Fundraising Guidelines
I. University Organizations
- Student organizations are permitted to raise funds for their own group activities and for non-University charities. All fundraising events and activities by student organizations recognized by the Student Activities Council (SAC), funded by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA), or sponsored by the Undergraduate Assembly (UA) must be approved, in advance, by the Executive Director of the Office of Student Affairs. All fundraising events and activities by “School Affiliated” student organizations must be approved, in advance, by the relevant School student affairs administrator. Approval will only be granted for fundraising on behalf of charities which are nonprofit, tax exempt organizations.
- The procedures for reserving and using University facilities apply to fund-raising activities by University organizations. See also the Concert Policy.
- Student fundraising activities must comply University, municipal, state, and federal policies.
- All checks received by student organizations in support of their own group activities must be made payable to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and must be immediately endorsed with “For deposit only to the account of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” on the back of the check. Checks received in response to charitable projects for non-University charities must be made payable to the non-University charity.
- Student organizations should follow reasonable procedures for safeguarding cash. The number of individuals authorized to receive and handle cash should be limited. The individuals who receive cash should prepare a log of all receipts, broken down by cash, checks payable to the University, and checks payable to the non-University charity, including the dates and amounts received, with totals for each category. Currency and checks should be kept in a secure location, and stored in a safe or other locked secure place with restricted access until deposited by the University or delivered to the non-University charity.
- Funds raised by student organizations for their own group activities must be deposited in a University account and disbursed in accordance with established student activities guidelines. SAC recognized, GAPSA funded and UA sponsored student organizations should hand deliver all checks made payable to the University and all cash to the Office of Student Affairs Business Office Manager. The Office of Student Affairs should compare the record of the cash receipts and checks with the amount to be deposited. School Affiliated student organizations should hand deliver all checks and cash to their respective School Business Offices. Student organizations should not use cash received to pay expenses.
- Checks made payable to a non-University charity should be sent by the student organization directly to the charity. The University will not issue gift receipts on behalf of non-University charities. Student organizations should contact non-University charities to determine whether the charities will provide gift receipts directly to donors.
II. Non-University Groups
Non-University groups must follow the procedures for reserving and using University facilities at Perelman Quad.