District finance staff: grant budgets fluctuate; special projects funds carry forward

District finance staff told the board that state and federal grant budgets change during the year and that the district will reconcile those changes in the supplemental budget adopted at year end.

“As long as we’re not overspent fund wise, we’re okay with — we’re at 72%,” a finance staff member said. The staff member added that the district will “adjust that in the supplemental budget” during the June adoption process.

Board members asked what the budget category labeled “other objects” covers. A finance staff member said those expenditures are typically dues and fees and other costs not classified as purchase services, supplies or property. The staff member clarified that property line items are “mostly technology,” such as laptops and equipment.

On the special projects fund, staff said the fund holds school-level donations that can carry forward year to year, unlike routine operating funds that reset annually. “This is items that, like, our green teams, think we've received donations for. So they function at the school level, and the schools can carry these balances forward year to year,” the finance staff said. The staff added that some funds (referred to in the discussion as “74 funds”) cannot receive district contributions and are distinct from the special projects fund.

Why this matters: the board heard that budget line items can shift across the year and that the district will formally amend and adopt reconciled budgets at the end of the fiscal year, with the supplemental budget presented alongside next year’s adopted budget in June.

No formal vote or motion on these items was recorded in the transcript provided to the board during the discussion.