Playing Smart changelabsolutions.org | kaboom.org 52 on capital campaigns, see the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities at www.ncef.org/rl/fundraising.cfm.) In considering fundraising options, remember the value of in-kind contributions as well as monetary donations. Receiving construction materials, expert labor, or other in-kind donations can significantly offset the costs of a facility improvement project. Naming and Advertising Rights Another source of private funds is to sell the naming rights for a school or public recreational facility – such as a swimming complex or baseball diamond – to a corporation. Although customary for professional sports stadiums and college athletic facilities, corporate naming of K–12 school recreational sites is still not commonplace. Proponents see it as a way of raising revenue for school and community infrastructure without imposing additional taxes on residents. Similarly, some public facilities have raised money by making advertising space available, though many oppose this due to concerns about the amount of advertising children see each day and the susceptibility of youth to advertising messages. Paid advertising may include such things as a manufacturer’s logo posted on the scoreboard or billboard space along sports field fences. Just as with naming rights, this practice is more common in professional and collegiate venues. If a public facility chooses to pursue this option, it should take two precautions. First, a set of guidelines should be established to define what types of advertising would be allowed. (For example, advertising for junk food, sugary drinks, tobacco, alcohol, and other products that are unhealthy or illegal for children should not be allowed.) Second, any outdoor advertising should be posted in compliance with local outdoor signage laws. Concessions A school or local government agency could contract with an organization to build or operate a recreational facility on publicly owned land, and the organization would have exclusive rights to operate the facility during the concession period. A baseball league, for example, could fund improvements to a city-owned athletic complex that the league would lease for a nominal fee. The length of the lease would be such that the league would be able to capture the value of the improvements it made. While the local government does not incur any costs, the organization with the concession may preclude other groups from using the facilities, unless the lease specifies otherwise. If a public agency chooses to pursue this option, the concessionaire contract should include advertising guidelines, as specified above, as well as requirements to adhere to any healthy food procurement (purchasing) standards established by the school district or local government.
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