Scrip Program Description
Scrip is a No-Cost Fundraiser that offsets what you would otherwise pay in higher tuition. Scrip is gift certificates that we buy at a volume discount and sell at face value to you. Each merchant sets their own discount percentage so some scrip purchases “earn more” then others.
The Program: Each School family and each Preschool family is required to generate a $200 Scrip Profit from scrip “purchases”. It does not matter how many children you have in the school, it is a ‘per family’ requirement. Families with children in both the school and the preschool have a $400 PROFIT requirement.
“Purchases” include
(1) paper scrip purchased (we carry about 100 vendors in stock) PLUS
(2) amounts credited to your account through the grocery stores (Ralphs).
We carry scrip for over 100 merchants (both local merchants and national chains), and there are hundreds more that we can order from, and get within a week. For a complete list of national/chain merchants, go to www.ShopWithScrip.com. Discount percentages range from 1.5% to 25%. You pay for the scrip with cash, check or credit cards (there is a 2% fee for credit cards).
Tuition Credit Bonus Program: Once you reach $350 in profit, one-half of all profit over $350 will be paid to you, as tuition credit. For families with a $400 profit requirement, the bonus level begins at $400.
It may sound like a high number, but with so many stores offered many of our school families earn tuition credit bonuses every year. Tuition credits are distributed to the school/preschool in April. Each year, the program distributes approximately $20,000 in tuition credits.
Buyouts: The “Buyout Program” allows families to fulfill their scrip commitment by writing a check payable to AMPA. The buyout program is as follows:
$200 – if received by October 1
$225 – if received by December 1
$250 – if received by March 15
If you have a $400 scrip commitment, then:
$400 – if received by October 1
$425 – if received by December 1
$450 – if received by March 15
Grocery Stores: Gift card/paper scrip can be purchased for Bristol Farms (8%), Vons (4%) and Whole Foods (3%). In addition, the major chains have their own programs to register your “Club” cards to our school account.
Ralphs: Register your Rewards Card at Ralphs.com to get scrip credit for your purchases (our NPO is American Martyrs Parent Association, # TP185). This is an annual renewal, effective September 1.
For any on-line services, friends and family may also register their cards to our organization. After they register on-line, send an e-mail to the scrip officelisting those families earning credit on your behalf. If we are not notified of their registrations and names, credits earned will be applied to the general school account.
Record Keeping: We do all the record keeping for you. The “Scrip Year” runs from March 16 to March 15- we close our books in March to allow adequate time to prepare statements, collect any outstanding balances and issue tuition credits. At the end of the scrip year, profits from each source are added together: paper scrip purchases, + grocery store credits + e-Scrip purchases. If you fall short, we will bill you for the difference between your profit earned and your $200 (or $400) profit commitment.
We do not “amortize” the scrip year.
Your Scrip Account: Your scrip account is tracked by your Family Name. The first time you purchase scrip, note "NEW FAMILY" on your order form so an account can be set up for you. After that, make sure you put your Family Name in the "Credit to" box on the order form.