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Non-member Donation

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:09 am
by kylems-p40
Is it permissible for non-members to donate to the "Budget - Cub Scout" category? If not, what could be done if it has already been processed several months ago?

In our situation, a nonmember is very involved in Cub Scouts, and he donated some money to purchase some equipment. It was recorded with the tithing and other offerings as a deposit to this Cub Scout category. If you have any clarifying questions, please ask away!

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:41 am
by crislapi
kylems wrote:Is it permissible for non-members to donate to the "Budget - Cub Scout" category?
Sure. I see no problem with it. Just create a non-member donor record to go along with it.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:43 am
by russellhltn
My understanding is that "Budget" is only to be used to return unused advanced funds. No one is allowed to donate to Budget.

It is OK to donate to "Other" but there's no tax write-off and still may not be within the guidelines.

I think I understand the intent, I just don't know how to handle it.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:45 am
by lajackson
crislapi wrote:Sure. I see no problem with it. Just create a non-member donor record to go along with it.
Well, I guess it might be ok until he is baptized. Just don't let the members find out about it. They can't donate like that. [grin]

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:14 am
by crislapi
RussellHltn wrote:My understanding is that "Budget" is only to be used to return unused advanced funds. No one is allowed to donate to Budget.

It is OK to donate to "Other" but there's no tax write-off and still may not be within the guidelines.

I think I understand the intent, I just don't know how to handle it.
I guess I was thinking along the lines of a fundraiser. Say the Cub Scouts did a fundraiser to buy the equipment themselves. How would you handle the money they collected? Would that have to go in other instead of budget? I was assuming it could go in budget. I see this as being a similar situation.

Although it doesn't directly address this issue, I rememberthis post about the other account vs. budget account using scouts as an example.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:22 am
by lajackson
crislapi wrote:I guess I was thinking along the lines of a fundraiser. Say the Cub Scouts did a fundraiser to buy the equipment themselves. How would you handle the money they collected?
It would go to Other, and then the Other account would be used to purchase the equipment. But, as Russell said, it would not be recorded in MLS as a charitable contribution.

The non-member is probably wanting to contribute to the Cub Scouts as a charitable contribution. This is difficult to do because of the way the Church handles funding for Scouts.

If the donor does not care about the IRS deduction, just put it in Other and spend it on the equipment.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:35 am
by RossEvans
Are there not restrictions on the use of "Other" funds for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts? I am aware of allowable exceptions to support a single camp per year per scout, and some dedicated "Other" accounts for specific Eagle projects, but I didn't think general-purpose contributions by members or non-members were allowed.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:28 pm
by aebrown
It seems to me that many posts in this thread are completely ignoring the policy regarding the Budget Allowance and the Other category. The donation in question is well-intentioned and generous, but as I read the policy, it is not allowed. As was mentioned by RussellHltn, donations to the Budget category are absolutely not allowed; deposits are allowed to the Budget category only for refunds of advances or payments by other units for their share of a budget expense.

As for the Other category, it is to be used for collecting funds for a specific purpose where the person paying the funds receives the benefit. From the lesson Understanding and Using the "Other" Category:
Most contributions to the “Other” category are not donations to the Church; rather they are payments for a tangible benefit. For this reason they are not considered charitable contributions and will not be included on the year-end tax-valid statement.

The CHI p. 159 says "Stake or ward budget allowance funds should be used to pay for all Church activities, programs, and supplies. Members should not pay fees to participate (exceptions may be made for annual camps or enrichment activities as explained on page 160)."


I summarize from p. 160: In the case of the cost of one annual camp or associated equipment, such expenses are to be paid from:
  1. The Budget Allowance;
  2. If that is insufficient, participants may earn part or all of the cost;
  3. If that is insufficient, approved fund-raising activities may be held.
These fund-raising activities do not consist of soliciting donations. Any funds raised in approved ways may not be used to fund any other activities besides the annual camp. There is no provision for receiving donations (even unsolicited) from anyone for any activities, including Cub Scouts.

So back to the original question: based on the above policy statements, my opinion is that the proper course of action is to return the donation to the donor, since it never should have been received in the first place. This would be done by writing a check from Budget, which unfortunately now will hit the 2009 budget allowance, but that detail can be worked out with the stake.

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:18 pm
by jdlessley
What Alan explained is right on target.

Ten years ago I ran into a very similar situation. The donor, a non-member, was insistent on donating money to purchase troop equipment. We told him that if he made a donation it would go to the Church and not the troop and the equipment he wanted to have purchased would not happen. After the Church's policies were explained to him he understood. But about a month later the equipment he wanted the donation to be spent on just appeared on the ward meetinghouse doorstep with a note identifying the equipment to be used by the troop. No name or further information was provided.

It is hard many times to convince well intentioned non-members, and even some members, that the Church policies and procedures are in place to provide as much equality and fairness as possible to all Church units and Church sponsored programs such as the Scouting program.

Donation and Receipting Categories...

Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:11 am
by cdawardclerk-p40
kylems wrote:Is it permissible for non-members to donate to the "Budget - Cub Scout" category? If not, what could be done if it has already been processed several months ago?

In our situation, a nonmember is very involved in Cub Scouts, and he donated some money to purchase some equipment. It was recorded with the tithing and other offerings as a deposit to this Cub Scout category. If you have any clarifying questions, please ask away!

I believe Alan has described the best solution to your question. The link below takes you to a summary of Donation and Receipting Categories...sometimes it is useful to review these instructions amid all the other things we must try to remember as clerks. Pay particular attention to the section explaining Budget. Hope this helps clarify things a bit.

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?v ... &hideNav=1