Our PTO is old school also, but this year we have a debit card added to our account, but I don't like the debit card because the president goes and makes purchases that were voted on and it takes her forever to pass3the receipts on to the treasurer. The treasurer has requested that the debit cards only be used for online type orders and use the check registry for local purchases, President was not happy but gave the treasurer back the card and now every time anything needs purchased the president sends the treasurer to purchase everything. The treasurer wants to find out if someone else can do the purchasing because she doesn't have time to do all the running for the purchases plus keep up with all the records, receipts, deposits, bank runs etc that her position requires.

We have two ways of dealing with this. One is the chairperson purchases supplies needed for an event, and then is reimbursed as receipts or submitted.

Or, the PTO make a check out to the chairperson for the entire budgeted amount (let's say $200. The chairperson can deposit the funds into his or her checking account.

At the end of the event, that chairperson must turn in all of the receipts. If the receipts total more than the amount of the check, the board has to vote to reimburse the person for the amount over budget. If the receipts total less than the amount of the check, then the chairperson has to pay back the difference.

Our purchases are made strictly with checks. We don't have a bank/debit card and we do not have a petty cash fund. When we need change for an event, we go to the bank teller to make the withdrawl. Very old-fashioned, huh?

I ALWAYS let them know what their budget is beforehand no matter what so there are not any surprises. Then I suggest they use their own money and get reimbursed later when they turn in the receipts if they can handle putting out the money. If not, I give them only what's budgeted and they sign a request form promising to turn in all receipts and change. Knock wood, we haven't had a problem yet!

Our PTO has a debit card linked to our bank account. So if there is anything I can order online or over the phone for a chairperson I do it. Som chaipeople will come and say to me they checked out the items they need at the store and they will need XX amount of money. In that case I then get cash and give it to them. They need to submit the receipt and give me back any change.
For chairpeople I know and trust really well I let them just take the debit card and use it. The bottom line is it is trackable and it shows up on our bank statment what was spent and where so their receipts need to match. We do also have people who lay out the money and then turn in receipts and we reimburse them. It all really depends on the chairperson and the event

I just think one thing to consider is that some events cost a decent amount of money and your chairperson may not have the money at that time to lay out for the event. I would not want to lose chaipeople because they were unable to front the money for an event.

How does your PTO handle purchases made by Chairpersons for events they are running? Do they buy the stuff themselves and reimbursed after receipts are submitted or are they given allotted budget and they have to give receipts and any unspent money? Or do you have another way of handling this.

Ours has always had the person buy upfront and then they are reimbursed but I'm getting slack from a chairperson about this. I was curious how others do this.


Cindy