Procedure for Fundraising by Donating Meal Points

            There is strong spirit of and commitment to giving here at Williams College. Our community has generously supported an impressive range of local, national and international causes. Through the “donation of meal points,” Dining Services has worked with various student groups to facilitate this spirit of giving and to make the experience a meaningful and positive event. Our goal is to encourage and expand this aspect of student life on campus.

            As more and more student groups plan fundraising events for worthy causes, it is important that the opportunities for donation of meal points be made available equitably and responsibly to as many groups as possible. Beginning in February of 2008, the Chaplains’ Office and Dining Services will institute a process of review of all proposals for fundraisers involving meal points – in order to prevent the student community from being saturated by repeated events that undercut each other, while respecting the needs of Dining Services for planning and budgeting.  Careful planning will help us to foster the kind of humanitarian outreach and cultural awareness that should be part of life at a liberal arts college.  The following protocol will assist the review process.

Dining Services is able to host three meal point donation events each semester and one during winter study.  Proposals will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis – though normally no group will be approved to host more than one event each year unless exceptional circumstances warrant it.   Fundraising by Donating Meal Points request forms can be obtained in the Chaplains' Office; we will consult with Dining Services and respond to your request as efficiently as possible.

The following questions will be found on the request form. 

1. Purpose of the event – description of the cause(s) you support
2. Name and address (including website) of the organization(s) that will receive the
funds raised, and the name of a contact person in the organization
3. Date of the event
4. Time of the event
5. Location of the event
6. The name of the sponsoring student group (including student activities account
number, if there is one) and contact person (email and phone number)
7. How will your event be publicized on campus?
8. How much does your group hope to collect?
9. The names and ID numbers of students who will be participating must be given to
Dining Services once your proposal has been approved – and at least 5 working
days before the meal(s) for which meal points will be donated
10. After the event, Nancy Luczynski of the Chaplains’ Office will transfer funds raised
to your group’s student activities account – or, if there is no account, send a         check directly to the organization for which the funds were collected

9/11/08