Business Services Update for Sponsors and Coaches

August 2, 2024

Sponsor Responsibilities

• Attend trainings
• Maintain accurate and complete records
• Receive prior approval for all fundraising activities and purchases
• Safeguard merchandise and money
• Deposit funds collected in a timely manner
• Monitor activity fund account balances
• Coordinate Travel and Purchasing

Sources of Funds

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Sponsors have access to three sources of funds:

• General Fund (Fund 199)
• Activity Funds (Funds 461 and Fund 865)
• Booster Club Funds

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General Fund

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The General Fund supports daily operations of the district. It is adopted annually by the Board of Trustees.

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The General Fund budget is broken down into individual campus and department allocations. Principals decide their school’s needs and spending priorities and develop the budget accordingly. Directors are responsible for developing program budgets.

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Revenues come from:

• Property taxes paid by homeowners and businesses
• Funding from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) based primarily on student attendance.
• Miscellaneous sources such as fees, interest income, payments

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Activity Funds

Activity Funds account for district, campus, and student monies generated from fundraisers, commissions, collections, and donations

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Two types:

1. Campus Activity Funds (461)
2. Student Activity Funds (865)

Campus Activity Funds

Campus Activity Funds are raised locally or donated and are used to support campus programs. They can come from fundraising, vending, or other approved activities. Campus activity funds are considered district funds and must comply with state and board policy, as well as district regulations.

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Student Activity Funds

Student Activity Funds are generated by specific student groups, such as clubs or classes, and are used to support student organizations and clubs. Students manage and direct the organization's activities with the help of a school district employee sponsor, and decisions about how to spend the funds are made by the students. Student activity funds are accounted for as fiduciary trust funds and are not owned by the district.

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How to Distinguish Between The Three Fund Types

Are the funds part of a campus or department budget?

• If yes, funds are Operating - Fund 199.

Do other persons besides the students decide how to spend the money?

• If yes, funds are CAF - Fund 461.

Do the students have sole responsibility for deciding how to spend the money?

• If yes, funds are SAF - Fund 865

Booster Club Funds

Direct Payments:

• Booster Clubs pay vendors directly for program expenses.
• Bills are not processed by the district.
• Used for items that will not become district property such as meals for students or t-shirts.
• Booster Clubs cannot place orders on district accounts or use the district’s tax identification number.

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Expenditure Funding:

• The Booster Club makes a donation to the district.
• These funds belong to the campus, department, or student group, to be spent by the sponsor or coach.
• Used for items that will become district property, such as equipment.
• Used for items that will be in the district’s name, such as subscriptions.

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Other Booster Club Information

Parent and booster organizations maintain their own checking accounts and must obtain a tax identification number from the Texas Comptroller’s Office for their group. They may not use the district’s tax ID or exemptions.

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Sponsors are not responsible for funds collected, disbursed or controlled booster organizations.

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Sponsors should not serve as an officer of a Booster Club or be an authorized signer on a club bank account.

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Parent and booster organization’s funds are not to be collected by sponsors or deposited into a district account unless as a donation.

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Budget Monitoring

Account balances should be reviewed on a frequent basis to ensure proper spending levels and identify possible issues or account deficits.

The Finance module in ASCENDER has several general ledger inquiries that allow budget managers to easily view the status of their accounts. Instructions for finding account information in ASCENDER Finance are available on the Business Services Support page.

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Example Budget Inquiry

Cash Handling

• Cash is defined as coins, currency, checks, money orders, credit card transactions and gift cards.
• Cash Receipts Log can be used when collecting cash from students for a specific purpose, such as a field trip.
• Never leave cash unsecured. Either deposit or lock in school safe.
• Do not take cash home.

Deposits

• Cash should be deposited as often as needed but weekly at a minimum.
• Money should be deposited in the same form as collected.
• Funds must be deposited into a district bank account.
• Deposits should be counted by two staff members using the Cash Counting Worksheet.
• Make sure deposits are tidy – sorted by denomination, bills in same direction, etc.

Fundraising

• No fundraisers may be held without prior principal approval. This includes community service projects.
• Fundraiser Approval Form
• Fundraising is only done for a specific school-related purpose.
• Two tax-exempt one-day fundraisers are allowed annually for each campus or student-led organization.
• Outside fundraising vendors must be approved in advance and active in Ascender Purchasing.
• No year-round fundraisers
• For more information on fundraising in Texas visit the Texas State Comptroller’s Office at the link below:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-183.php

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Online Payments

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Use of the district’s online payment platform MySchoolBucks or the fundraising vendors online payment platform is strongly encouraged.

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• Eliminates the risk and burden of collecting, accounting for, and depositing cash and check payments

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• Helps avoid returned checks

Tax on Sales

• District’s tax exempt status DOES NOT apply to sales.
• If you sell taxable items, you must collect and remit sales tax.
• Tax-Free Examples:
• Two One-Day Tax-Free Sales
• Food and Beverage Sales including Concessions
• Nontaxable Items –magazine subscriptions, gift certificates and passbooks, car washes
• Commissioned Sales
• Group “Nights” at local restaurants

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Purchasing

• Purchase orders are issued by Anna ISD to secure goods and services as needed by the district’s schools and departments.
• A purchase order is a formal document and a binding agreement between the district and the vendor.
• No one is permitted to place orders without first obtaining an authorized purchase order.
• Bid laws and quote requirements apply.
• Sponsors should contact their campus Office Manager to begin the purchasing process.
• Gift cards, certificates or other cash equivalents cannot be purchased with District funds.
• Planning ahead ensures purchases will be made appropriately.

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Sales Tax Exemptions

• All purchases for exclusive school use should be tax exempt.
• The district is set-up as a tax-exempt organization with all of our approved vendors.
• Some vendors may require a Texas Tax Exemption Certificate. This form is available on the Staff Portal and may be completed by the shopper. It does not require a tax ID number to be valid.
• A hotel tax exemption form must be submitted by the traveler to avoid paying state hotel occupancy tax.

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Unauthorized Purchases

• When the district’s purchasing procedures aren’t followed, the purchase is considered unauthorized.
• Board policy states that any person making unauthorized purchases assumes full responsibility for all such debts. Anna ISD Board Policy CH Local-A
• Purchasing Irregularity Acknowledgment Form
• Business Office will address irregularities with the requisitioner and budget manager.

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Purchasing Process

Sample Quote

Sample Screenshot

Purchasing Don’ts

Please do not:

• Use personal funds to make district purchases.
• Ship orders to your home address.
• Store district credit card information on online accounts.
• Make verbal commitments or enter into contracts with an approved vendor.
• Make purchases without a district-issued purchase order.

Travel and Meals

• Travel must be authorized in advance and decisions regarding trip costs to be covered are made at the Budget Manager level.
• Requests for travel are made using the Travel Pre-Approval forms. This form must be submitted complete with traveler and approver signatures for overnight travel.
• Out-of-state travel must be approved by the Superintendent.
• Purchase orders are required to request payments for travel including registration fees, meal allowances, lodging, gas, etc. using the Travel Pre-Approval form as backup.
• An agenda or registration form also must be included as backup which shows the event name, location, date and fees to attend.
• Hotel tax exemption forms must be submitted by the traveler to avoid paying state hotel occupancy tax. This form is available on the Staff Portal.
• Travelers should not leave the hotel without first making sure rooms have been charged correctly by inspecting the stay folio. Any discrepancies should be rectified prior to departure.

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Travel and Meals, continued

• Daily rates for meals are established for both staff and student travel (per diem).
• Per diem for staff is requested using the Staff Travel Pre-Approval form as backup.
• Per diem for students is requested using the Student Group Travel form (cash or credit card option).
• Per diem checks are now paid by direct deposit and should be requested no more than two weeks in advance of traveling. Funds must be returned if the trip is canceled or the traveler does not go for any reason.
• Any unused cash advanced for student meals must be returned.
• Handwritten travel forms will not be accepted

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Sample Itemized Meal Receipt

Accounts Payable

• Weekly AP check run cut-off is 3 PM on Fridays.
• Checks are printed on Wednesday afternoons and those requiring pick-up are available on Thursday mornings.
• Per diem is deposited on Thursday.
• Vendor checks are mailed on Thursdays.
• Do not hold invoices, credits, or receipts. Send immediately to Accounts Payable

Business Services is located in the Anna ISD Administration Building . Operating hours are 7:45 AM to 4:45 PM.

Click here for the Business Services website.