1. Definitions:
· Unrestricted budgets allocate funds that are donated to the Meeting for general use and have no specific purpose attached (unrestricted funds).
· Restricted budgets allocate funds that are donated to the Meeting for a specific purpose, such as the Shelter, and can only be used for that purpose (restricted funds).
2. Approval of Restricted and Unrestricted Budget:
· Unrestricted Funds: The Budgets & Collections Committee (B&C) builds the Meeting’s overall budget each year using unrestricted funds, based on Committee’s requests, operating expenses, etc. The Business Meeting then approves the unrestricted budgets, including the amounts budgeted for each Committee.
·
Restricted Funds: The restricted
budgets for the Meeting are based on the amount of restricted funds known by
B&C to be available at the time of the budgeting process and the projected
uses made by the committee for which the restricted funds are designated.
Committees will provide a budget for the restricted accounts within their
control each year. These restricted
budgets are reviewed by B & C and brought forward for Business meeting
approval when the unrestricted budgets are presented. The specific uses of the restricted funds must also be approved
by the Meeting, either as part of the budget or separately, since funds being
spent in the Meeting’s name must not only be for a purpose specified in the
donation but also for a purpose the Meeting approves.
Unrestricted Budget Expenditures
– If the expenditure is to go against the unrestricted funds available to the committee (the amount designated for the committee by the Meeting from its unrestricted funds), the committee clerk can approve any single expense up to amount of the committee’s unrestricted budget, or $500, whichever is less. For example, if a committee’s budget is $300, the clerk of the committee can sign for a single expense up to $300. If the budget is $600, the clerk of the committee can sign for up to $500 on a single expense.
–
If a specific expense approved by the committee clerk
is incurred above $500 and there is money in the existing budget, the clerk of
the Meeting and the Treasurer will discern if the expense matches the purpose
of the committee and its budget as approved by the Business Meeting. If the
Clerk of the Meeting and the Treasurer are not in unity, or this or any expense,
represents a departure from business as usual, the matter should be brought to
the Business Meeting.
Restricted Budget Expenditures
– The clerk of the committee for which the restricted funds are designated will be able to authorize payment for any expense specified in the approved budget.
– If restricted funds are raised or donated in excess of the committee’s budget, the committee clerk will be able to approve expenditure of those funds for uses that match the purpose of the restricted budget as approved by Business Meeting, up to $500.
– If a specific expense is incurred above $500 and it was not included as a line item in the approved budget, the clerk of the Meeting and the Treasurer will discern if the expense matches the purpose of the restricted fund as approved by the Business Meeting. If the Clerk of the Meeting and the Treasurer are not in unity, or this or any expense represents a departure from business as usual, the matter should be brought to the Business Meeting.
3. Travel Expense Policy:
· Requests for travel advances to finance an upcoming trip are encouraged, but not required, for all approved travel.
· All travel expenses for an individual trip must be submitted at one time at the end of the trip, including expenses for interim destinations. Expenses submitted subsequent to this expense submission will not be accepted.
· Local Travel will be reviewed for appropriateness by the Treasurer. Any concerns will require review by the Clerk of the Meeting.
· Trips expected to cost more than $300 and not approved by the Business Meeting as part of the sponsoring committee's budget need to be approved by the Business Meeting. If the funds are to come from a restricted fund, the purpose of the trip must be true to the purpose of the restricted fund.