Ahhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[rbnyc]

:grr:

I am the Development Coordinator for a program of a giant university affiliated with a humongous hospital system. Our money is in a special fund that is controlled by both the university's and the hospital's bureaucracy. We cannot deposit to or withdraw from our own account (full of money that we raised) without submitting multiple forms to multiple locations. The process is so convoluted that neither I nor my ED actually know how many different locations our papers are pushed through before checks are actually cut or deposits are actually made.

This is driving me absolutely up a fucking tree!

Because we have to spend so much admin time dealing with this insane amount of red tape, we can only show that we spend 40% of our budget on programs. This makes it VERY difficult to get foundation funding. It severely impedes our ability to appeal for funding. And, it costs us tens of thousands of dollars each year in labor.

(I'm on break right now, BTW)

I've been trying to get a damn purchase order number to start a simple print job for over 2 weeks now! At each level someone informs me that there's something else that I need. A VP signature, another special form, an additional quote, etc.! There doesn't seem to be one person who knows everything that's required, so I'm constantly being told that I just have to submit one more thing to one more person, and then I can get the PO and start the job.

Now I can't even get anyone to answer their phone for me. I needed to start this job a week ago, or at least yesterday.

In the past, we have simply paid vendors with personal checks and submitted for reimbursement, because it seemed like the only way to get anything done. Now we've been told we can never submit a personal check for reimbursement again and must go through the system.

Apparently this means that we will need to anticipate our exact spending needs over a month in advance in every instance, because it takes at least a month to get access to our own funds--our own funds that we raise despite this impediment.

I think the university and hospital should write us a letter of apology with a 100 thousand dollar grant!

:grr:

Ok. Back to work.

EDIT: typo

Thanks

(and sorry)

[Beetwasher]

1. Damn! Your IDC's Are 60%????????? That's Friggin' Ridiculous!

And I thought ours were high!

Yeah, you'll never get Foundation funding with an IDC that high. A lot of Fdtn's cap at like 15%.

You should submit phony reqs every month for PO's for things that don't exist yet and keep the money in a slush fund...

[rbnyc]

3. That's a good idea.

We actually do get foundation support, because we have some good relationships and are able to explain our unique position. We really do great work, it's just that we're ensconced in this bureaucratic hell.

Also, I think we are more honoest about our time allocation than many non-profits. There's really no clear standard.

I love your fake po idea tho!

[GOPisEvil]

2. YE GODS!

That's just wrong! Their red-tape is taking away from the people you serve. Bastards!

[rbnyc]

4. That's right!

AND getting on my last nerve.

I'm done for the day, btw. My head is just going to blow up. I'm going to come in early tomorrow and make up the time.

[rbnyc]

5. CRAP!!

Now I can't even go home. I left my damn keys at home, and my husband and son are at my in-laws!!! I just want to get the hell out of here! I'm having a bad day!!