FAQ
Founded in 1985, the K.L. Carver Enrichment Fund is a non-profit organization, unaffiliated with the PTA, and dedicated to providing financial support to K.L. Carver Elementary School through the sale of Scrip gift cards, eScrip programs, and a variety of other fundraising events. Set forth below are some frequently asked questions ("FAQs") and answers about the K.L. Carver Enrichment Fund.
Q: Is the Enrichment Fund a non-profit corporation?
A: Yes. It is non-profit corporation that has qualified for and received tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Q: When did the Enrichment Fund start?
A: It began in 1985.
Q: How does the Enrichment Fund help Carver school?
A: The entire proceeds from Scrip gift cards sales, eScrip program earnings, and other related fundraisers are used to support technology improvements and sustainment in the classrooms and in the Computer Lab.
Q: Is the Enrichment Fund separate from the PTA?
A: Yes. The Enrichment Fund was originally started as a separate tax-exempt IRS Section 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation because, at that time, PTAs were not allowed to sell Scrip gift cards to raise funds. It has since continued as an increasingly successful fundraising organization, adding the eScrip program and a variety of other fundraising events to its portfolio.
Q: What does the Enrichment Fund do?
A: The Enrichment Fund (a) runs the day-to-day Scrip gift cards sales operation, (b) promotes the purchase of Scrip and the participation in eScrip programs to benefit our school, (c) educates the Carver community on how our program works, and (d) provides needed funds to specific projects that directly benefit Carver school.
Q: How does the Scrip gift card program work?
A: The Enrichment Fund purchases cash gift certificates (called "Scrip") at a 2-10% discount from participating retail merchants and then sells the Scrip gift cards to the Carver community at face value. The purchaser of the Scrip gift card gets their full money's worth, while the Enrichment Fund gets the discount from the retail merchant.
Q: How does the eScrip program work?
A: Participants register their grocery/credit/debit cards for eScrip participation, then an average of 2-5% of purchases made at a registered eScrip retailer is donated to the Enrichment Fund by the retail merchants through the eScrip program.
Q: Are all Carver families required to participate in the Enrichment Fund's Scrip program?
A: No. This is a completely optional program and participation is voluntary. Many families do participate because it is an easy way to earn money for Carver at no additional cost to them.
Q: Who oversees the Enrichment Fund?
A: The Enrichment Fund is governed by a Board of Directors. The Directors are elected annually and are chosen from the Carver community. The Board of Directors elects the Officers. The Officers are comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Asst. Treasurer Bookkeeping, Asst. Treasurer Pre-orders, Promotion Coordinator, and Sales Coordinator. The Directors and Officers serve for a one-year term.
Q: Who sits on the Enrichment Fund Board?
A: The Enrichment Fund is governed by a 7-member Board of Directors. In addition to the Carver School Parent Board members, the Principal is a voting member of the Enrichment Fund Board. The PTA President is invited to attend meetings (as a non-voting participant).
Q: Are all Directors, Officers and other staff members volunteers, or are there some paid positions?
A: All are volunteers. We utilize a "working board" team approach to reduce volunteer hour burden, and create meaningful, yet manageable jobs.
Q: Is the Enrichment Fund legally liable for the PTA, or vice versa?
A: No. The Enrichment Fund is a separate non-profit corporation from the PTA. In the event that the PTA were to incur certain legal liabilities, the Enrichment Fund, as a separate non-profit would be insulated from that liability. The same is also true if the Enrichment Fund were to incur certain liabilities.
Q: Who decides how the funds that are raised are spent?
A: Decisions on how raised funds are spent require the input of the Carver community, its teachers, and parents. Historically, all raised funds are discussed for allocation based on the prioritized needs of the school that are developed in the PTA Special Projects Committee meeting, which is held in the spring. The PTA Treasurer heads up the Special Projects Committee, and the Enrichment Fund President sits as a non-voting member on this Committee. The Enrichment Fund President brings the identified needs back to the Enrichment Fund Board, who then votes to commit Enrichment Fund Monies. Funding needs can be discussed and reviewed at other times during the year, as well.
Q: What are some examples of the purchases made by the Enrichment Fund that have benefited Carver?
A: During the past 25 years, the Enrichment Fund has provided the following to Carver School
(a) playground equipment including the large play structure in the upper yard, a handball wall, tether balls and jump ropes
(b) kindergarten equipment including the "jiggly bus" play structure, the large climbing and slide play structure, picnic tables, and sand toys
(c) a copy machine and a rizograph copier
(d) library books, library aid salaries
(e) computers and printers
(f) 2009 - Kindergarten playground re-surfacing
(g) 2009 – Kindergarten sandbox