BentElementaryPTOFundraisingStrategyandPolicy

TheBentElementaryPTOwillapproachfundingraisingwiththefollowingstrategiesand
policies.

1. FundraisingStrategy
a. PTOwilltargetfundraisinggoalstowardmeetinganapprovedoperationalbudget
andplannedprojects.
b. ThePTObelievesthatfundraisersshouldmeetthefollowingguidelines:
i. MinimizeUnduePressureonFamiliestobuy/sell:Ourpreferenceistonot
putunduepressureonfamiliestobuyitemstheymaynototherwisewant.
Wealsodonotwishourfamiliestohavetheaddedpressureofchildren
requestingtheirfamiliesbuyitemsthataresuperfluoustotheirfamilies
budget.
ii. ProvideproductsandservicestofamiliesthatbuildBentCommunityata
lowornomarginbasis.Suchactivitiesinclude:
1. Schoolspiritwear
2. Yearbook
3. RecessReader
4. HolidayShop
iii. Promotelearningandcommunitybuilding:preferredfundraisingevents
involvefamiliesorpromoteourcommunity,suchas:
1. BoxTopCollection
2. EducationLabels
3. TerraCycling
c. Annually,PTOwillcommunicatearequestforDirectDonationsfromfamilies.
i. Directdonationsincreasetheefficiencyandeffectivenessofeverydollar
spentbyfamilies.Althoughwewillcontinuetoofferfundraisersthat
featureproductsandservices,weencourageparentstoconsiderdirect
donations.Directdonationsareefficientasfundraisersbecause100%of
parentsdonationsgodirectlytothePTO.
ii. Toreduceunduepressuretobuyorsellfundraisingitems,wewantour
familiestofeeltheycanoptoutbytheirdirectdonation.Families
interestedinsupportingthePTOfinanciallycandonateandthenfeelfree
tooptoutofparticipatinginfundraisersfortherestoftheyear.Wewill
makeasuggesteddonationamountbutwillnotdiscriminateagainstany
familythatdoesnotmakeadirectdonation.MembershipinthePTOisnot
contingentondirectdonations.
2. FundraisingPolicy
a. ThegeneralapproachofthePTOistomaintainabalanceofatleastoneyears
operatingbudgetinthebankaccounts.ThisallowsthePTOtohonorits
organizationalcommitmentsreliably,despitetransitionalissuesoverthesummer,
andaccountsfortherisksassociatedwithbeingavolunteerbasedorganization.
b. ThePTOdoesnotassumefinancialresponsibilitiesoftheschooldistrict.
c. ThePTOseeksthebestvalueforourstudentsandfamilieswhenplanningforits
incomeandexpenses.
d. Everyyear,thePTOfundraisingfocusistofirstmeetoperatingexpenses.
OperatingexpensesforthePTOincludeadequateinsurance.
e. Secondly,thefundraisingfocuswillcoveralltheregularactivitiesthatteachers
andfamiliesadvocateforsuchas:
i. SchoolImprovementActivities
ii. StudentCouncilsupport
iii. FamilyCenteredActivitiessuchasFamilyReadingNight,Kindergarten
Registration,andDecktheHalls.
iv. SchoolwideAssemblies
v. TeacherAppreciation
f. Oncetheregularactivitiesandoperatingexpenseshavebeenbudgeted,the
followingexpensescanbebudgetedbasedonexpectedfundraisingincomeand
availablemoney
i. TeacherExpenseReimbursement
ii. Programsforasubsetoftheschool(i.e.SonomosLatinos,5thGrade
Party)
g. Specificschoolimprovementprojects(i.e.newplaygroundequipment)may
requireadditionalfundraisingefforts.
h. PTOsponsoredfundraisingactivitiesthatmeettheFundraisingStrategyare
prioritizedbasedupon:
i. TheappropriatefitwithourguidelinesnotedinFundraisingStrategy1b
specificallytominimizeunduepressureonfamiliestobuy/sellitems.
ii. Theeffortrequiredtomanageandcoordinatetheactivityandanticipated
availabilityofvolunteers.
iii. Expectedrevenuegenerated.
i. FundraisingplanningistheroleofthePTOBoardanddiscussedopenlywiththe
Principal.FundraisingactivitiesareannouncedatregularPTOmeetings.Specific
activitiesarecommunicatedthroughtheschoolnewsletter,theschooland/or
PTOwebsite,handoutssenthomewithstudents,Facebookpostingsand
classroomannouncements.
j. MoneyManagement
1. PTOshallstrivetokeepaccurateandcurrentrecords.
2. Forsalesorders,thecoordinatingPTOBoardmemberorparent
willrecordthenameofthepersonbuying,theproductbeing
bought(quantity),theamountpaidfortheitemandformof
paymentnoted(cashorcheck).Acopyofthisrecordwillbe
maintainedwiththefinancialrecordstojustifythedeposit.
3. Ifacashboxisneeded,theTreasurerwillobtainthecashforthe
openingcashboxthroughacheckwrittentocashonthedayof
theevent.
4. Cashboxeswillbecountedwithtwopeoplepresentatthe
beginningandendingoftheevent.
5. CheckswillbeacceptediftheyaremadepayabletoBentPTO.
6. Allmoneywillbedepositedwithin24hoursafterbeingcountedand
verified.
7. DepositslipsareheldbytheTreasurer.
8. Whenmoneyissenttoschoolbyfamilies,themoneywillneedto
gototheschoolofficeortotheteacherandthendeliveredtothe
schooloffice.ThePTOTreasurerordesigneewillpickupmoney
fromtheoffice.

k. BadChecks
i. ThePTOTreasurerwillreceivecopyofthebadcheck.Theamountofthe
badcheckandanypenaltypaidbyPTOwillbedeductedfromthe
fundraisingnetincomeontheincomestatement.
ii. ThePresidentinconsultationwiththePrincipalshalldetermineifthePTO
shallpursueanyfurtheractionsregardingthebadcheck.
iii. TheTreasurershallnoteifanyonepersonprovidedmorethan1bad
checkduringthecourseoftheschoolyear.ThePresidentinconsultation
withthePrincipalshalldecideifthePTOwillcontinuetoacceptpersonal
checksfromthisindividualinthefuture.
l. MiscellaneousItems
i. ThePTOPresidentand/orTreasurerwillmaintaincommunicationwiththe
schoolsecretaryincases/heiscontactedinregardtoaserviceeventor
fundraiser.
ii. PTOcontactswillprovideschoolsecretarywithnamesandcontact
numbersintheeventofaproblem.

Votedandapprovedon_______________.

PTOPresident_______________________________

PTOVicePresident_______________________________