I dont know if there is any "law" about this, but I agree with everyone's comments. I would use the majority of that years' funds. UNLESS you have a specific reason for carrying it over...ie a new playground. Have you looked at creating a scholarship program with that money?
Perhaps this year you shouldnt do a fundraiser. Use the money and then advertise what you did with it. Its good press for next year when you start fundraising again.
Bring professional entertainers to your school, sponsor a "Mega Party" for the holidays, etc. Go nuts!! Have you ever looked at Earth Balloon? Its at earthballoon.com. Its educational yet fun! It runs about $1K for 400 students; we had to get it for 2 days since we have 650+ kids.
Between last night's exec meeting and tonight's general meeting I wrote the Mini-Grant Program Description for our PTO. We are a 1st year school and did not think we would be able to implement this for a year or two at the least, but after an exceptionally successful fall fundraiser, we have found that we are able to help the staff with needs not met by the district or school budgets. If you think that this would be at all helpful, please let me know and I'll email it to you.
Echo Tim's sentiments - check your bylaws (if they exist) or write some with like-minded parents.
My second order of business would be to have an audit done of the books for those years that the $20-$30K surplus was there.
I hate to advocate an overthrow - these people have done something right if there is that much $$$ being raised . . . however . . . back to being a new school - we went to the schools that "fed" students to us and asked for a start up donation because, after all, our kids raised funds while they were at that school and the PTO's were carrying balances over. We asked very gently but pointed out that we (the kids, parents and even teachers) had raised that money. All four feeder schools pledged to make a donation, 3 of the 4 came through with it. I would be upset if we raised $20-$30K and the money sat rather than being spent on programs for those who raised the money.
Sorry - I can get winded and throw three thoughts into one post. Bad habit.
If yes (and assuming they're fairly typical), then your membership can propose, debate and approve spending funds. Being elected president is not the equivalent of being elected czar.
If no, then I'd suggest you and a couple of like-minded folks make getting bylaws together and approved into job#1. You'll have real difficulty changing the way thins are done if there's no system (bylaws) in place that help determine how changes are made.
Okay, my two cents worth...money your group earns in a particular year should be spent in that year with a set amount (less than $1000) being held over for the next year's group as start up money. The only exception should be if you are saving for something big and need a couple of years, but I would still suggest doing that in sections so that each year there is something to show for what you've accomplished. I would suggest that your group asks the teachers to apply for this money to use for special projects, kind of like a grant. If I was a parent in that school, I would be less than pleased with the holdover and would probably refuse to participate in any more fundraisers. If all else fails, send it to us, we're a small school who could use the extra funds for something! :cool:
Your school has a surplus? No place to spend it? No one at your school needs it for playground equipment, new band instruments, computers, printers, library books, etc.? All I can say is
M Y - S C H O O L - N E E D S : New Air and Heating systems, new playground structures, computer software, more library books, new band instruments, new computers in the classrooms, etc. We could also use a few educational programs like Earth Ball and Pioneer Living to visit our school. Oh! And The Animal Band too! $30,000 would be a nice start...lol...
How much do you guys spend a year????? The amount that you have in your account is too much IMHO. Are there any long term goals? Like building a new playground, building etc for the school? If so then I could understand why they have kept so much. Then again if they had that goal wouldn't they be adding so much each year? Doesn't sound like they have a goal. The question I have is why are they not using the money for teachers, students, and school? I cannot think of any legal reason why they should. Are you a PTO or PTA school? Sorry that I was no help. Let us know how this turns out.
