I think some of us have had this dicussion before and mirrored many of the comments above. My own preference is the common sense approach that the day-to-day running around is part of volunteering, but that a member should be able to request reimbursement for something special. (Anything can be requested, that's not to say it has to be approved by your Board/membership.)
One example was a rural group where an officer had to drive 30-40 miles (one way) periodically to pick up certain supplies. Several years ago, my dad volunteered to drive his truck/trailer 200 miles (each way) to pick up some playground equipment that had been donated but was going to cost several hundred dollars to ship. (He didn't ask for mileage, but the non-profit insisted he be reimbursed for some of it.)
I'd lean towards the policy that you don't usually reimburse mileage, but special requests could be considered by some process.
our accountant told my husband once that the amount of deductions he could take on his travels doing scouting, school , etc volunteer work(everything and anything) wasn't worth the hassle of keeping track!! As far as his real job it is bettter to be reimbursed. How do you like that ,,,his real job!
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
IRS has some specific rules about deductibility of mileage driven in volunteering for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. You're right that it can be deductible.
But the ability to deduct for the miles (check with your tax advisor if you're going this route) is different/not as good as getting your costs reimbursed. Most employees, for example, would much prefer reimbursement over gettinga deduction. It works out better for the emplyee (or in this case: the volunteer).
I was under the impression that any volunteer milage and gas could be tax deductible and therefore should not be reimbursed. I could be wrong. I have never had the inclination to keep track as I do PTO stuff when I'm running my errands.
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
Thanks to all for your response. I do want to clarify that neither of us talked about doing it under the table. When the pres asked me about it, I just told her I didn't have a porblem with it if she did it in a detailed way then she asked the principal. Neither of us would ever do anything underhanded.
I've let the president know we need to bring it up to the membership(?) at our first meeting and make some kind of policy decision.
I question membership because as far as I know, we don't have many/any yet! But school just started 2 weeks ago today. The Pres and Secy took money for shirt sales and membership at the open house and did not write down who paid for membership so I don't know what was shirt sales and what was dues!! UGH! This is all turning into a big nightmare as far as I can see. But that is another story for another time.
Originally posted by Rockne: To me, this is less about ethics than it is about best practices and impressions.
This is not a decision for you, your pres and the principal. It's a decision for your membership. And the discussion shouldn't be about your president's request; it should be about a general policy (and then you see where your president's request fits in the approved policy).
Doing it otherwise (and especially doing it quietly and/or under the table) invites (true?) accusations of clique-ishness or insider benefits.
There's no legal/ethical prohibition against reimbursing volunteers for expenses. But it's a decision for your group to make, not one or two officers.
To me, this is less about ethics than it is about best practices and impressions.
This is not a decision for you, your pres and the principal. It's a decision for your membership. And the discussion shouldn't be about your president's request; it should be about a general policy (and then you see where your president's request fits in the approved policy).
Doing it otherwise (and especially doing it quietly and/or under the table) invites (true?) accusations of clique-ishness or insider benefits.
There's no legal/ethical prohibition against reimbursing volunteers for expenses. But it's a decision for your group to make, not one or two officers.
