Fundraising Rules
This page summarizes the rules which need to be observed in fundraising for teams with which you are associated. Fundraising is defined as solicitation of funds or engaging in profit making activities to obtain funding or benefits for a team or members of a team (including coaches). It does not include routine requests for or taking advantage of discounts from suppliers made available to all members of a team.
In November 2006, the region adopted guidelines for tournament team expenses. Those guidelines apply to team expenses and to mandatory parental contributions to a player's share of those expenses. The fundraising rules below relate to voluntary contributions. To the extent there is any conflict between the guidelines and the rules below, they will be resolved by the Regional Commissioner, the Regional Treasurer or the Regional Director of Tournament Teams.
Categories
of Fundraising
Fundraising falls into three categories:
- Fundraising for the Region.
- Fundraising for a particular team.
- Fundraising for a particular player.
It should be remembered that all teams are the Region's teams. They do not belong to any coach or sponsor. Priority will be given to fundraising for the Region. However, we recognize that, especially for teams which may undertake significant travel or participate in numerous tournaments, fundraising for that team may be more effective. The following rules are intended to ensure that fundraising for the Region's teams is handled in an appropriate manner.
Approval
Required
Participation in Tournaments
Participation in any tournament must be prenotified to the Tournament Director or if he or she is unavailable to the Regional Commissioner. Please note that special rules can apply, especially for teams participating in tournaments after the Area/Section All Star tournament.
Fundraising Projects
All fundraising projects in the first two categories must be approved in advance by the Regional Commissioner or his designee. A copy of AYSO National's Guidelines will be made available to all persons involved in fundraising. Fundraisers' attention is drawn, in particular, to the rules concerning sponsor logos. The Regional Commissioner or his designee must be informed of any agreements or conditions to which a donation is subject. Donations subject to conditions deemed unacceptable to the Region will be returned to the donor.
Approval is not required for fundraising where the solicitations are limited to the immediate families of the team members and coaches.
Handling Funds
All funds for teams actually raised must be deposited into and disbursed from a separate Region 76 bank account for tournament teams. No exceptions are permitted.
Handling Receipts.
A person responsible for fundraising must make a full accounting of all cash receipts and checks. Checks must be made payable to "AYSO Region 76" or "Beverly Hills AYSO". All cash and checks received must be turned over promptly to the Regional Commissioner or the Regional Treasurer with an itemized list of donors. All mail enclosing donations must be sent to the Region's address (P.O. Box 1761, Beverly Hills, CA 90213) and all solicitations requesting donations must request that donation checks be mailed to that address. If a payor wishes to use a credit card , they may do so at our donation page.
Handling Expenses.
Wherever possible, payments of expenses are to be made by Region check direct to the supplier upon presentation of an invoice with adequate supporting detail. If an individual seeks to have an expense reimbursed by the Region, that individual must present a receipt (except if the amount of the expense is less than $5) and (in all cases) adequate supporting detail.
Donor Identification and Tax Receipts
Donors and their relationship (if any) to any player must be identified to the Region in writing, except where the fundraising consists of the sale of products or services.
Donations for the particular players, as opposed to donations for the Region, are not deductible for tax purposes as charitable contributions. No tax receipts will be given by the Region for such donations and no representation is to be made concerning the deductibility of such donations. Whether a donation is deductible as a business expense is a matter for the donor with which the Region shall not be concerned. A receipt may be provided for a donor requesting one but such receipt will make clear that it is not a charitable contribution tax receipt.
Tax receipts for donations to the Region as a whole will be given and, to the extent required by law, indicate any value received by the donor. Under no circumstances may anyone other than the Regional Commissioner or the Regional Treasurer provide a tax receipt to a donor.
Fundraising for Individual Players
Fundraising for individual players is permitted. For example, gifts from family and friends to pay for registration and tournament fees, uniforms, balls, travel expenses and accessories (sweatshirts, bags, warm-up suits, etc.) are not subject to these rules. However, it must be made absolutely clear to the donor that he or she is giving to an individual or his or her family and not to AYSO or any Region of AYSO and that no advertising relating to the sponsorship shall be permitted. Tax receipts will not be given for these types of donations.
In General
These rules generally are to be interpreted flexibly and with common sense; exceptions and dispensations should be requested from the Regional Commissioner or the Tournament Director. However, no exceptions can be made to the rules relating to handling and accounting for receipts and expenses.
I acknowledge having received and read these rules:
_____________________________ ________________________________
Coach/Team Administrator Division and Team Name
Last updated February 12, 2010 at 09:44 AM