Fund Raising

Fund Raising
Bldg. 11, Pershing Rd
Fort Bliss, TX 79916
(915) 568-4444

Soliciting donations or sponsorship

Fundraising is a hot topic these days, especially with companies and organizations focusing on the military and wanting to support them. Units, Family Readiness Groups, and Private Organizations are always looking for ways to increase their bank accounts in an effort to host events with as little expenses as possible. This is no surprise – it’s the name of the game. Here are a few things you should know. First, there are several words you must fully understand.

  • A donation is a gift, something freely given with no strings attached. A gift may be cash, services, or any item having monetary value (the Standards of Conduct and Joint Ethics Regulation discuss gifts in great detail, but generally speaking, if it's valuable, it's a gift.) The Joint Ethics Regulation and AR 1-100 prohibit military members and civilian employees from asking for gifts, either directly or indirectly. If a business, on its own initiative, chooses to donate a gift to a unit welfare fund, then the unit may accept IAW AR 1-100.
  • Fundraisers are special functions intended to raise money for an organization or project.
  • Sponsorship is an exchange of values. It is a monetary and or in-kind (products or services) fee to you in return for advertising or promotional opportunities, such as public recognition or signage, within the Army community. Commercial Sponsorship, as outlined in AR 215-1, Morale Welfare, and Recreation Activities and Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities, does not apply to Army units, nor can Army unit solicit for sponsorship on their own as governed by the DoD Joint Ethics regulations.
  • The term, soliciting, means to ask for that support. If you solicit assistance from a company or organization, you are asking them to support of your event, whether by cash contribution or product support. “Soliciting” a “donation” is contradictory to the very definition of a donation.

Once you learn these meanings, understanding donations and commercial sponsorship is easier.

On Fort Bliss, the MWR Marketing and Services Division, under the Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation, runs the Commercial Sponsorship Program, and acts as the central point of contact for all installation sponsorship conducted by the installation MWR program.

As outlined in AR 215-1, Commercial Sponsorship is authorized only for MWR programs and events, Army Family Team Building and Army Family Action Plan, programs that are closely linked to MWR activities.

Those individuals who solicit for that support must be appointed in writing by the DCA and must also receive appropriate professional development and training. Through their training, they learn how to operate under strict guidelines, develop legally binding agreements, issue invoicing, accept and document payment, and maintain files for audit purposes.

Although not authorized to do so, many Fort Bliss units and FRGs solicit cash contributions and products for unit functions and fundraisers. Units should instead use various fundraising activities, such as bake sales and car washes, to enhance the Unit Fund, using the money raised for organizational days or special functions for soldiers.

In addition, the MWR Commercial Sponsorship point of contact cannot solicit for private organizations, although private organizations may obtain sponsorship through their own efforts. The installation commander has the authority to limit or restrict solicitation by private organizations if it competes with or duplicates the functions of the authorized program.

Soliciting for support from the community is a very regulated job and must be left to those who are authorized to do so. When searching for ways to raise money for your unit function, FRG special event or project fundraiser, please be aware of the regulations that pertain to soliciting companies on and off post. For more information, please visit www.blissmwr.com or call MWR marketing at 568-6741.

ON POST YARD SALES: Although yard sales conducted within on post housing areas do not fall under the MWR, you may click here to find more information - Page 5-1, Chapter 5: 5-1 para C, or call your community mayor or sponsoring unit.