On the other hand, if the money was raised in fundraisers specifically for the playground, then you may have to consider it as "donor-restricted" funds, which cannot be used for other expenses. If you donated $1000 to your alma mater for scholarships, the university shouldn't decide to use that money to prop up the football team!
The grants, in particular, surely had an application in which you stated what you were going to do with the money, and redirecting those funds could get you in trouble with the granting organization and the IRS.
The best laid plans have to be adjusted for extenuating circumstances. While the board should not get in the habit of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and should make certain that replenishing that fund is a priority when the economy improves, it is more important to use that money on the children than to have it sit untouched in an account and expect the children to do without.
The last few years the PTO had done a phenominal job ob fundrasing to get our school playground equipment. A lot of actual fundraising and many grants later we have the playground. We had $6,000 set aside to have a Gazebo/outdoor classroom to be built on school grounds. Also have a account with $13,000 just for playground upkeep and repairs as needed. This year we had a few local companys donate materials and labor and now have two Pavillians to be used as outdoor classrooms being constructed for the school. Meanwhile, the PTO started out the year with a $47,00 balance from last year's school year. It was a hard year for fundraising as is this year. This years PTO boaed did manage to have a Pizza Booth at a local Town Fair and raised about $500., this was still not enought to even begin to cover the items the PTO usually does for both Teachers and Students. The PTO Board brought to Octobers PTO Meeting switching the $6,000 from the playground fund to the general fund, to cover what we normally do for the 2008/2009 school year. The minutes were posted in the main hall at school about the upcoming discussion for the Oct. meeting. We voted at the meeting, it was appoved unanimously, by 6 Parents, the Principle and a Teacher, and of course the PTO board. One of the Parents who voted was from last years PTO Board. At Nov. PTO meeting, another one of last years PTO members came to the meeting and pretty much told us she was appalled that we would take that money out after all the hard work other people had done for the playground and Gazebo. We told her we felt we had done the right thing for the School, Students and Teachers. We would have had nothing to offer this year, our fund raising is not doing well at all. Now we are feeling bad about something we know was the right thing to do. Can anyone advise us in this?
