Our bylaws state that each account, checking and savings, needs to have a minimum balance of $1500 at the end of the school year. I think this year will be the first year we'll actually have more than that. We'll decide at the last meeting and carrying more over or spending it.
Our bylaws require a $2000 carryover, but it ususally ends up $4-7k no matter how hard we try to spend down the balance at the end of the year. We also apply the philosopy of spending this year what was raised this year. If we had a $15k surplus at the start of a new school year, we would cancel our fall fundraiser as a "gift" to our parents.
I have to go with spending the money this year that was raised this year. 8th graders this year won't benefit from things we do next year with this year's money.
We plan on having a restricted account so that when our 2 new schools open a popcorn machine and a set of encyclopedias will be purchased for each.
We started our PTO 1 1/2 years ago with $70, $10 from each person in attendance. While I don't think we need start from scratch each year, I want to spend what we worked hard for. Don't want to just give big sums of money to the next group. There is pride in earning it yourself. Maybe pass along $1000 or $1500 at most. [img]smile.gif[/img]
We approve all expenses before the school year offically starts during the months before the previous year ends to help us budget. In the long run, I like to have at least enough to cover discretionary funds ($4600) and would love more but I'm not sure that will happen this year because of a horrible fall fundraiser.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
My goal was to not go under $10K. That never happenend. Actually a staff member, not connected to the PTO in anyway, was telling me we were never in the red until I came along. At the time we had about $20K but the majority of that was set aside for mulch. The reason I set my goal so high was because I do not feel our staff members are allotted enough money. If the PTO can buy copiers why not give the teachers more money so the parents will not have to spend so much on supplies each school year? I feel like that the end of year events that our school has is the reward for working so hard. You have a budget for Volunteer and Teacher Appreciation and the kids get appreciated with Field Day, Cook Out, and Spring Fling.
We try to keep atleast $4-5000 at the end of the year for upcoming operating expenses, schoolstore replenishment, etc... for the beginning of the school year. Unless we are trying to save for a big purchase item, we try to spend it down. It is not set in stone though. But like other posters, we like/try to spend it during the school year that it was earned. Sometimes we have a big surplus, sometimes we don't.
I also believe that it is good to have enough surplus in case you do not have a good year the following year. I would not spend it blindly just to spend it either. That, too, if fiscally irresponsible.
