2010 Tennessee Code
Title 49 - Education
Chapter 2 - Local Administration
Part 6 - School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act
49-2-604 - Adoption of policy concerning fundraising.

49-2-604. Adoption of policy concerning fundraising.

(a)  A group or organization may not use a school district's or school's name, mascot or logos, property or facilities for the raising of money, materials, property or securities until a policy has been adopted by the local board of education concerning cooperative agreements, school support organizations and the use of school facilities for fundraising purposes.

(b)  The policy that a school board adopts pursuant to subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, include, in substance, the following provisions:

     (1)  (A)  Prior to soliciting, raising or collecting money, materials, property or securities to support a school district, school, school club or any academic, arts, athletic or social activity or event related to a school, a school support organization shall submit to the director of schools or the director's designee a form that, at a minimum, documents the following:

                (i)  The organization's status as a nonprofit organization, foundation or a chartered member of a nonprofit organization or foundation; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall require that the organization be a 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code, codified in 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3);

                (ii)  The goals and objectives of the organization; and

                (iii)  The telephone number, address and position of each officer of the organization;

          (B)  Thereafter, a school support organization shall annually, at a time designated before the beginning of the school year, submit a form to the director of schools or the director's designee verifying its continued existence as a nonprofit organization and documenting, at a minimum, the goals and objectives of the organization, and the current telephone number, address and position of each officer of the organization. The organization shall file a statement of total revenues and disbursements before the end of the school year; and

     (2)  The approval of the director of schools or the director's designee shall be required before a school support organization undertakes any fundraising activity to assure that scheduling of fundraisers does not conflict with the school district's or school's fundraising efforts and that the fundraising process is consistent with the goals and mission of the school or school district. The approval shall not make the fundraising activity a school-sponsored activity.

(c)  A school support organization shall maintain, at a minimum, detailed statements of receipts and disbursements, minutes of any meetings, a copy of its charter, bylaws and documentation of its recognition as a nonprofit organization. The statements and records shall be maintained for a period of at least four (4) years and be available upon request by any member of the organization, principal, director of schools or the director's designee or the office of the comptroller of the treasury.

(d)  A school support organization shall operate within the applicable standards and guidelines set by a related state association, if applicable, and shall not promote, encourage or acquiesce in any violation of student or team eligibility requirements, conduct codes or sportsmanship standards.

(e)  A school support organization's officers shall ensure that school support organization funds are safeguarded and are spent only for purposes related to the goals and objectives of the organization. The organization shall adopt and maintain a written policy that specifies reasonable procedures for accounting, controlling and safeguarding any money, materials, property or securities collected or disbursed by it.

(f)  A school support organization shall provide, upon request, to officials of the local school board, local school principal or auditors of the office of the comptroller of the treasury access to all books, records and bank account information for the organization.

(g)  A school representative may not act as a treasurer or bookkeeper for a school support organization. A school representative may not be a signatory on the checks of a school support organization. A majority of the voting members of any school support organization board should not be composed of school representatives.

(h)  A local board of education may adopt a policy that is more restrictive than the requirements of subsection (b).

(i)  The local board of education, director of schools, local school principal or any other school official shall not incur any liability for the failure of a school support organization to safeguard school support organization funds.

[Acts 2007, ch. 326, § 5; 2008, ch. 1156, § 4.]