Show Me The Money - The Right Way!

Show Me The Money - The Right Way!

The Senior Grants Officer Presents: Gifts, Grants and Donations

From the NYC Fund for Public Schools to Ethical School & PTA Fundraising

Presenters: Michele Ifill - Senior Grants Officer (Manhattan) Kathryn Gonzalez - Associate Portfolio Director - The Fund for NYC Public Schools Samantha Biletsky - NYCPS Ethics Officer & Senior Counsel March 24, 2026 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Welcome everyone. For those I haven’t had the chance to work with yet, I’m Michele Ifill, the newest Senior Grants Officer for Manhattan. I’m about 100 days into the role, and I bring more than 20 years of experience with NYC Public Schools, working in budget management, grants oversight, financial compliance, and school operations. Most recently, I served as Budget Director for the Manhattan Field Support Center, where I supported schools with budget, payroll, procurement, and grants, and worked closely with principals and leadership teams across the borough. Before joining NYC Public Schools, I worked as an associate attorney and held management roles in human resources and contracts administration, which still shapes how I approach this work. My colleagues and I are looking forward to spending this time with you to talk about “Show Me the Money — the Right Way.” We’ll walk through Gifts, Grants, and Donations, from working with The Fund for NYC Public Schools to ensuring ethical school and PTA fundraising practices.

Agenda

How are we going to learn?

What are we going to learn?

Presenter & Subject Matter Introduction

SGO Role

Housekeeping Agreements

There will be time for Q & A (at the presenter's preference either during the session or at the end)

You can ask your question in the chat or raise your virtual hand to be recognized to speak

Please place your microphones on mute

Let's stay at least 75% engaged

What is the Role of Your Senior Grants Officer?

Elevator Pitch

"As Senior Grants Officer at NYC Public Schools, I ensure that all grants and funding streams are fully compliant, properly documented, and effectively managed from intake to closeout. I balance central office oversight with school-level support, safeguarding resources, optimizing funding, and keeping every dollar accountable." - Michele Ifill

What are we going to learn?

This session will clarify how gifts, grants, and donations flow into NYCPS — from the Fund for NYC Public Schools to school and PTA fundraising — and outline the ethical and operational guardrails that ensure resources are handled responsibly and in compliance with policy.

How are we going to learn?

“To walk through this topic, we’ve structured the presentation in three parts — starting with how funds move through NYC Public Schools, then how donations are processed through the Fund for NYC Public Schools, and finally the ethical guardrails around school and PTA fundraising.”

Part 1Part 1 Michele Ifill

Part 2Kathryn Gonzalez

Part 3Samantha Biletsky

Associate Portfolio Director

Senior Grants Officer

Ethics Officer & Senior Counsel

How gifts, grants, and donations move through NYC Public Schools

The Fund for NYC Public Schools: How donations are accepted, routed, and delivered to schools

Ethical Guardrails: School and PTA fundraising — roles, risks, and responsibilities

Thank you so much for joining Show Me The Money – The Right Way! Your feedback is invaluable—please keep an eye on your inbox and take a moment to complete the survey. A special thank you to Kathryn and Samantha for your collaboration and contributions to today’s session. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Part 1Part 1 Michele Ifill

Part 2Kathryn Gonzalez

Part 3Samantha Biletsky

Associate Portfolio Director

Senior Grants Officer

Ethics Officer & Senior Counsel

How gifts, grants, and donations move through NYC Public Schools

The Fund for NYC Public Schools: How donations are accepted, routed, and delivered to schools

Ethical Guardrails: School and PTA fundraising — roles, risks, and responsibilities

Part 1

How Gifts, Grants, and Donations Move Through NYC Public Schools

Esto es un párrafo listo para contener creatividad, experiencias e historias geniales.

Part 1 - How Gifts, Grants, and Donations Move Through Our Schools

It's all about the Policy for Receipt of Gifts and Private Grants - Last Issued 10/10/17

At a high level, gifts, grants and donations can be a powerful resource for schools — but where the funds are processed depends largely on who the donor is, whether the gift is restricted, and the dollar amount.

https://infohub.nyced.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/policy-gifts-grants.pdf

Gifts, Grants & Donations: Operational Guidance

Will clarify:

• When schools may process funds at the school level
• When funds must go through the SGO and be allocated in Galaxy
• Required documentation and processing steps

Goal

• Ensure donations are processed correctly and compliantly.

What Qualifies as a Gift or Grant?

A gift or grant is funding provided by an external source to support a school program or initiative.Common Sources

• Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs)
• Community organizations
• Foundations
• Corporate donors
• Elected officials

All gifts and grants must be tracked and documented in accordance with NYCPS policy.

Gifts & Grants Under $10,000*

If a gift or grant is under $10,000 and not used for personnel expenses, the school may:

• Deposit funds into the General School Fund
• Record the gift in the School-Based Gifts & Grants Tracking System (https://www.nycboe.net/schools/giftsgrants)
• Use funds for the stated program purpose

Examples

• Classroom materials, Equipment

These funds may not be used for personnel costs.* The dollar threshold is cumulative per donor for the school year.

When Allocation in Galaxy Is Required

Funds must be processed through Galaxy when:

• The gift or grant is $10,000*or more from the PTA
• The funds will be used for personnel expenses (any amount)

Personnel costs include:

• Per session
• Per diem
• Teaching Assistants

* The dollar threshold is cumulative per donor for the school year.

Timeline for funds to be allocated in Galaxy: Barring any issues:

• Checks take approximately 8 - 10 weeks once received by the Revenue Office to be allocated in Galaxy

• ACH Payments or Wire Transfers take approximately 2 - 3 weeks once SGO confirms receipt of funds by the Revenue Office and logs the transaction into GTS to be allocated in Galaxy

The 3 Money Rules

Gifts, Grants, and Donations at a Glance

💰 Under $10,000 (cumulative from donor)

• Usually managed by the school
• Deposited into General School Fund
• Must be recorded in the School Gifts & Grants Tracking System
• If funds are used for personnel (per diem, per session, Teaching Assistants) they must go through your SGO for processing and Galaxy

💰 $10,000 and Above

• Usually managed through the Fund for NYC Public Schools (except if from PTA or PA)
• Applies to corporate or foundation donors
• Applies to restricted gifts or grants
• Requires coordination with the Fund for NYC Public Schools
• If funds are from the PTA or PA they must go through your SGO for processing and Galaxy

💰 $100,000+ Individual Donations

• Always administered through the Fund for NYC Public Schools
• Applies to unrestricted gifts from private individuals

⭐ Special Exception

• PTA / PA Donations
• Managed directly by the school
• If under $10K cumulative, OTPS only

• Send to Senior Grants Officer
• If used for personnel - any amount
• If the amount is for $10,000 and above

Three questions determine the process: Who is the donor? What is the amount? Is the gift restricted?

Donations cannot be anonymous.

School Based Gifts and Grants Reporting System (DOE Login) https://www.nycboe.net/schools/giftsgrants

When a School Is Offered a Gift or Grant

Start the Process the Right Way

Identify the donor, amount and intended purpose of the gift or grant

Confirm the Basics

The donor must provide documentation stating the amount and wheter the gift is restricted or unrestricted. Bonus for stating the funds can be rolled over into the next school year.

Secure the Donor Letter

Provide the donor letter, check (if received), and any agreement or MOU to the SGO for review.

Notify the SGO

The funds are recorded in either the School Based Gifts & Grants Tracking System by the school or in the Gifts & Grants Tracking System (GTS) by the SGO.

Enter the Gift into the System

Funds must be properly processed and allocated in Galaxy (or the General School Fund) before the school can use them.

Wait for Processing Before Spending

Early coordination with the Senior Grants Officer helps ensure gifts and grants are accepted, processed, and used without delays or compliance issues.

Scenario: Donations to Bridgerton School

A local community organization sends 2 donations to Bridgerton School to support OTPS purchases for the school’s Saturday Academy.

• In December 2025, the school receives a $9,500 check.
• The school deposits the funds into its General School Fund (GSF).

• In February 2026, the school receives the second check in the amount of $2,500.

1. Was the $9,500 donation processed correctly? Yes or No2. How should the $2,500 donation be processed? A or B A. Deposit the $2,500 into the General School Fund because the amount is under $10,000 and will be used for OTPS. B. Send the donation letter and the $2,500 donation to the Senior Grants Officer for processing in Galaxy. PLEASE PUT YOUR ANSWERS IN THE CHAT.

Scenario: Donations to Bridgerton School

Would someone like to raise their virtual hand and come off of mute and provide the answer?

Scenario: Donations to Bridgerton School Answers & Explanations

1. Yes - The $9,500 donation was processed correctly. The first donation of $9,500 was correctly deposited into the General School Fund because:

• The donation was under $10,000

• The funds were not intended for personnel expenses

2. B. The $2,500 donation is processed by sending the donation letter and check to the Senior Grants Officer for processing in Galaxy.

• After the second donation of $2,500, the cumulative total from the same donor becomes $12,000 in the same school year.

• Once the total donations from a single donor exceed $10,000 for the school year, the funds must be administered by NYCPS and processed through the Senior Grants Officer for placement into Galaxy.

Are there any additional questions for Part 1 ?

Part 2

The Fund for NYC Public Schools: How donations are accepted, routed, and delivered to schools

Esto es un párrafo listo para contener creatividad, experiencias e historias geniales.

Are there any (additional) questions for Kathryn?

Part 3

Ethical Guardrails: School and PTA fundraising - roles, risks, and responsibilities

Esto es un párrafo listo para contener creatividad, experiencias e historias geniales.

Samantha M. Biletsky

Ethics Officer - New York City Public Schools

Samantha M. Biletsky is the Ethics Officer for the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). She has served in this role since joining the Department in November 2007. In recognition of her leadership in public service, she received the Sheldon Oliensis Ethics in Government Award from the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board in 2013. Prior to NYCPS, Samantha held several senior roles in the Office of the New York State Comptroller, including Chief Agency Ethics Officer, Assistant Comptroller for Investigations, and Chief Investigative Counsel. She also served as Executive Agency Counsel in the Office of the New York City Comptroller. Samantha is admitted to practice law in New York and holds a Juris Doctor from New York Law School and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany.

Are there any (additional) questions for Samantha?

Thank You! Show Me The Money - The Right Way!

The Senior Grants Officer Presents: Gifts, Grants and Donations

From the NYC Fund for Public Schools to Ethical School & PTA Fundraising

Presenters: Michele Ifill - Senior Grants Officer (Manhattan) Kathryn Gonzalez - Associate Portfolio Director - The Fund for NYC Public Schools Samantha Biletsky - NYCPS Ethics Officer & Senior Counsel March 24, 2026 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm