What’s Scrip?

Scrip is a simple, proven vehicle that many schools use for year-round fundraising.  Scrip streamlines the whole fundraising process and puts everyone – the school, the kids, their parents, and the community – in the winner’s circle!  Scrip is an ideal fundraiser since it requires little effort, provides a high financial return, and contributes to the congregation’s ministry plan supporting the school mission.

 How Does it Work?

Participating business partners contribute a portion of their profits to schools.  For example, you write a check to Immanuel Lutheran School for $100.00.  In return you receive a $100.00 worth of scrip from a merchant(s), for example a $100.00 scrip card from a local grocery chain.  You go to your grocery store and the card spends the same as $100.00 in cash.  Yet the school paid only $95.00 for that scrip card, and was able to keep the $5.00 difference to fund various school related projects and expenses.  The more scrip that is purchased the more the school profits at no cost to you!

 Which Merchants Offer Scrip?

The list of participating merchants is very long and frequently changes.  Restaurants, retail stores, airlines, hotel chains, and grocery stores all offer scrip.  Click here to print a complete list (updated 11/04/08)  of merchants that offer scrip.  It also lets you know how much each merchant contributes to the school.  It ranges from 2% to 25%!  Often there are special promotions by merchants and they will increase their giving percentage for a limited amount of time. 

 Where and When Can You Purchase Scrip?

Scrip is sold every Sunday in the narthex of Immanuel Lutheran Church after the 8 a.m. Service and before the 10:45 a.m. Service.  It’s also sold during the week in the school office, or just call (719) 636-3681 or send an email to the school office, school.office@ilsfalcons.org, and tell us when and where you’d like to pick up your scrip order (school or church office).  We’ll be sure it’s ready.   You can pay with cash or a check made out to ILS.

 How are Scrip Profits Used?

Supporting both Immanuel Lutheran School and Preschool, scrip profits help fund the school’s financial aid program, staff professional development, and various school improvement projects.  Most families spend a minimum of $100 on groceries a week.  If 200 families purchased $100 of scrip a week, in one year’s time that generates $52,000 for Immanuel Lutheran School and Preschool.  The benefit’s add up quickly for Immanuel Lutheran Church’s school ministry as church and school families purchase more scrip!    

 Are School Families Required to Buy Scrip?

Each year school families are required to buy scrip. For the 2007-2008 school year, each family with children enrolled at Immanuel Lutheran School (Kindergarden – 8^th Grade) will be assessed a $380.00 Fundraising Fee at the beginning of the year.  However a family may opt to not pay the fee if they agree to purchase $6,000.00 of scrip instead over the course of the school year.  Any scrip purchased beyond $6,000.00, from that point onward 50% of the profits will be applied to a family’s tuition costs and the school keeps the remaining 50%.  However if a family doesn’t manage to buy $6,000 of scrip, the difference not met will be prorated and charged to their account.  For example, if only $3,000.00 of scrip was purchased in a school year the school family would be charged $190.00. 

 Kindergarten Incentive Program for Preschool Families!

Each year families with children enrolled at Immanuel Lutheran Preschool are required to purchase scrip.  For the 2007-2008 preschool year, each family is required to purchase $1000.00 of scrip over the course of the year.  While a family can take a buyout option, we encourage them to stay with the scrip program since the more they buy scrip the more credits they earn towards Kindergarten to help defray tuition costs when they enroll their child at Immanuel Lutheran School.  Here’s how it works!  Any scrip purchased above $1000.00, from that point forward 50% of the profits will be credited back to the family in the form of a voucher.  When you enroll your child in Kindergarten at Immanuel Lutheran School, all vouchers earned can be redeemed for their face value.  Your total voucher amount will be subtracted from your tuition cost for the year.  How much a preschool family can earn in vouchers towards Kindergarten is entirely dependent on how much scrip they buy!

Helpful Scrip Ideas

Birthdays!  Get your loved ones scrip from their favorite restaurant or retail store!

 Heading to the Grocery Store?  Don’t forget your scrip!  Most families buy at least $100.00 of groceries a week.  Buying $100.00 a week of your favorite grocery store scrip amounts to $5,200.00 of scrip in a year, benefiting the school $260.00 at no cost to you!

 Don’t have time to run to the mall for a last minute gift?  Buy scrip!

 Forgot about Mother’s Day?  Buy her scrip!

 Need office or school supplies?  First pick up your Office Depot scrip from the school.  Before making your purchase at a local store, go to the front desk and designate Immanuel Lutheran School under their 5% Back to Schools Program.  Then purchase your supplies and pay with scrip.  Immanuel Lutheran School will receive 5% credit on qualifying student school supplies.  In turn, the school can redeem their credits for FREE supplies.  The school receives a double benefit from a single scrip purchase!

 Need to put a little extra something in a Christmas card to thank a special person?  Buy scrip!

 Need a gift for the coach, the hair stylist, the Sunday School teacher, or the guitar instructor?  Buy scrip!

 Frequent fast food restaurants?  Always have scrip on hand!

 Travel for business?  If you frequent Marriott, Hyatt, or Best Western hotels, inform the school a week or two before your trip (636-3681, school.office@ilsfalcons.org) how much scrip you need to purchase and when you plan to pick it up.  The school will ensure they have enough on hand to fulfill your needs.  When you arrive at your hotel you secure your room with a credit card as usual, but when you check out you pay with scrip!  You submit your hotel receipt with your travel expense report, and your company reimburses you your travel expenses, including the hotel!  While the school profits 12% from Marriott and Best Western and 9% from Hyatt scrip, it didn’t cost you or your company one additional cent! 

 Ask family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to buy scrip!

 Flying to visit grandparents?  Notify the school ahead of time to ensure we have enough on hand to meet your needs.  Pick up your scrip PRIOR to finalizing your reservations with American Airlines!  You’ll need to read the customer service specialist the numbers off the back of the scrip cards in order to pay with scrip.