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Greyhound Foundation signs consultant, seeks sponsorships and an MOU with district for stadium campaign
Summary
The Greyhound Foundation reported progress on fundraising and an agreement with Market Street Sports to monetize athletic assets, and recommended a 10% MOU fee to cover foundation costs as sponsorship campaigns advance.
The Greyhound Foundation told the Shippensburg Area School District board it has hired a consulting firm to help monetize stadium and athletic‑facility sponsorship opportunities, reported rising fundraising results and asked the board to approve a memorandum of understanding that would allocate a modest administrative percentage to the foundation.
Foundation executive leadership said it recently signed a consulting contract with Market Street Sports, a vendor the foundation described as experienced in monetizing school‑district athletic assets (press boxes, scoreboards, naming rights, signage and other sponsorships). The foundation said Market Street Sports will audit district facilities and recommend sponsorship levels that a local market will bear. The foundation reported it has taken an initial deposit step to secure the firm’s services.
Foundation leaders also reported growth in year‑over‑year fundraising tied to a multi‑year effort to professionalize events and donor outreach. The foundation said its golf tournament has grown from under $10,000 a year in earlier years to a goal of $50,000 this year, and that recent events and donor commitments have increased annual giving and grant support.
Why this matters: Foundation officials said sponsorships and large private gifts could fund needed stadium amenities — scoreboards, press box improvements, concessions and restrooms — while avoiding or reducing reliance on the district’s capital budget. To support continued fundraising, the foundation proposed a partnership MOU with the district that would cover the foundation’s operating and fundraising costs.
The MOU proposal: Foundation staff recommended the district approve a non‑binding memorandum of understanding under which the foundation would retain a standard administrative fee to support its operations. Foundation staff said the 10% rate is commonly used nationwide; those funds would be used to cover accounting, operations and fundraising work. The foundation contrasted that approach with a full outsourced vendor fee, noting that a typical turnkey vendor model (they cited Market Street Sports as an example) can command fees near 30% of sponsorship revenue.
Board process and transparency: Foundation staff reminded the board that Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act practice and public‑meeting requirements mean any MOU should be publicly posted and the agreement placed on a regular board agenda for comment and vote. Foundation leadership said some sponsorship commitments are in advanced confidential discussions and that formal naming or contribution agreements will be brought to the board when contracts are ready.
Clarifying details: The foundation said it has secured preliminary donor interest including several commitments that could become six‑figure gifts, but contracts remain unsigned and the foundation did not provide final amounts. Foundation leadership said they will not proceed with a full capital campaign committee until planning details (parking, concessions, required borough/township approvals) are settled.
Ending: The board received the update and the foundation asked the board to take up an MOU for public comment and vote in a future meeting; no MOU vote occurred at this session.
