Accessing Grant Funds Through the Salem Public Schools Business Office
Dear SEF Grant Recipient,
Congratulations on receiving an SEF Grant Award. Because the funds for your grant will be deposited with the Salem Public Schools Business Office, I am writing in an effort to clarify the process of requesting these funds. SEF has supplied us with a list of your name(s), your grant title and the amount of money awarded. To access this money through the district, you must go through the SPS Business Office.
According to SEF Grant Committee members, there are four common categories for grant expenses; (1) programs that are brought into the school setting (e.g. performances), (2) admission fees paid to an external site (e.g. museum visits, shows), (3) materials purchased to use within the school from approved vendors using purchase orders and (4) materials purchased to use within the schools using cash or personal credit cards. There is a different process for each of these needs.
In general, teachers may spend their SEF grant funds by submitting a requisition as they would for any other expenditure. The only difference is that the funding source is the SEF grant number, instead of an appropriation number from the operating budget. The number to be used on the requisition is 26413-5713. Please remember that your requisition may not total more than the amount awarded for your grant. Requisition that exceed the awarded amount will not be processed.
Purchase orders need to be approved and in the MUNIS accounting system before commitments are made to the vendors. This is state law as well as standard policy for all departments in the City of Salem, including the School Department. Therefore teachers need to submit the requisition at least 5-10 work days before making commitments to vendors.
After expenditures have been made, teachers will need to submit invoices/receipts to the Business Office. Please include teacher name, school name and grant title on any invoice or receipt that is submitted. We need this information to properly track grant spending.
Four procedures cover the most likely scenarios:
1. Bringing a performance into the building.
The teacher submits a requisition for the total amount of the performance fee at least 4 weeks in advance. The name of the performer or theater troupe is the vendor. The business office will process the requisition and the city purchasing office will send the purchase order to the performer. Following the performance, the vendor submits an invoice directly to the business office. The office sends the invoice to the teacher for signature and upon approval schedules payment on the next warrant.
If a check is needed to pay the vendor on the date of the performance, all necessary instructions need to be on the requisition. The business office will need an invoice from the vendor at least 3-4 weeks before the performance in order to prepare the check.
2. Taking students to a museum or other site that requires an admission fee.
Most museums and other institutions that cater to public schools accept purchase orders and submit invoices for payment after the field trip. The teacher submits the requisition for the entire amount of the expected attendance four weeks in advance of the trip. After the field trip, the vendor submits an invoice directly to the business office, which then forwards it to the teacher for approval. If fewer students than planned attend the event, the surplus funds will revert to the teacher’s grant balance when the PO is closed.
3. Buying supplies and materials from a vendor that accepts district purchase orders.
The teacher obtains an informal quotation from the vendor to determine prices and submits a requisition to the business office, charging the FSPS grant number above. The business office processes the requisition and the city purchasing department mails the purchase order directly to the vendor. The vendor sends the invoice to the business office, which forwards it to the teacher for approval. Upon return, the business office schedules payment on the next warrant.
4. Buying supplies and materials using cash or a personal credit card, for subsequent reimbursement.
Wherever possible, teachers should use vendors that accept district purchase orders. If a teacher needs goods or services that cannot be obtained in any other way, he or she should request permission from the principal to use cash or a personal credit card, subject to reimbursement. The teacher fills out a requisition for the expected amount of the purchase, with his or her name as the vendor, in advance of the actual purchase. After making the purchase, the teacher submits to the business office 1) a copy of the credit card statement listing the transaction and 2) a detailed list of materials purchased. Teachers can expect a 2-4 week turnaround time for reimbursement.
Business Office Tracking.
Pam Scharffenberg in the business office maintains an Excel spreadsheet that lists all teachers awarded SEF grants for the fiscal year. Teachers may call at any time to check on the amount of the grant, total spent to date, and funds remaining for the rest of the year. She will also help out with any unusual requests or procedures, but please allow additional lead time.
Please be aware that grant funds for the 2011-2012 school year must be spent and invoices/receipts submitted for reimbursement before June 30, 2012 or they will be returned to the Salem Education Foundation to be applied to the 2012-2013 grant cycle.
Sincerely,
Dr. James Picone
Interim Business Manager
Salem Public Schools
