse” in the logo nor in another promotional language.)

Any expenditure for direct operating expenses — for example, furniture or equipment — must be submitted to the Financial Services Department with the proper forms. Checks must be made payable to Leander ISD.

Items purchased for or donated to the district/campus with PTA/PTO funds (such as furniture, equipment, or technology) will become the property of Leander ISD. When there is a technology equipment refresh in the District, all devices (donated and/or district-provided) are considered when determining campus technology needs.

According to the IRS, a qualified sponsorship is “any payment made by a person engaged in a trade or business for which the person will receive no substantial benefit other than the use or acknowledgment of the business name, logo, or product lines in connection with the organization’s activities.”  For instance, if a nonprofit organization simply acknowledges the sponsor’s name, logo, and/or slogan, then the nonprofit organization would not have to pay tax on the income.

The IRS describes advertising as other activities that “promote” the sponsor’s products or services which include:

• Messages containing qualitative or comparative language, price information, or other indications of savings or value
• Endorsements
• Inducements to purchase sell or use the products or services.

All advertising that promotes LISD schools, programs, campuses, or other LISD assets must go through the School and Community Relations Department. If you are unsure whether your activity falls under ADVERTISING or SPONSORSHIPS, please contact School and Community Relations. If you are seeking SPONSORS, this might be considered a FUNDRAISER, in which case you need to submit the appropriate fundraising request forms to your campus principal or designee who will submit them to the district for final approval. 

ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES should be reviewed by School and Community Relations before launching. Your fundraising request form submission will not be approved without this review. Please review LISD advertising guidelines for more details.

District policy and advertising guidelines do not permit the display of sponsorship banners or other advertising signage (including other printed materials such as posters, flyers, banners, etc.) within campus hallways or other student areas without prior authorization from the district administration. Advertising banners are only authorized in certain locations as coordinated through School and Community Relations. (Ex: Sponsorship banners with business names and logos are not allowed to be hung up on district-owned property without authorization, to include hallways, classrooms, gyms, front offices, and other areas.)

The district has entered into a trademarking licensing agreement regarding the use of its school names, logos, and other identifying marks for our high school campuses. The Trademark and Licensing Program helps protect from trademark infringement and from unlicensed competitors. When a licensing program is implemented, groups typically see their sales and their profits increase as demand for officially licensed school merchandise increases, and the number of licensed vendors is limited.

The program will require that all items sold by any non-district entity must include a hangtag/sticker that identifies the item as legitimate and an authorized user of LISD’s identifying marks. (This includes online stores that provide merchandising options for spirit wear items.)

Leander ISD exempted booster and PTA organization from licensing fees
For details, please refer to the LISD Logos and Licensing

Leander ISD elementary and middle school campuses are not a part of the Trademark and Licensing program. However, names, logos, and other campuses’ “marks” are still considered one of our greatest assets. It is important to our branding of the district and our schools to maintain positive use of our marks across all of our supporting organizations. Therefore, the district encourages our boosters and PTAs to use approved school logos for their spirit merchandise and other school-related projects/items.  School administration (principal or designee) should review and approve all uses of the logo prior to production and/or distribution to ensure quality use and consistent branding for their school. (Example:  If you are doing a spirit shirt for students or staff, use the approved school logo. Be sure your principal has approved the design and logo use PRIOR TO production.)

School logos are NOT approved to be used for PTA branding and communications without the organization’s name included. (For instance: Reed Elementary Road Runner logo could be used for the PTA website, but it needs to include CLEAR LANGUAGE that the website is Reed Elementary PTA.) If your PTA wants to create a separate logo for their organization, this is acceptable. But the school logo/mascot should be used for all SCHOOL spirit merchandise and other related projects that are supporting the school, students, or staff where branding would be important.
For additional questions or clarifications on logo/mascot use, contact your principal and/or SCR.

District criteria state that 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations may submit flyers via Peachjar, which will be reviewed by our School and Community Relations Department.  

Tips when creating flyers, sponsorship packages, or other solicitation letters, include:

• WHO is coordinating the event, and BE SPECIFIC 
• WHAT is the event (ex: is hosting a summer dance clinic for dancers’ grades K-6)
• WHEN is the event (ex:  Saturday, July 31)
• WHERE is the event (at Cedar Park High School, 2150 Cypress Creek Road)
• WHY is the event being held (ex: to raise funds for dance competition fees)
• A contact phone number and/or email address for interested participants should they have questions.
• A disclaimer at the bottom that says your e-flyer has been reviewed and approved for distribution must be added. Example: “This flyer has been approved for distribution by Leander ISD. Distribution does not constitute an endorsement by Leander ISD.” (This is “best practice” whether you distribute via Peachjar or not.)
• A working website address for the PTA that might include additional information if someone is looking for more details or to verify the legitimacy of the program.