THE UPPER GRAND LEARNING FOUNDATION
PROCEDURAL GUIDE - REVISED October 2005

500 Victoria Road North Guelph
519-822-4420 ext 851
www.uppergrandlearningfoundation.com

INTRODUCTION:

To more effectively identify with our major beneficiaries, the charter was amended October 2005, as we changed our name to Upper Grand Learning Foundation from Wellington-Dufferin Learning Foundation. The Wellington Learning Foundation was incorporated by Letters Patent issued by the Province of Ontario in December 1994. The Foundation Charter allowed it to receive donations and dispense funds to advance the cause of education in Wellington County. The charter was amended in January 1999 to include Dufferin County and became the Wellington-Dufferin Learning Foundation. As a Registered Charity, the Foundation is allowed to issue receipts for donations which can be claimed by the donor as a charitable donation on their income tax return.

The foundation is an independent entity managed by a Board of Directors consisting of members of the Upper Grand District School Board and the Community. As outlined in the Charities Accounting Act and the Corporations Act, the Directors serve without remuneration and do not directly or indirectly receive any profit from their positions.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FOUNDATION:

The objectives of the Foundation, as stated in the application for incorporation, are as follows:

(a) to receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part of the principal and income therefrom, from time to time, for the charitable purposes of advancing the cause of education in the counties of Wellington and Dufferin;

(b) to receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part thereof and the income thereof for charitable purposes of an educational nature, and in particular to provide equipment, furnishings, teaching aids and supplies to educational institutions primarily in the counties of Wellington and Dufferin

In more simple terms, the mandate of the Foundation is to provide support for any project or activity which has an educational or learning purpose, and to link community resources with students in need.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT:

Building a Strong Foundation for Learning...Developing Community Resources for Students

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FOUNDATION:

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

The By-laws of the Foundation provide for an eleven member Board of directors to manage its affairs. The composition of the Board is as follows:

(A) The Director of Education of the Upper Grand District School Board or his or her designate

(B) The Chief Financial Officer of the Upper Grand District School Board or his or her designate

(C) Two Board representatives of the school administration from schools under the jurisdiction of the Upper Grand District School Board, one from the elementary and one from the secondary panels, or their designates

(D) Two Board employees from schools under the jurisdiction of the Upper Grand District School Board as appointed by the trustees

(E) Two appointees from either the trustees or the School Council Coordinating Committee

(F) Three elected community members

OFFICERS:

The Board of Directors is responsible for electing the officers of the Corporation, these being the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

MEETINGS:

Meetings of the Board of Directors will be held as determined by the Board.

MEMBERSHIP:

The membership of the Upper Grand Learning Foundation shall be its Board of Directors.

HOW THE FOUNDATION OPERATES:

The Foundation has established several different fund categories to which donors may contribute. Donation and application for funds forms appear at the end of this handbook or are available to Upper Grand District School Board employees on First Class, Public Conferences, Forms-Office, Board Forms. Official tax receipts are issued for all donations of $20 or more. Cheques are to be made payable to the Upper Grand Learning Foundation.

HOW TO ACCESS FOUNDATION FUNDS:

How Schools Work with Upper Grand Learning Foundation

A. SCHOOL FUNDS:

1. Putting Donations into a School Funds Account

When a school's fundraising activity:

A. results in a monetary gift of $20 or more, and

B. the donor or the donor’s family receives no direct benefit in return for the gift,

then,

i. the school will forward the donation to UGLF (cash and cheques or money orders payable to Upper Grand Learning Foundation, for example)

ii. along with a corresponding Contribution Form, completed and signed by the donor.

The money will reside in the school account to be accessed when the school needs it.

2. Getting Money out of the School Funds Account

When the school needs to access their funds, the school must submit the:

REQUEST FOR SCHOOL FUNDS APPLICATION FORM to UGLF.
(School administrators please note that the form is available on First Class and here on the UGLF web site - see link below).

Where possible, copies of any receipts must accompany the requisition form. At any time, the Principal must be able to provide evidence that the funds were used for the stated purpose.

Once we receive and review that form, the amount requested will be sent to the school.

With assistance from the UGDSB Finance Department, UGLF provides each school with account information at regular intervals.

B. GENERAL FUND:

Applications to this Fund must be made in writing and include total budget, sources of other funding, amount requested, a description of the project and an explanation of its educational value.

The REQUEST FOR GENERAL/COMMUNITY FUNDS APPLICATION FORM form (see link below) must be completed and forwarded to the Foundation for approval. The UGLF Grant Committee will meet to review applications and designate funds based on the amount of money available and the merits of the applications.

Expenditures from these funds must meet the provisions of the Income Tax Act. That is, there must be an educational value to the expenditure and there can be no direct benefit for the donors or their families.

C. COMMUNITY FUNDS:

Community groups or organizations in Wellington and Dufferin counties who have entered into a partnership with UGLF to establish a fund in their own name to support their educational projects, and have a formal agreement outlining this relationship, will be able to access these funds. Approval will be granted by a UGLF committee formed by the organization.

The REQUEST FOR GENERAL/COMMUNITY FUNDS APPLICATION FORM form (see link below) must be completed and forwarded to the Foundation for approval.

Expenditures from these funds must meet the provisions of the Income Tax Act. That is, there must be an educational value to the expenditure, and there can be no direct benefit for donors or their families.

D. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

Descriptions and applications for scholarships, including the Upper Grand Learning Foundation Scholarships, are available through the Upper Grand District School Board’s secondary schools’ guidance departments. Students are informed of the availability during their graduating year. Individual school’s Commencement Committees ensure the requirements of the scholarships are fulfilled by the chosen recipients. Applications for the Upper Grand Learning Foundation Scholarships are reviewed by a Foundation Committee and awarded annually to deserving students.

Click here for the PDF Contribution form

Click here for the WORD Request for School Funds Application form

Click here for the WORD Request for General/Community Funds Application form