District Bucks are funds managed by the District on behalf of your Club. Every time your Club earns an incentive, the award amount is added to your Club’s District Bucks account. This gives your Club the ability to make larger, more impactful purchases than before. You can use them to purchase any item that supports your Club’s mission and helps it grow. Examples include projectors, microphones, cameras, ribbons, pins, and other tools that help your Club run smoothly and effectively. Alcohol is not allowed.

Once an item is purchased, the Club submits a receipt to the District Finance Manager. The total cost must be equal to or less than the amount available in the Club’s District Bucks account. The deadline for spending your District Bucks is May 31. Use the District Bucks Status Spreadsheet to check your club’s balance or request a Concur account to submit your expense reports, within 30 days of your purchase. Please be as complete as possible. You can learn more about Concur by reading William Wilson’s presentation, and don’t forget to share your feedback to let us know how we can improve this program.

Introduction to District Bucks

District 57 Toastmasters is excited to introduce an innovative way to handle club incentives with the launch of the District Bucks program. This initiative enables clubs to earn and accumulate ‘District Bucks’ into an account for every incentive they achieve, effectively acting as a special fund for acquiring bigger and better tools and resources that support their missions.

With the current shift towards more virtual and hybrid meeting formats, the program allows for the purchase of essential equipment like cameras, projectors, and microphones. This means clubs can deck out their meeting spaces for hybrid setups, making it easier to engage with members both online and offline. However, there are clear guidelines—while practical purchases for club growth are encouraged, items like alcohol are not permissible.

Breaking news on Gift Cards

The Leaders Worldwide Toastmasters has announced a strict adherence to Toastmasters International’s guidelines on the use of third-party gift cards. Districts are prohibited from purchasing or reimbursing these gift cards for gifts or incentives, as per Protocol 8.4 Section 8. The objective is to safeguard the organization’s tax-exempt status by ensuring expenses align with its educational mission. While showing appreciation and promoting goodwill are encouraged, they should not be lavish or excessive, and cash equivalents like gift cards are strictly prohibited.