You know, as I was waiting for manager approval for the PTO check to purchase the bicycles, I thought it would be so much easier with a debit card. This is something I'm going to ask the board to consider.
I was able to write a check from the PTO account for the bicycles, but documenation from the bank showing the names of the authorized check-signers is needed when you're writing checks at a store.
We moved our account this year and we got a debit card for each of the co-prez(we can both sign on the account). All committee chairs were told that if they need to make purchases for a program, that one of us can do it so they don't have to worry about getting reimbursed. I have used mine a couple times and I designed a form similar to our reimbursement form that I completed, attached the receipt and then gave to the treasurer so she could record the purchase. It has worked well so far. The idea behind doing it was to reduce the number of reimbursements the treasurer would have to handle and to reduce/eliminate the need for people to spend their own money then wait to be paid back. It can be a hardship for some.
I know what you mean. I'm on my way to purchase bikes we give away during our Jog-a-thon because the donation didn't come through. I hope to be able to write a check directly from the PTO account for the purchase because I don't have enough $$ in my personal account to cover the costs!
Using credit cards or bank cards is a tough call, but it depends on how the rest of your board feels and your treasurer's (and future treasurers) ability to keep good records.
As an all-volunteer group, sometimes it's hard to get good help and I've seen what happens when financial records are a mess...
I will be very curious about this issue of committee purchases myself. I am second yr. officer, and also chair several big events. An upcoming one I am in charge of is staff appreciation week, which has an $800 budget. We have just found out that as a non-profit organization we must file federal and state taxes, and have been advised that is really doesn't look good to have checks wrote out to the officers. Which creates a problem as I have always turned in receits, and been reimbursed by check. My next problem is that most people do not have an extra $800 around that they can use to make purchases for the PTO. If you have a great treasurer checks can be cut right away. I am going to be asking for cash advances to make my purchases, with me filling out a req form. I have mentioned getting a card to the other officers b4 and the matter wasnt given much attention. The current President lets people use her credit card, then she turns in receits. I dont feel comfortable with that either. I realize some people are going to say there could be abuse of the card, but with accurate records that non-profits are supposed to have, and yearly audits we should be ok. Or, having 2 other people sign the statements when they arrive each month, and attaching receipts to the invoice to me would be sufficient. I have been active with our PTO for many years and have just in the past year become "legal" with bylaws and policies. Even
though we have actually been in existance for a long long time. (long story, lol). We are still working out the little details, just finished returned check/non-paid fundraiser collections and policy. I feel this is important and would fall under cash handling. Can't wait to see what other PTO's do. Thanks!
As a committee chair, so far this year I've laid out over $400 for committee supplies. In my case, these are known ahead of time, planned, etc. They're not emergency supplies.
I get reimbursed after I put in the invoice, and it's not really a big problem for me, but it made me wonder about something.
Does anyone have a central person do these kinds of purchases using a special credit card? Nowadays some of these cards offer cash rewards; ie- they deposit money into your account with each purchase made. Does anyone do this, or has anyone looked into it?
