The IRS advised us to stop handing out checks to our teachers because we had no proof that the money was used in accordance with our exempt purpose. We now allocate $x per teacher at the start of the year. When the teacher has accumulated $x in classroom purchases, she turns in the receipts (with a reimbursement request form) and we write a check for $x. It's really no big deal. We file the receipts away in the event we were ever audited. If your treasurer was reimbursing for individual purchases, then yes that would be a hassle, but we have the teachers hold their receipts until they have reached their max. Also, we don't question the purchases that the teachers submit.

I'm with C. Brooks: no receipt, no money. If you train your members and staff, and hold to the procedures, this financial control just becomes part of the way your PTO operates, no biggy. We use color-coded transacation forms (yellow for reimbursements, for example) and we create supporting paperwork for every financial transaction. If we cut corners in one area, all our financial controls are at risk. We try to apply the policies consistently, and we all get along [img]smile.gif[/img]

I should add that our "Classroom grants" are for the teachers to buy supplies and such, and is added to whatever money is allocated to them by the school.

Field trips are handled separately, and require a receipt, or the treasurer writes a check directly to the company. We have a certain amount set aside for each classroom.

Maria

Our teachers have indivdual accounts through the school. I'm not sure how the secretary administers it, but for grants like that, we submit a check to the school and the secretary allocates money to each teacher/classroom. In the past we tried to have them submit receipts and reimburse them, but it got to be too much for the treasurer.

Maria

Our Policy is no receipt, not in by XX/XX/XXXX, no $$$$.

If you ever get audited, you'll thank 'em for making mounds of paperwork.

They're some great Teachr Grant proposal letters and Wishlist forms floating around the boards that make keeping track pretty easy and not so time comsuming [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 06-07-2005, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Shawn ]

My treasurer's response was "No receipt, no money." Not that any of our teachers would lie about a purchase, but that opens the door for many errors. It also helped in getting everything ready for audits. Receipts are very easy to obtain and very needful. Look at all the "missing funds" articles just in PTO Today. In some cases she would allow a list of purchases and prices to be written out. It not only protects the treasurer but the whole group.

I understand that your teachers might not want the hassle of keeping receipts for you, but you truly do need documentation. Whether you write the check directly to the fieldtrip place (this would make a receipt)or if it is for supplies there truly should be no problem with receipts. I mean do others use pto money and not submit a receipt? Not only is it a trail for any questions that arise but i find that it is easy to go back and look at receipts when i may need a question answered. say for instant i need to know how much paper we went thru this year, it is all there.they do come in handy...