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Crete Monee launches community sponsorship program to boost district funding
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Summary
Andrea Powell, the district’s community liaison, proposed a sponsorship and partnership initiative offering tiered packages (scoreboard ads, livestream logos, staff T-shirts) intended to raise revenue without raising taxes; the board discussed vetting criteria and next steps including a May 2 community event.
Andrea Powell, the district’s community liaison and funding partner, outlined a new community sponsorship initiative aimed at expanding revenue streams for Crete Monee CUSD 201U without increasing taxes.
"This initiative is grounded in a simple belief that when schools and communities work together, they both thrive," Powell said, describing a sponsorship website and Google form that will let businesses sign up for tiered packages such as all-sports passes, banners, livestream logo placement and staff T-shirt recognition. Powell said the program will offer a mix of a la carte and packaged options and noted some sponsorship items can be designated to specific activities while most contributions will support a general fund for extracurriculars.
The presentation explained how the district will vet applicants. "We are making sure to vet all applicants," Powell said, and applications will flag industries the district cannot accept because they are not aligned with district values. Powell also described advertising opportunities that include inside and outside scoreboards, digital livestream overlays, radio ads and vendor booths.
Board members asked how sponsorship revenue will be allocated. Powell said that while some sponsorships tied to a specific item (for example, a banner for a senior class) would be routed to that program, the goal for most packages is to contribute to the broader activities fund. The superintendent (on whose earlier remarks Powell built the presentation) and the district’s foundation were described as potential mechanisms for handling tax-deductible gifts: "You can also go through the foundation and designate it there since they are a 501(c)(3)," one administrator said.
Board members praised early community interest and discussed outreach ideas such as a parent-business directory to connect local business owners with sponsorship opportunities. Powell said the district will host an open-house-style community event on May 2 to showcase the program and field sponsor questions.
The board did not vote on formal adoption at the meeting; Powell said the site and materials are being finalized and the district will continue vetting internal alignment and partner prioritization before formal rollout.
