Just take a few more minutes and attach a little note to the gifts (printer cartidge, package of copy paper, package of 3M stickies notes), and tell them thanks for all they do.
Don't pass up an opportunity to say thanks for the PTA / PTO when the organization is donating an item to the teachers. It helps remind them of where the items came from (the PTA/PTO) and that they are appreciated in more ways than a coffee mug, or an apple paper weight.
Take advantage of the opportunity, and they will still appreciate the item that they received. Spread the giving out, with some need in their box each month - and they will be happy, the IRS will be happy, your treasurer will be happy and your organization will be donating to a great cause!
we do the same as critter. none of the teachers have a problem with the system. we remind them toward the end of the year if we have not gotten their receipts yet.
we are also considering increasing their $100. annual grant. instead we might just purchase cartridges for their printer/copiers they have in their rooms or something like that so they don't have to take it out of their school budget. just a thought.
lisa [img]smile.gif[/img]
When we applied for 501(c)3 status,the IRS advised us to stop our practice of giving the teachers checks outright because we had no proof that the money was used consistent with our PTO's mission, and it amounted to a substantial portion of our annual budget. Instead, we now provide the teachers with a printed collection envelope and credit of $100 - they just need to turn in receipts totalling at least that much, and we issue them a check.
We do NOT audit the receipts, we just seal the envelope and file it away. We give our teachers the envelope in June so they can collect receipts over the summer as they are getting ready for the new school year. It's the same end result - help for the teachers - and it's OK with the IRS. Works for us.
In previous years our PTO has havd a gift basket raffle asking parents to donate items for the baskets and also to sell tickets. There was alot more money & time involved in the baskets than the raffle made. The teachers were given $100 cash to reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses, the PTO didn't get any reciepts from them. The teachers are now upset because we didn't do the raffle this year. We tried to explain to them that the raffle wasn't profitable and that we wanted to come up with other ways to get them the supplies that they usually spent their own money on, but they just seemed to want the cash.
I would appreciate any ideas to smooth things over
