Fundraising
Rules for fundraising activities in Toastmasters
The Toastmasters program is designed to be self-supporting through club dues. However, it may be necessary for clubs, areas, divisions or districts to raise funds to offset costs for educational sessions and to further the purpose of Toastmasters International.
Toastmasters International is an educational organization and not a service club such as Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, etc., whose main focus is to raise funds for community or charitable causes.
Before you start on your fundraising project, answer these questions:
- Is the product you wish to sell donated?
- Is the service you wish to provide voluntary?
- Is it the club rather than a member who receives monetary compensation?
- Is at least one-third of the club’s total support from member dues?
- Is the fundraising activity conducted on an infrequent and irregular basis?
- Is the fundraising activity legal in your city, state, province or country?
- Will the profits be used for the furtherance of Toastmasters International’s exempt purposes, which include:
- Building and improving clubs
- Training club and district officers
- Purchasing educational program materials
- Sending a voting delegate to district conferences or the International Convention
- Covering general administrative expenses connected with the operation of the club or district
If you answered No to any of these questions, you are not operating within the policies of Toastmasters International, and the fundraising activity is prohibited.
Acceptable fundraising activities include:
- Conducting programs, such as Speechcraft or other modules from the Success/Communication and Success/Leadership Series, and charging a fee to the participants. Fees charged should be reasonable. The revenue should be used to buy the program material, with any balance being placed in the treasury. Members may not market seminars that compete with for-profit enterprises.
- Holding a raffle, auction, white elephant sale or bazaar of donated goods where permitted under local law
- Accepting advertising in newsletters or on the Web site
- Selling entertainment books or diner’s club books
Unacceptable fundraising activities include:
- Buying items and then selling them, other than entertainment or diner’s books
- Raising funds for social events
- Raising funds to donate to a worthy cause
- Raising money to set up a fund, such as a scholarship fund or educational fund
- Raising money to support a campaign for a candidate at any level of the organization or outside the organization
- Holding or participating in sporting or other physical events, such as tennis or golf tournaments, walk-a-thons or jog-a-thons
- Holding pancake breakfasts, fireworks displays, picnics or any other activities outside the normal venue that raise the organization’s liability risk
It is important that fundraising activities be conducted within the above guidelines. Toastmasters International is a 501(c)(3) corporation, which means that clubs and districts are allowed to raise funds now and then but not on a regular basis. To do so would jeopardize the organization’s tax status, which could result in increased taxes and a substantial dues increase.
Activities on behalf of districts
If funds are raised in connection with district events or activities by the district, club, area or division, the revenue belongs to the district. If the event or activity results in a loss, the loss is assumed by the district. This means, for example, that if a host club is asked to conduct a raffle at the district conference, any revenue derived from that raffle is to be turned over to the district treasurer. If the raffle results in a loss, the district must assume the deficit.
If you have questions about fundraising activities, please contact World Headquarters.