Huntley Community School District 158 staff told the board that most recent student and activity fundraising uses third‑party crowdfunding platforms and recommended exploring operational consolidation and policy updates to improve outcomes and reduce fees.

The finance director explained that many coaches and activity sponsors have used multiple crowdfunding vendors (SnapRidge, FundraiserU, Adrenaline, Premier) that charge differing revenue‑share percentages. Those fees can be significant, particularly on product‑based campaigns; the finance team said some platform arrangements can take as much as half the gross revenue depending on product, service and vendor arrangements.

Board members and administrators discussed concerns raised by parents about pressure on student athletes and team members to solicit donations and questioned whether outside fundraising vendors are vetted for background checks and student‑protection practices. One board member said some students feel pressured to contact family and friends during phone‑based campaigns and noted policy says fundraising should be voluntary.

Administration proposed next steps: meet with athletic and activity leaders to analyze common platforms and recommend a district‑preferred vendor list, and propose clarifying revisions to policy 7.325/7.326 (fundraising and crowdfunding) and the administrative procedures to ensure transparency, vendor vetting, and to maximize net proceeds to activity accounts. The board asked administration to coordinate with coaches, club sponsors and parent groups and to return with policy recommendations.

Why it matters: Consolidating vendor use and tightening procedures could boost funds available to student activities while protecting students from high‑fee vendors and aggressive solicitation tactics.

What’s next: Administration will meet with high‑school activity leaders to examine platform fee structures, recommend preferred vendors, and draft policy/procedure updates for the policy and legislative committee’s review.