We have a form letter that we send out and we attempt to contact the person by phone as well. Our fundraisers require payment in advance, but if a check bounces we hold on to the merchandise until the debt (amount of check plus bank fee) has been satisfied; we also keep a list with the front office of people we will no longer accept checks from.

Oddly, we've had very little problem with bounced checks this year despite the economy, possibly because the above procedures were put in place last year and people discovered we stuck to them.

We received 3 bad checks during our fall fundraiser. I wrote a nice but business-like letter explaining that the school was counting on the funds for various programs and pointed out to the check writers that they had received their product and we hoped that they would keep the committment they made to support our school by making payment on the check and the fees we were charged by our bank. We got our money back from 2! If you haven't tried that approach, it's a place to start, and you really need to show that you have made attempts to retrieve your funds if you choose to go into small claims. I just mailed ours standard, but you can go registered letter if you want to insure that the letters are received. If after your first letter you get no response, then send a second(this time definitely go registered) and explain that the matter will be filed in small claims court. Give a time period for response/receipt of payment and then file.

I have a few questions about our PTO fundraisers...and looking for some answers. Just this past year I have taken over the treasurer position ...the other person has retired. When she left I had no clue where to begin. Nothing was ever gone over with me. SO...here we go..... We have had 2 fundraisers in the last year and we have several students who have not paid the bill for the things that were ordered. Is there anything we can do ....besides what has already been done....(notes sent home....with the children and by mail) and making calls home. This seems to have become a run on problem with our fundraisers by looking at the log books from the past! I know the past is the past and we are going to have to take that loss. This year we are still trying to collect our fundraiser money but with no avail. HELP...what can legally be done if anything....I have already decided at the next meeting to suggest that when our children sell we must collect the money in advance..which in return may hurt our sales but we are hurting them anyway by not getting the money that is owed! Thanks for any advice!
Next topic....We have had some returned checks in our pile of fundraiser money that has been paid. What legally can we do to collect the money. I know righting a bad check is illegal...but what steps does PTO have to take to try to collect this money? This is all new to me and trying to get started in the right direction! The check is for a big sum of money and this should not be overlooked like i believe has happened in the past! thanks for all and any suggestions in this matter.....new to the PTO treasurer dept.....