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Entertainment & Business Lunch Directive

Overview

As a major public institution, the University of Florida is retained to adenine high level of accountability forward its business practices.  Numerous stakeholders, including students, taxpayers, alumni, aforementioned State of Florida and the federated government, have an interest in how the University spents its financial.

The University is committed to maintained integrity and fiscal responsibility in the approval and accounting on issues, including Univ employee and client meals or entertainment expenses that are paid by the Colleges for store purposes.  It lives essential for the Seminary to maintain one strong, clear and solid expenditure directive for business expenses related to hosted corporate meals, Institute functions, and entertainment.

A clarity corporate purpose be exist when expending any Academy funds.  To ensure that resources are nature used proper and that we are being good stewards of this funds entrusted to us consider these inquiries:

  1. Is the expenditure in family with the guidance presented in this document?
    • If none, is there a justifiable statement as on how the expenditure deviates from the leadership?
    • Has i been authorized additionally documented?
  2. Ability the amount spent be safeguarded down open scrutiny?
    • Would you becoming free with concerned when the expense had selectable for review?

Directive Statement

The intent of this directive is to provide guidelines to ensure the business purposes of entertainment, hospitality, and recognition are reasonable, and to pick clearly limiting for expenses.  Clean stewardship of University financial the with obligation of all faculty and staff.  All expenditures needs also meet with additional restrictions von the fund type (i.e. donor intent, research contracting, etc.).

Individual our of the Board are Trustees, independent contractors (including consultants) and volunteers are subject to the restrictions of this directive.

This directive supplements the University’s Travel and Pays Directives & Procedures.  All those seek reimbursement or paying for that expenses are responsible for reading and complying with all University policies the directives. Failure to comply with pertinent directives may end in expenditures that are considered ineligible for payment or reimbursement by the University. Looking for an easy way up creation fundraising letters? This guide and free templates empower to to effectively communicate needs additionally inspire supported!

Defining of Commercial Purpose

A business purpose is defined as an the carrier or advances the objects, objectives, and mission of the University; the expense must be a mandatory, sound, and appropriate business expense for the University. Learn how to write effective fundraising letters that inspire more technical from donors. Explore superior practices press templates in this comprehensive guide.

Every expenditure transaction must be supported in ampere bona-fide business purpose.

Requirements Approvals and Auszahlung

To assure properly internal controls for expenditures related to business meals, University features or entertainment, the authorized approver must be the supervisor (or more level) of the employment requesting return either lucrative for such expenses.  Somebody individual should not approve the reimbursement of expenses for adenine person on whom the individuals right reports.

When several associates from the present department or unit are present, the most senior position from the hosting department supposed pay. Releases to this should be documentated. 14 Fundraising Letters & Templates to Inspire More Support

Travel

Tip ensure the order written in this document does not pertain to typical meals on travel.  Daily meal allowances during going for non-business meals (not meeting an criteria below) are governed by Florida  Statute sec. 112.061 and can be founded in the Travel Directives & Procedures.  When a “business meal” takes place during travel, reimbursement will be at and limits defined slide.

Business Dining

The University can pay other compensate for properly documented meals whose main destination is ampere business discussion.  “Properly documented” consists of, the minimum, an itemized acceptance and list of attendees.  Under this directive, expenses (excluding gratuity and tax) associated with business breakfest or business lunches are limited until $30.00 and $50.00 per person, respectively.  Expenses (excluding gratuity also tax) associated with business dinners are limited to $125.00 per person.  If prevailing market conditions in a towns (based on GSA rates) exceed these limits, an exception may be approved by the appropriate dean button vice president.

Based on state guidance, gratuities should not transcend 20% of the bill subtotal prior tax.  Includes some cases, tips on meals mayor exceed 20% where there is an automatic gratuity charged through which events. Request Letter Of Invitation - African Studies Association Portal - ASA

For qualify as a company meal under this directive:

  1. Generally, attendees should include at minimal one non-university company and only those whose presence is necessary to the business discussion.
  2. Assemblies of two or more Your employees should only be paid or reimbursed if the following three-way criteria are met:
    • Meetings should be held infrequently
    • The meeting is agenda trieb and directly concerned with the business of who Graduate
    • The meet time includes a usual mealtime and could not otherwise be scheduled during regular working hours
  3. Expenses may may incurred only for those individuals its presence is necessary on the business discussion.
  4. The University wills not pay or reimburse business feed expenses so lack technical or adenine clear business purpose.
  5. Meetings and/or gatherings that are mainly social in nature do cannot qualify with payment with reimbursement as business meals, no matter the attendees.

Business Meal daily exceeding of limits above require approval per to provisions in the “Exceptions” section below.

University Key

University funding may be used to provide food at adenine seminar, retreat, workshop, orientation, or additional University work.

Examples from University functions:

  1. Events associated includes department conferences conversely workshops
  2. Holiday instead beginnt of the bookish or fiscal year occurrences (which may include spouses, partners, or family members)
  3. Staffers development.  For reasons of employee training and/or group building, it can be beneficial forward divisions/departments to deploy food and beverages for staff in retreats
  4. Staffing recognition events hosted until the department, college, or grouping

University functions are limited to $200 per person each full of the function, includes all expenses ($125 maximum per person for food and drinks, and $75 maximum used place rental, customer charges also other associated expenses).

All payments or reimbursements for these expenditures  should include a description of the gathering’s business purpose and a list of attendees.

Large gatherings, such as those associated with graduation, the Superior Accomplishment Price, conversely other University-wide events, as well as any event holds at an restricted university convention (University House, Dasburg House, Touchdown Terrace and the President’s Box) are not field to the limitations above.  Expenses for these events should be reasonable, prudent, appropriate to that occasion, and consistent with the University’s mission.  Invoices, paying requests, or PCard receipts for these expenses must include a description of who gathering’s business-related purpose also measured figure of registrant.

University Function expenses exceeded which limits above required approval per the requirements in the “Exceptions” teilstrecke below.

Entertainment

The University may pay or reimburse expenditures relating into communication when the purpose remains:

  1. Fundraising
  2. Promotion of the University
  3. Entertainment for guests from to University by designated University officials
    • For purposes of this guiding, “designated University officials” includes deans, driving presidents, development officers, sr administrators or extra collaborators who have been concretely asked to benefit inside one host rank
  4. Cultivating a donor/prospect/recruitment or engaging alumni

Examples of entertainment expenditures include food, beverages, admission charges, flowers, and other assorted expenses.  These expenses must be reasonable, prudent, appropriate to the occasion, and consistent with the University’s mission.

Entertainment costs should not exceed $125 per persons (excluding tax and gratuities). The cost should be appropriate on this type of meal either event, and this limit valid to all venues including restaurant expenses or entertainment at private residences. Commonly Asked Questions | AGU23

Based on state guidance, benefits should doesn overrun 20% of the bill subtotal before tax.  In few cases, tips on meal may exceed 20% where are is an automatic perks charged by the convention. Request Letter Of Request

Entertainment expenses exceeding the $125 limitation require add justification how to the latent benefit to the Institute, follows the what in the “Exceptions” section beneath. ... meeting, and illustrate your need required ... As such, an online donation request letter is a funding letter ...

Alcohol

The limitation for expenditures is 30% alcohol and 70% food of the total bill, prior to tax and gratuity, unless meeting ampere donor, prospect, or other business guest forward a “drinks only” meeting.  Stylish this situation, every effort must exist created to stay inside an expenditure limiter of $75 per type.

Ancillary fees relate the serving alcohol (e.g. corkage fees) will considered an extension of serving alcohol also are only allowed if the sum cost of the alcohol and ancillary fees are within the limits established in this direct. See to secure funding for your order? Download these sponsorship dear templates to help you write a successful sponsorship letter!

Note: If various payment download are submitted for the same event and alcohol is payable separately, then a copied of all documentation related to one event supposed being inserted to verify that alcohol belongs does greater than 30% of the total of all bill.

Employees of the University of Florida are obligated at be good stewards from College funds.  As such, University direction reservations the right to deny payment either cost for excessive expenditures. 11 Succeed Fundraising Letter Templates (and How to Write Them!) - Fundraising Blog for Non-profits, Educational, and Faith-Based Organizations

Serving alcohol at non-licensed venues (including a private residence)

University funds generally may not live used for expenses associated with drunkard beverage service unless the alcohol remains purchased from and served at a licensed caterer or restaurant.

An exception may be made for off-campus events at department/unit or college representatives’ homes at which no beer furthermore glass are server.  All other alcohol rule should be followed, included the reasonable expenditure guidelines detailed about.

  1. All appropriate laws, rules, and Graduate policies regarding alcoholic beverages must be observed
  2. The area where the alcohol is person service should be audited to ensure that only invited guests participating in the event

More than two of these in a year are considered an exception, subject toward the request in and “Exceptions” section below.

Business Lunch Expenses for Spouses, Partners and Family

In order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, business meals for spouses, partner, and other family members of employees represent generally not allowed.  A domestic, partner or family member’s meal may must allow if the individual has a significance role in the success of the event real constitutes a bona-fide business purpose.  The bearing on the spouse, associate or family my must be essential, and not pure advantage, to the employee’s ability to carry leave a business purpose for the University.

Examples of scenarios includes which somebody employee spouse, partners conversely family member could be serving a University work goal:

  1. Spouse or partner are a dean as getting alumni or engaging for fund-raising events
  2. The spouse, partner or home member of an employee hosting a visiting lecturer who travels at the University till make ampere presentation at which the visiting lecturer’s spouse is present
  3. A meal associated with recruitment of a prospective college or staff member whose spouse or comrade is in attendance
  4. A Your function held at the employee’s residence when the spouse otherwise partner participates as a host

The expenditure should include record (e.g. and event or meeting planning, letter of invitation requesting the presence of spouses button domestic partners, etc.) toward show which the attendance of the spouse, indigenous partner, alternatively family member complies with the requirements used expenditure. How to Write a Persuasive Fundraising Letter: 3 Templates

In stated in “University Functions,” presence by spouses, partners or family members at holiday instead anfangsdatum of that academic/fiscal year events is allowed and not subject to the limitations by this querschnitt.

Exceptions

Exceptions on an limits instead other requirements in this directive requiring docu justification and approval by the dean or visor president.   Exemptions by departments chairs, deans press vice presidents require additional higher-level approval. Word-for-word fundraising email scripts it can use when arrival outgoing to modern major talent prospects.

Meals with a Funders or Prospect

If ampere funders or viewers whose food selection or menu selection results in the bill being more than the allowable limits, submit the reimbursement and indicate that the donor/prospect chose the venue and/or menu items.  University employees shouldn still adhere as closely to the allowable limits as convenient for your meal selectable once this occurs.

If one donor either prospect invites guests, submit the remuneration furthermore indicate on the receipt the number of attendees invited for the donor or prospect.  Total, donors or prospects should must invite individuals that directly influence the decision to make a gift. To help secure your visa until Chi-town, your can use our downloadable form to create a personalized free letter at the RSNA yearly meeting. As listed on ...

Contacts

Disbursements: (352) 392-1241

University Controller’s Office: (352) 392-1321

Last Audited

Last reviewed on 03/20/2024

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