Fundraising Event Guidelines
Please read the following and keep a copy for your records.
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is pleased to be the beneficiary of financial support from special fundraising programs, events or projects by generous individuals, groups and organizations. We welcome fundraising proposals for review, but choosing to submit a proposal does not obligate Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains to enter into a fundraising program with you.
By submitting a fundraising proposal you agree to assume all risks and liabilities associated with the proposal and hereby release and hold harmless Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains entities, their directors, officers, employees, agents, and successors from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees arising out of or in connection with the event, including without limitation any personal injuries or damages to property that may occur in conjunction with your proposal.
Although Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains actively encourages third-party fundraising events and promotions, we must approve all fundraising activities in advance. Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains maintain the right to decline events. This is an important safeguard in preserving the integrity of the name and reputation of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains as well as our commitment to donors.
If Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains agrees to enter into a fundraising program with you, all written, electronic or printed fundraising program materials containing Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains logos or trademarks, before and after your fundraising begins, must comply with graphic standards and must be submitted to us for approval before printing or circulation.
In order to ensure that all proposed fundraising events, promotions or appeals to the general public are registered and authorized, we require third-party managers to follow these guidelines:
EVENT APPROVAL
1. Event managers must complete and submit the application for review and consideration of authorization to conduct any event, promotion or appeal to the general public. This should be submitted a minimum of 60 days prior to the date of the event.
2. PROMOTION & LOGO USE Event managers understand that Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains assume no responsibility for promoting the event or promotion.
3. Publicity for your event may not imply that the event is sponsored or co-sponsored by Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains may only be identified as the beneficiary of the event.
4. Use of the name of Lutheran Family Services, LFS, LFSRM, logo or any other term implying endorsement by or support of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is not authorized except by specific approval. All uses of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains name and logo on printed and electronic collateral, advertising or other event promotional material must be approved in advance of production by Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains and must comply with usage and brand standards.
5. Advance authorization is required for any reproduction of logo or name prior to printing or release to news media.
6. In order to provide your donors with important information concerning their contribution, we ask that all promotional materials clearly state the percentage of proceeds (from gross or net proceeds) and/or the portion of the ticket price that will benefit Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains.
EVENT PLANNING
1. Event manager agrees to obtain all required permits or licenses for the event. Because Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is the ultimate beneficiary of your event and has no direct involvement with running the fundraiser, we cannot provide event insurance. The event manager is responsible for obtaining any required permits and certificates of insurance.
2. The fundraising event or appeal organizer/sponsor/organization agrees to indemnify, refund and hold harmless against and in respect of any and all claims, demands, losses, costs, expenses, obligations, liabilities damages, recoveries and deficiencies, including interests, penalties and reasonable attorney’s fees that shall be incurred or suffered by Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains which arise, result from or relate to the fundraising event or appeal, the organizer/sponsor/organization’s performance of its agreement as specified in these guidelines and the Fundraising Event Application Form or Promotions Application Form.
3. If a professional fundraiser or promotions person is hired to coordinate a special event that benefits Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains the Resource Development staff will be notified immediately. The professional organizer/promotions person and the fundraising event or appeal organizer/sponsor/organization do hereby agree to adhere to all federal, local and state laws and assure that compensation to any professional fundraisers or promoters shall not be based on commission or percentage of monies raised.
4. Unfortunately, sales tax laws do not allow event managers to use our sales tax exempt status for purchases.
5. There must not be exploitation of children or families served by Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, including but not limited to photographs of children.
6. There must not be conflict with government regulations or licensing.
7. There must not be commercialism which would reflect poorly on Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains.
8. We reserve the right to observe your event.
FUNDRAISING
1. The fundraising event or appeal organizer/sponsor/organization agrees to submit the name of any businesses to be solicited for support, in advance of such solicitation, to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains so that conflicts with sponsors and donors who may already be involved with other fundraising efforts benefiting Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains can be avoided.
2. Please limit expenses to 25% of the total raised by the event. No bank accounts in the name of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains can be set up to hold funds from a fundraiser.
3. We recognize that some coordinators may need funds to run an event and pay reasonable expenses. However, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains cannot fund or financially support community fundraisers. Managers are responsible for covering all expenses and will not be reimbursed by Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains.
4. Raffle, bingo, lottery and drawings are games of chance and are considered a raffle. Raffles MUST be approved and registered by the state. If you hold a raffle without obtaining your own raffle license, you will be conducting an illegal raffle according to Colorado State Law and subject to review by Colorado Gaming Commission. You must provide current raffle license information (organization name, raffle manager name and license number) to the Resource Development Department prior to holding a raffle.
5. If you hold a silent auction, sales tax must be collected on any tangible items sold through the auction. Sales tax is calculated on the sales price of a tangible item regardless of the fair-market-value of the item. Sales tax is determined by the location of the sale.
6. You may not keep any portion of the proceeds as profit or compensation for organizing the event.
7. Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains staff may not write grants, solicit donors or sponsors on behalf of an external fundraising event.
FOLLOW UP & RECIEPTING
1. Events must comply with all federal, state and local laws governing charitable fundraising and gift reporting. All tax receipting issues must be agreed upon and documented before Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains approval is given. Lutheran Family Services may only issue tax receipts for checks made out to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. If your donors send their contributions directly to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, you must inform Lutheran Family Services of the value of any goods or services the donor received in return for the contribution. The Foundation will issue receipts for in-kind donations or event sponsorship agreements if you provide complete information for all applicable donors. An in-kind donation sheet (link) must be completed for all donations.
2. Within 60 days of the completion of the scheduled event or promotion, all net proceeds will be delivered to the Resource Development Department at Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, 1035 Osage Street, Suite 700, Denver, Colorado, 80204.