Approved: August 10, 2016
SPONSORSHIPS
The Evansville Community School District Board of Education may accepts and approves sponsorships that benefit the District, its schools, employees or students, by the District accepting money, goods and/or services in exchange for the District acknowledging the sponsor’s contribution. The Board recognizes that it would be financially beneficial to allow the sponsorship of the District, its schools, school programs, Interscholastic Athletic programs, extra-curricular activities, and other school activities, events, publications, newsletter, news releases, etc. in exchange for the District’s acknowledgement of such sponsor’s contribution. However, all sponsorships shall meet the criteria set forth herein which provides, among other things, that the sponsorship shall not be contrary to the District’s mission, conflict with Board Policy or undermine the District’s educational objectives. No sponsorship shall be construed as or constitute an endorsement by the District, Board, or school of the sponsor or its product, service or program, etc., and the Board, and the schools reserve the right to refuse or decline the offer of any sponsor for any reason.
Sponsorship is defined as the provision of money, goods and/or other services by a person, company, business, corporation or other entity to support the District, its schools, school activities, etc. In return the District shall acknowledge that money, services, and or goods were contributed by the sponsor or the activity was sponsored by or in part by the sponsor. Upon acceptance, all non-monetary items supplied by the sponsor (e.g., equipment, furniture, building materials, etc.) shall become the property of the District and shall be subject to the same controls, policies and procedures governing other District property, except as otherwise expressly specified in the sponsorship agreement. All monetary sponsorships shall be deposited in the appropriate designated District depository and shall be properly accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and the Wisconsin Uniform Financial Accounting Requirements (WUFAR).
Sponsorship Agreement is defined as a contract between the District and the Sponsor defining all responsibilities expected from both parties. No sponsorship, regardless of its monetary value, may be considered for approval without an Agreement between the sponsor and the District regarding the form, number and/or duration of the acknowledgement(s) to be provided. An Agreement with a term of more than one year shall also indicate whether the Agreement will extend to the sponsor’s successors, heirs, administrators and assigns. In the case of a direct conflict between board policy/administrative rule and a sponsorship agreement, board policy/administrative rule shall control. The Board may reject any and all proposed sponsorships and it also may terminate any such sponsorship agreement at any time should the sponsorship no longer comply with the terms of this policy or should the sponsorship become inconsistent with the District’s educational mission, goals and objectives.
Acknowledgement is defined as District recognition of the sponsor’s support provided. An example of the Acknowledgment of a Sponsorship is signage at sponsored venue, the placement of a sponsor’s logo or the sponsor’s name, address, website, internet address on the District’s website, the yearbook, a newsletter, program of an event, etc. Acknowledgement does not include endorsement, price information or an indication of savings or value and/or quality of the sponsor’s product or services, such as the sponsor has the lowest prices, makes the greatest product or that the sponsor is having a sale. The Sponsors Agreement may specify, for example, to print an acknowledgement of the sponsorship on the printed program for each home football game during the current school year, or to display the sponsor’s name on the scoreboards in the football stadium at the high school for an agreed upon period of time.
Facilities Naming Rights is defined as the naming of a District facility in return for a financial contract to place the name of a business, company, corporation or other entity on or near the named facility.
All sponsorship agreements and naming rights opportunities shall be subject to review by legal counsel and bond counsel before approval. If a Sponsorship agreement and/or naming rights opportunity will affect facilities that are bond financed, the Board must ensure compliance with Federal tax rules and regulations regarding tax-advantaged bond financings.
The Board tasks the District Administrator with the responsibility to oversee District compliance with this policy, including providing proper notification to staff, school booster clubs and the general public regarding the existence of this policy and its implementing guidelines and ensuring that appropriate acknowledgement is provided to all sponsors on behalf of the District.
The District shall not unlawfully discriminate in the acceptance and administration of gifts, bequests, scholarships and other aids, benefits or services to students from private agencies, organizations or persons on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability or handicap. Discrimination complaints shall be processed in accordance with established procedures.
Solicitation of sponsorships will be directed by the Board of Education. For purposes of this policy, paid advertising in school publications are not considered sponsorships.
Legal Ref.: Sections
118.12 Wisconsin State Statutes (Sale of Goods and Services at Schools)
175.10 (Sale to Employees Prohibited)
Local Ref.: Policy #841 Rule – Sponsorship, Administrative Rule
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