The following rules below are not for Event Advances but they are when reimbursing event purchases through Reliant reimbursement forms. Domestic summer programs typically have many group meals together with the participants. Large group meals, closing ceremony meals, outreach events that include meals, etc. All of these meals (as long as they are within the event budget) can be reimbursed by the event fund (typically by using event advances) and would be included under Event Food. The instructions below apply to meals that are intended to be reimbursed by the event fund itself. The program fees paid by the participants for an event were not intended to use to fund all attending field staff meals. So, there is a limit for how many field staff meals an event fund can reimburse. The event is allowed to reimburse two field staff-only meals (in which event participants aren't also present for the meal). The event is allowed to pay for one field staff-only meal for a kick-off field staff event and then again for the closing of the event, as a celebration of how the event went. They are generally only reimbursable using event advance or the event fund for reimbursement twice during a summer-long event and tend to be at the opening and closing of the program. These costs are in addition to the overall event's kick-off and closing events (in which the event participants are present). Generally, the cost per person for these field staff-only meals should be kept to $35 per person (or less) and per Reliant policy, alcohol is not reimbursable. The event fund is not allowed to pay for additional field staff bonding events besides the two listed above. However, the event is allowed to pay for additional field staff meals when the field staff are participating in a group meal, along with event participants. So, the event can reimburse meals for both field staff and participants for weekly group meals for the entire event/program. Or, if you picked a few key student (non-staff) leaders for example and invited them to join the field staff team for an ice cream outing to thank them for being leaders at the program then that ice cream could be covered (for everyone from the event fund). We try to exclude field staff-only food but when students are present and included then it opens the doors for us to to be able to reimburse these types of things. And to clarify it does not have to involve all the participants that are participating in the program for the meal to be covered- if you have a few key leaders attend it then becomes fine to cover the cost for everyone as a reimbursement from the event fund. Please check with your event finance manager before taking participants out for a meal to insure that it was a budgeted item that the event fund can reimburse. It is allowable for the event to use event funds to reimburse groceries purchased for the speaker’s meals during their time at the event. It is also allowable to include the speaker (and the speaker’s family) in event group meals in which participants and Reliant missionaries are all dining together. In the case of the summer programs that are located at a YMCA, event funds can be used for paying for speaker and speaker family meals at the cafeteria. Our assumption is payment is being made to the cafeteria directly at the time of the meal, so no invoice is being received from the YMCA for these particular meals. Therefore, maintaining an internal tracking system providing the necessary information is required, as this will be your receipt. Please keep a log that lists the speaker's name, dates they attended LT, the # of meals the speaker/wives/family had (ex. broken down for breakfast/lunch/dinner) and the total amount paid for the speaker meals during their time at LT. It is also allowable for event funds to be used for the Event Director (or other missionary attending the event with approval from the Director) to take a speaker out to eat for a single meal at a nice restaurant as a thank you. Please keep these meals to less than $40 per person and remember that alcohol cannot be purchased using petty cash funds. See also Event Honorariums for Churches and Speakers There are limits and specific instructions of what can be reimbursed for corporate meals (ex. related to employers, landlords, churches, etc.). It is allowable for event funds to be used by the summer program event director (or other summer program field staff with approval from the director) to take an employer, landlord, or other person such as an event speaker that has assisted the summer program out to eat for a single meal at a nice restaurant as a thank you. Please keep these meals to less than $40 per person and remember that alcohol cannot be purchased using petty cash or event reimbursement funds. See Corporate Gifts (Applicable for Events or Departments).Event Participant Meals
Event Field Staff Meals Paid for By Event Fund Reimbursements
Speaker Meals
Meals for meetings with speakers, event employers, landlords, local churches, etc.
In general, field staff meals are reimbursed using per diem (see Per Diem During Events) or participant allowance for field staff attending an international event.
Event Honorariums for Churches and Speakers
Speaker meals during their time at the event may be paid by event funds (this would be in addition to receiving their honorarium/stipend) if it was a budgeted expense. See specific instructions below.
