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When you're the leader of a student organization, there are often multiple tiny expenses that come up. Sometimes when you're paying for that $3.50 cup of coffee while meeting with the student newspaper reporter, you start wondering why your organization isn't paying for the coffee. If the purpose of the meeting is "business," then why isn't the business (your organization) picking up the tab? Surely the benefit to the organization is a lot more than $3.50.
As a business owner, I have a budget line item called "business development." It's essentially the money I use for those tiny expenses that just come up. This might include lunch with a staff member who is struggling, a birthday card or cake for a valued customer, or some prize I purchase for a game at the weekly staff meeting.
If you find that you're spending a bunch of your own money (or more than you wish you were), you have three options. The first option is to stop spending the money. Stop meeting with people over lunch and coffee, and just sit – for free – somewhere and talk. Second option is to simply continue spending your own money. For student leaders who have the extra cash, this is the easiest option.
Option three is to approach your members and/or the executive board of your group, and ask if it would be appropriate to have a small "president's discretionary fund." Let them know that you can get a lot more done for the organization if you have the ability to be reimbursed for a few dollars here or there.
Groups that have no tradition of this tend to get worried that you're going to be buying yourself a bunch of perks. Usually the best way to approach this subject is to spend a month collecting your miscellaneous receipts, making note on each receipt about the nature of the expense. Then sit with your fellow officers and show them how much of your own money you've been spending in order to do your position effectively.
If they see the value in the dollars you've spent, and if the total amount isn't some crazy amount, then they are more likely to be open to the idea.
If your group goes for this idea, I advise that you keep the amount you request very small. Set a monthly limit (any amount is more than you're getting now, right?), and set it up so that you have to submit receipts with descriptions and get reimbursed. Transparency is the key to getting people to trust this idea. If your group has an advisor, be sure that person is in on the decision as well. You don't want your advisor's eyebrows going up suspiciously.
Then, of course, make sure you're only using this new ability in an ethical way. This is not meant to be your entertainment fund. Gas to drive out to visit your advisor? That's kosher. Buying a pitcher of beer for friends in a different student organization? Probably not appropriate. Make sure that you're being a vigilant steward of your organization's funds, keep the reimbursements as low as possible, and establish a positive tool for the next person in your position.
