Protecting youth sports leagues from fraud

Posted October 10, 2019

Who would defraud a kids’ organization? The answer, unfortunately, is that trusted adults sometimes steal from not-for-profits benefiting children. Youth sports leagues and teams, for example, are ripe for fraud. Cash transactions are common, and coaches and board members usually are volunteers with little accountability.

If you or your children are involved in a youth sports league, here’s what you can do to ensure that its funds support the kids, not thieves.

Segregate duties

By far the most important step leagues can take is to segregate duties. This means that no single individual receives, records and deposits funds coming in, pays bills and reconciles bank statements.

So one person might handle deposits and payments, another would receive and reconcile bank statements and a third would monitor the budget. Also, every payment (or at least payments over a certain threshold) should be signed by two individuals. If your league has credit or debit cards, someone who isn’t an authorized card user should be assigned to review the statements.

Some simple steps

Other procedures can help prevent fraud. For example, if your league still uses paper registrations and accepts payment by cash or check, look into electronic payment options. Cash can be pocketed in the blink of an eye, and checks can be diverted to thieves’ own accounts. But with online registration, payments are deposited directly into the league’s account.

Also, monitor your league’s treasurer. People in this position are the most likely youth sports league officials to commit fraud because they have the easiest access to funds and the ability to cover their tracks. No one person should stay in the treasurer position for more than a couple of years. If funds are available, your league might consider hiring a part-time bookkeeper who will report directly to the board.

The treasurer should submit a report to the board of directors for every board meeting, with bank statements attached. And your board should receive and review financial reports at least quarterly — including when the league isn’t in season.

What fraud perpetrators hope

You may have a hard time believing that anyone in your community would steal from a youth organization. But that’s just what fraud perpetrators hope you’ll think. So put some basic fraud controls in place; then sit back and enjoy the game!