Finance Information
Blue Jay Nation Financial Statement
All Liberty High School (LHS) clubs, who raise funds outside of the school accounts, are required to deposit those funds into the Blue Jay Nation (BJN) PTSA bank account. Those funds remain the property of the individual clubs and can be readily accessed to serve the students that the clubs support.
Separate accounts are maintained inside the BJN accounting system for each club. Thus, every deposit received for a club is credited to the club’s account and every disbursement made on behalf of a club is charged against the club’s account balance. A club cannot expend funds beyond its account balance. Clubs can obtain a statement of their account transactions and balance by requesting same from the BJN Treasurer.
Club Transactions
The procedures below describe how clubs deposit and retrieve their funds to and from BJN. This document also describes financial incentives that a club may benefit from due to its inclusion in the BJN. Any questions about the financial procedures and other information described herein should be directed to the BJN Treasurer.
Deposits
All funds raised through fundraising activities, t-shirt sales, parent donations, concessions efforts, etc. are required to be deposited into the BJN bank account. Thus, all checks written to support those efforts should be made out to Blue Jay Nation.
Clubs need to compile the cash and checks collected for their fundraising and other fund-gathering efforts, complete a Deposit Form (described below), and place the cash/checks/deposit form in an envelope (further described below), and place the envelope in the safe box located in the lobby of LHS. The BJN Treasurer will deposit the funds into the BJN bank account and credit the club accordingly for the deposited funds.
Deposit Form – There are preprinted, triplicate deposit forms located directly above the safe box in the lobby of LHS. These triplicate forms should be completed as follows:
- Date of event;
- Name of the club making the deposit;
- Name or description of the event where funds were raised;
- Other notes describing the deposits, if necessary;
- A listing of all the cash included with the deposit, subtotaled by denomination, and then subtotaled;
- A listing of all checks, with each check listed by either check number or last name, and then the amount, and the checks are also subtotaled;
- Add the cash subtotal and the checks subtotal to come to the total deposit amount;
- Clubs should retain the back (pink) copy of the triplicate deposit form and place the front two pages of the triplicate deposit form, along with the cash and checks, in a plastic envelope, seal the envelope and place the envelope in the safe box.
The deposit form is also available in a pdf file and an excel file; the excel file subtotals the cash and check sections and totals the cash and checks to report the total deposit. The pdf and excel versions of the deposit form can be accessed on the top, right-hand side of this webpage.
Disbursements
Clubs can access the funds in their account by completing a Disbursement Request Form, have it signed by a parent rep (optional), and an LHS staff person (mandatory), and submitting the completed Disbursement Request Form along with a receipt, vendor invoice, or other document supporting the disbursement request to the BJN Treasurer, either by placing in the BJN mailbox in the LHS office, in the safe box in the LHS lobby, or by making other arrangements with the BJN Treasurer.
The Disbursement Request Form is available on the top, right-hand side of this webpage in both a pdf file and a Word file. The Word version of the Disbursement Request Forms can be completed and signed electronically (by typing in the name on the signature line) and submit via email to the BJN Treasurer.
Disbursements will be made as soon as possible, but no later than one week after the completed Disbursement Request Form and supporting documents are submitted to the BJN Treasurer.
Check Writing Card
BJN has a check writing (credit) card tied to the bank account and clubs can use this card to make online purchases, as necessary. In addition to providing a completed/signed Disbursement Request Form, the club will need to complete the order online by adding all items to ‘the shopping cart’ and then providing the website, log in, and password to the BJN Treasurer. The BJN Treasurer will add the credit card data (card number, name on the card, expiration date, etc.) and submit the order. The credit card data will not be provided to the clubs.
Sales Tax Exemption
BJN PTSA has a sales tax exemption which can be used for all purchases that are paid for with funds held inside the BJN bank account. The sales tax exemption has been provided to several area businesses already, but if you need the sales tax exemption certificate for a purchase, please request it from the BJN Treasurer. The sales tax exemption certificate has been scanned and can be emailed to club reps.
Sam’s Club
BJN PTSA has a Sam’s Club membership. BJN provided its sales tax-exemption to Sam’s Club when we joined, so all purchases made with our membership are sales-tax exempt. To use the Sam’s Club membership, club reps must provide a completed/signed Disbursement Request Form (with the amount left blank) to the BJN Treasurer; the BJN Treasurer will then provide both a signed BJN check made out to Sam’s Club and a Sam’s Club membership card. After completing the purchase, the club rep must directly return the membership card, check (Sam’s Club returns the check to you at the register), and the receipt for the purchases to the BJN Treasurer.
Financial and Tax Reporting Considerations
BJN PTSA produces monthly financial statements and those statements are posted to its website each month. Clubs may review the website to determine their account balance, which is current as of the date noted on the financial statements.
BJN PTSA is a 501(c)(3) organization, as defined by the IRS, by being covered under the group exemption issued to the Missouri PTA. Accordingly, all donations made to the BJN PTSA are considered charitable donations and may be deductible by donors on their tax returns. Donations are deductible only to the extent the donor does not receive any goods or services in exchange for the donation.
The BJN PTSA has a June 30 fiscal year-end and submits an annual tax return to the IRS, reporting the funds received and the expenses paid at the conclusion of each year. Further, because it is covered under the group exemption issued to Missouri PTA, Blue Jay Nation PTSA must conduct an annual financial review of the Treasurer’s records and report its yearly income and expenses to Missouri PTA.