New policy announcing units may retain 2019 carry-over funds for additional support of youth activities in 2020

 Dear Bishops and Branch Presidents,

In light of the new Children and Youth Initiative, we want you to have as many funds as possible to support your children and youth activities in 2020.

Therefore, effective immediately wards and branches will be allowed to retain ALL carry-over or surplus budget funds at the end of this year. 

These funds should remain in your budget. Please do NOT transfer them to your Other account, but continue to use the Other account only as a pass-through account for funds you receive from families for specified summer camps.

Soon we will send you a report showing:

·       Your current YTD budget balance;

·       Your realistic carry-over at the end of 2019; and

·       Your projected budget allocation for 2020.

This will help you estimate the funds you’ll have in 2020, including your carry-over. Please spend your monies wisely at the end of this year to enhance your carry-over funding for 2020.

We ask that you track your carry-over funds and use them solely—and equitably, if possible—for Aaronic Priesthood, Young Women and Primary activities in 2020. 

With the extra funds, we hope you’ll…

...establish a climate of abundance among leaders so they recognize there are adequate funds to support the youth and children activities they are planning for 2020.

...help youth and their families recognize that there are adequate funds to cover activities in support of their personal goals of increasing spiritually, socially, intellectually and physically.

Finally, we remind you what Handbook 2 - 13.2.8 states: “Stake and ward budget funds should be used to pay for all activities, programs, and supplies. Members should not pay fees to participate. Nor should they provide materials, supplies, rental or admission fees, or long-distance transportation at their own expense.”

Fundraising is still not allowed in our stake. We are planning to host both a Stake Young Men and a Stake Young Women summer camp in 2020. The Handbook allows us to ask families to pay a nominal fee (probably $50 per youth) to participate in these stake summer camps. 

In 2021, when our stake attends our first For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conference, families will be expected to pay $75 per youth and wards/branches will pay $75 per youth from budget funds.

Thank you for the focus and leadership you are giving to this new initiative.

The Stake Presidency