Crete-Monee Unveils New Community Partnership Initiative for District Sponsorships

Crete-Monee Board of Education Meeting | April 14, 2026

Article Summary: The Crete-Monee Board of Education on Tuesday reviewed a new sponsorship framework designed to generate revenue through community and business partnerships without increasing the taxpayer burden.

Sponsorship Initiative Key Points:

• New sponsorship packages will offer businesses advertising opportunities on district assets, including scoreboards, live video streams, and staff apparel.

• Funds raised will support the general operating fund for all extracurricular activities, with the potential for specific event allocations.

• A new district webpage with a tiered pricing structure and a Google Form application will launch later this month.

• The district will carefully vet all corporate applicants to ensure alignment with district values and exclude inappropriate industries.

The Crete-Monee Board of Education on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, reviewed a comprehensive new “Community Partnership Initiative” aimed at bolstering district revenues through athletic and community sponsorships.

The presentation, led by Community Liaison and Funding Partner Andrea Powell, outlined a multi-tiered plan to monetize district assets—such as the high school’s new stadium—by allowing local businesses to purchase advertising space and sponsorship packages. The goal is to fund student needs across academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs without leaning on the community’s tax base.

“This initiative is grounded in a simple belief that when schools and communities work together, they both thrive,” Powell told the board during the Committee of the Whole meeting. “We are looking to expand our resources without placing additional burdens on our taxpayers.”

According to the presentation, the sponsorship website will launch later this month. It will feature several tiers and à la carte options for businesses. Opportunities include digital advertisements on the outdoor and indoor scoreboards, banner placements on the athletic website, and logos printed in district newsletters or on staff t-shirts. Notably, the district will not allow corporate logos on official student jerseys or gear.

The district is also exploring innovative advertising spaces, such as placing sponsor logos directly onto live-streamed game broadcasts and embedding radio-style advertisements into the school-appropriate playlists broadcasted over the public address system during sporting events. High-tier sponsors could also receive an “All Sports Pass,” which grants entry to any district sporting event.

Board members reacted positively to the update, noting the potential for deep community engagement. The funds generated are generally slated to go into a general fund that supports all extracurricular activities, rather than being strictly earmarked for a single group, though specific event sponsorships (like funding a senior banner) will be accommodated.

District leadership noted the initiative has been in the works for roughly a year as part of an overarching efficiency and revenue-generation plan. Moving forward, the district plans to host business networking events, such as a “business after dark” social, to pitch the opportunities directly to local vendors and alumni.

“The engagement piece is amazing right now,” Powell said, noting she has been actively pitching the idea at local chamber of commerce meetings across the district’s municipalities. “We want to make sure that we are innovative about this approach and we are looking to grow each and every one of our programs at whatever capacity we can hold.”