Projected Budget Allowance Report

[crislapi]

We received our Q1 2011 Projected Quarterly Local Unit Budget Allowance Report this week. We see our Stake has staked out a 40% share of the budget. Is 40% the default that was set with the CUBS transition?

No. See here.

[86Bengal-p40]

We received our Q1 2011 Projected Quarterly Local Unit Budget Allowance Report this week. We see our Stake has staked out a 40% share of the budget. Is 40% the default that was set with the CUBS transition?

Our report shows that the stake is keeping 100% of our allowance in all categories.

I calmly thought that was probably the default... until following crislapi's link above.

[lajackson]

Our report shows that the stake is keeping 100% of our allowance in all categories.

I calmly thought that was probably the default... until following crislapi's link above.

Well, it was not the default, but it seems to be what happens if the stake never submits the default table (or anything else). [grin]

[crislapi]

Our report shows that the stake is keeping 100% of our allowance in all categories.

I calmly thought that was probably the default... until following crislapi's link above.

The stake must actually click "Submit" on the percentages, even if they do want to use the defaults. The other option, of course, is that the stake has decided they can't figure out the new system and will therefore be collecting all the budget money and then distribute it as checks to the wards.

[allenjpl]

Our report shows that the stake is keeping 100% of our allowance in all categories.

I calmly thought that was probably the default... until following crislapi's link above.

Our stake is also holding on to everything. Their rationale is that they can't tell how much to pass on until they see how much they are actually receiving, and what the end-of-year amounts look like. If the stake actually delays entering a percentage until after they receive their funds, will they have to cut a physical check for 1Q11? When is the hard cutoff date for entering the % and having the ward get the funds directly?

[crislapi]

Our stake is also holding on to everything. Their rationale is that they can't tell how much to pass on until they see how much they are actually receiving, and what the end-of-year amounts look like.

That's a nice story, but they somehow managed to do it every previous year without having to wait to see how much money they were going to get. Under that rationale, they won't be able to tell you what your budget is until October 2011.

When is the hard cutoff date for entering the % and having the ward get the funds directly?

Percentages must be entered AND submitted by the end of December.

[jwnice]

Our ward received the letter -- then our Stake said "Ignore it, you are getting less that what that letter says." In other words, SLC still sends the funds to the Stake and the Stake STILL determines how much will go to each ward. Our attendance in sacrament meeting has gone up every quarter for the past few years and our budget goes down.

[daveywest]

Our ward received the letter -- then our Stake said "Ignore it, you are getting less that what that letter says." In other words, SLC still sends the funds to the Stake and the Stake STILL determines how much will go to each ward. Our attendance in sacrament meeting has gone up every quarter for the past few years and our budget goes down.

As the stake finance clerk, I'm at odds with the Stake President on how to distribute funds – but the decision ultimately falls to him as the ordained priesthood leader.

This system has dramatically changed how local finance issues are administered. Seeing the struggle others are having, It would be helpful if the Presiding Bishopric would issue guidelines for the units using CUBS or at least re-emphasize the existing governing principles.

[lajackson]

This system has dramatically changed how local finance issues are administered.

I do not see it that way. The only thing that has really changed is that, rather than a note from the stake financial clerk telling a ward what the quarterly budget allocation will be, the ward just gets that amount posted directly to the budget account.

Yes, there is some additional transparency into what the stake receives and how much, in terms of percentage, the stake passes on to the individual units. But that information was already available, if not so obvious.

[crislapi]

In other words, SLC still sends the funds to the Stake and the Stake STILL determines how much will go to each ward.

Yes and no. Allocations are determined by attendance. Because the stake/parent unit has no reportable attendance, it does not receive an allocation. To have money for a budget, the stake/parent unit has always and continues to have to take a portion of the ward/child unit allocations to meet its monetary requirements.

Oversight of the budget still remains with the stake president - that hasn't changed. The stake still needs to take a portion of the unit allocations for its budget. What has changed is how they do it. They submit to CHQ the percentage of your allocation that you will receive, which CHQ will send directly to your account at the start of the quarter. The balance is delivered directly to the stake account.

So in the end yes, the stake still determines what your budget will be. The stake president approves a budget and the stake clerks use the system in place to accomplish distribution of that budget.

I like the additional transparency. Budgets should be administered in a fair, equitable way. It shouldn't be a secret, and I think the stake should be able to justify its needs. If a stake tends to put on or at least cover the expenses for many of the activities in a stake, then they should hold back a larger percentage. If, instead, the majority of the activities and expenses are borne by the ward, then I would think the ward should be getting the majority of the allocation.