Fundraisers / Supply Drives

Please note that No more than five (5)student/community initiatives will be approved in an application nperiod. Online applications received after the application due date will not be considered. Upper School students will need to meet with Dr. Jennifer Bratyanski (jennifer.bratyanski@providenceday.org) before you begin your application.

STUDENT/COMMUNITY INITIATIVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

A student/community initiative is defined as an official drive organized by students to collect materials/ goods/resources for a specific community partner. Examples of campus drives include school supplies, non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, pet supplies, etc. Any drives using the school’s name (Providence Day School, PDS or PD); or school property; or school processes will be considered a student/community initiative and will require pre-approval from the students' divisional Community Engagement Coordinator, division head, and subsequent approval from the Student/Community Initiative Committee. 

Please note, newly proposed initiatives that replicate existing initiatives are not likely to be considered; therefore discussion with divisional Community Engagement Coordinators is required to ensure that we are not diluting efforts. 

Once approval is granted, students complete the online application (CLICK HERE) and present their proposal to the Student/Community Initiative Committee (SCIC) for final approval. 

Note: Upper School student groups must be established for one academic year before applying for a fundraiser/drive. Please see Dr. Bratyanski for guidance / pre-approval.

PHILOSOPHY

At Providence Day, social responsibility means cultivating a sense of connection to our community and the world, and taking action to contribute to the lives of others. Social responsibility progresses throughout the curriculum in all grades, from activities that develop empathy and gratitude in Lower School; to a more participatory approach in Middle School; to problem-solving and innovation in Upper School and beyond. At Providence Day School, we are committed to instilling in our students a sense of social responsibility. The school believes that community engagement not only supports our community partners, but also provides students with a valuable learning experience. The goal of the Student/Community Initiative Policy is to ensure that the campus collection efforts do not conflict with the fundraising goals the Board of Trustees has determined to be a top priority (Annual Fund, capital projects and endowment) and to protect parents from being solicited without limitations all while instilling a strong sense of social responsibility amongst the school’s student body.

POLICY and PROCEDURE

The Student/Community Initiative Committee
All proposed initiatives will be approved by the Student/Community Initiative Committee (SCIC). The Student/Community Initiative Committee will be composed of the Head of School, Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs, Head of Upper School, Head of Middle School, Head of Lower School, a member of the Office of Institutional Advancement, and a divisional Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC)for Social Responsibility.

General Application Process

• Student groups proposing a school fundraiser/drive (both pre-existing and new) must first meet with their appropriate divisional CEC to discuss their school fundraiser. It is then at the discretion of the appropriate division head to allow the student group to proceed further in the application process.
  
  

• After receiving pre-approval from a divisional Community Engagement Coordinator and division head, student groups must then complete and submit an online application for their proposed student school initiative to be considered. The application can be found here or in Charger Commons.
  
  

• Student groups will then be required to attend and present their proposed student school initiative at the committee meeting in which their application is being reviewed. Each student group will be allowed five minutes to present and should be prepared to field questions from the committee.
  
  

• A decision regarding applications will be communicated within two business days following the committee meeting. Committee decisions are final.
  
  

• No more than five student/community initiatives will be approved in an application period*. Online applications received after the application due date will not be considered. 

Natural Disasters
Should a natural disaster occur and a student group wants to hold a student school fundraiser/drive to support relief efforts that does not coincide with the application table, please contact the Director of Development, Rachel Ellis, in the Office of Institutional Advancement for committee consideration. NOTE: Priority will be given to existing community / school partners in the affected areas. They will be contacted by a CEC to determine greatest need and proceeds will be directed toward those efforts.

School Fundraiser Calendar
In an effort to avoid concurrent fundraisers, activities and events, all student school fundraisers will be kept on the school calendar. The Student Fundraiser Committee encourages all parties considering a student school fundraiser to consult the calendar in order to determine the best time for their activity and to minimize overlap with other events.

Guidance
In order to provide appropriate guidance, student school fundraisers must have a divisional CEC sponsor and be student-led and student-staffed.

Some bake sale items may contain allergens which could negatively affect the health of others; therefore, bake sales are not encouraged. Please label all items that contain the following products: peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, egg, or wheat. There is considerable planning required for a bake sale so please consider the time required for planning. 

Student Foundation Board
Upon approval of a fundraiser / drive, student groups may also apply for additional funds from the Student Foundation Board. A separate application will be provided once a group has been approved for a fundraiser / drive by the Student/Community Initiative Committee.

*Parents’ Association, Alumni Association and Charger Club fundraising efforts are not included in this number.  

Upper School students: Please see Dr. Jennifer Bratyanski (jennifer.bratyanski@providenceday.org) before you begin your application.