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Pro Rata Shares
Don't forget to pay the invoice for your pro rata shares. Final due date is June 30.
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Message from the CSB Director, Lisa Knox
Hello summer! This is often a time for planning, budgeting and gearing up for the next school year. Be sure to let us know if you have questions about any of these areas as you prepare. And in the meantime, may you also enjoy some good rest, relaxation, renewal and quality time with family.
Thank you for the roles you play in serving your students’ schools and making their experiences in Chandler School District even better. You do, indeed, make a difference!
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Centralized Accounting
As announced in a prior newsletter and at the last CSB general meeting and elections, a decision has been made to delay full implementation of centralized accounting until July 1, 2020.
Training for the pilot groups will begin this week. The pilot groups include Payne Jr High School Boosters, HHS Music Boosters, CTA Independence PTO, Bogle Jr High School Boosters, Perry Puma Parent Organization, Casteel High School Football Boosters and Auxier Elementary PTO. As they begin working with the new processes, procedures and forms, their feedback will allow us to fine-tune and make improvements that will allow for successful implementation for the remainder of PTO and booster groups.
In the meantime, other PTO or boosters groups may continue to use their current accounting practices and systems.
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CUSD Bond Election
At the June 12, 2019 CUSD Board meeting, the District’s Board approved a resolution for a $290,250,000 Bond Election in November. According to the District, capital funding cuts made by the AZ legislature over the past 12 years have amounted to more than $128,000,000 cumulatively. This fact, combined with continued student enrollment growth, aging buildings, rising maintenance costs and the desire to upgrade technology and ensure student safety, contributed to the need to seek voter approval for bonding. Potential projects include new construction of elementary and secondary schools, elementary and secondary school renovations, transportation building renovations, textbook purchases, furniture and equipment needs for food service and district wide, technology renovations and equipment, grounds and safety renovations, energy management, buses, lease payoff related to new school construction, and general renovations, technology, furniture and equipment for non-instructional purposes.
The District will publish fact sheets soon, and more information will be shared at our August 20 general CSB meeting.
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501(c)(3) Guidelines
Operating under a 501(c)(3) status comes with many benefits. The taxes the organization pay are limited. Donations made by the community may be tax-deductible for the person making the donation. Further, acting as a 501(c)(3) organization can limit the liability of the organization to the assets of the
organization.
But organizations created under the 501(c)(3) status have additional costs, paperwork, and rules to follow.
There are five main rules each non-profit 501(c)(3) organization must follow:
- POLITICAL ACTIVITY IS LIMITED – making financial contributions to a political party or promoting specific candidates for office is strictly prohibited. The CSB has filed the appropriate paperwork, however, to allow CSB and its groups to support the CUSD overrides and bonds, both financially and through providing information to our parents and community. CSB specifically notified the IRS that CSB would allow the members to “opt to financially support an independent political action committee supporting Chandler Unified School District bond and override special elections” and “offer independent political action committee members the opportunity to present information regarding the special elections. Information would be presented by political action committee members at member booster group meetings or at Chandler School Booster meetings or Board meetings for the purpose of educating meeting attendees about the specific details surrounding the election measures. Individual Chandler School Boosters, Inc. representatives (or alternate representatives), officers or directors may further share election measure information and promote support amongst other parents and guardians of students attending district schools.” Remember, this does not allow us to push a specific political candidate.
- STICK TO YOUR PURPOSE – this 501(c)(3) is specifically organized to support our schools and students. The funds raised by our organization are required to be used for that purpose. Spending funds raised for another purpose, even another charitable purpose, is prohibited. Therefore, the funds you raised need to be used for your students, club, or school.
- PERSONAL BENEFIT IS PROHIBITED – a conflict of interest may arise when PTOs or Boosters allow shareholders, board members, or other “insiders” to receive personal benefits from your fundraising. Therefore, be very careful about spending fundraising dollars on activities that pay for board members' participation in activities, as this appears self-serving and will subject the entire organization to scrutiny. So if your organization typically pays the costs for parents to chaperone overnight trips, you should make sure these payments are approved by the members of the organization (not just the board), or require parents to pay their own way. In addition, if payments are going to be made, you need to provide an opportunity for all members to be chosen to attend the activity. Limiting these types of opportunities to board members only is a conflict of interest.
- BUSINESS INCOME – the income generated from each 501(c)(3) is required to be primarily related to the activities of the organization. Keep the funds you earn related to furthering the exempt purpose of the organization, and you’ll be fine.
- TAX REPORTS – a 501(c)(3)’s tax exempt status does not eliminate the need to file regular reports and pay some taxes. CSB does not fall under any special exemption and is required to file annual and quarterly reports. In addition, it is obligated to pay certain taxes which can include employment tax, excise tax, unrelated business income tax on advertising revenue, and state and local taxes. Organization of everyone’s information, uniformity of information, and timeliness of receiving the information is vital to allowing reports to be filed as required.
For more information, visit the IRS page here.
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Is Your Entire Board Registered?
All board members for PTO and booster groups, as well as all CSB reps and alternates, need to register on the CSB website. This is how you will continue to receive CSB communications. When creating your account, please be sure to fill out all information on the form.
*Please check with your board to make sure everyone has registered.
**Please pass these instructions on to incoming board members.
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Registration Forms
We also need each member group to fill out the registration form and return to Erin via email: csb_adm@outlook.com
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Review Bylaws
With the changing of officers on your board, please be sure to review your group's bylaws as well as the CSB bylaws before the start of each new school year.
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Member Meeting
Our first member meeting of the 2019/2020 school year will take place on August 22, 2019, 7:00pm, location TBD.
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