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Today, as school districts face budget pressures and funding uncertainty, effectively managing their finances has never been more critical. A district’s ability to manage its money can directly impact students.

What’s more, it isn’t always easy to adopt the right financial practices and make the best decisions when it comes to budgets and expenditures. That’s why your school district needs to choose the right banking partner. You need a bank with the right expertise, experience, and infrastructure, and a shared commitment to the students and communities you serve.

What should your school district look for when choosing a bank? The Grant County Bank, which has worked with local school districts and governments for decades, offers these five tips for selecting the best banking partner.

Tip #1: Work with experts in government banking.

A school district’s finances are subject to state and federal regulations. It’s the reality—and the rules—that guide the financial decisions your district leaders and school board make.

The bank you work with needs to know and operate within these requirements. Local banks, like The Grant County Bank, understand and have experience with the unique rules regulating public funds.

Why it matters: When your bank has expertise in working with school districts, it can prevent errors, enable you to stay audit-ready, and serve as a trusted advisor on financial matters.

Tip #2: Choose a bank that provides the right account structures.

Your school district needs accounts that match its activity patterns and goals. The right banking partner will understand this need and offer tailored account options that address specific needs around interest earnings, cash flow requirements, and account activity.

Why it matters: Account options tailored to meet your district’s requirements can contribute to better financial performance.

Tip #3: Earn more with better rates.

School districts know every dollar counts. A local bank, with a shared interest in helping optimize your district’s finances for the benefit of students and communities, can often offer the best available rates for savings and interest-bearing accounts, as well as investment options with higher yields.

The more interest and investment income your school district can realize, the more money it will have to fund classroom needs, upgrade technology, maintain facilities, and other priorities.

Why it matters: Every extra dollar earned is one more you have for students. The right bank will work with your school district to make more of those dollars available.

Tip #4: Get local access to real people.

The customer service provided by large regional or national banks often means time on the phone with call centers and long wait times to speak to people in distant locations who know nothing about your district.

Local banks are more responsive. They offer fast, personal service from people who live in your area—and will answer the phone when you call. And because a local bank will be based right in your community, decisions stay local, to give your district faster approvals and more flexibility.

Why it matters: Managing your district’s money is a big responsibility. Great, local customer service can make it easier.

Tip #5: Work with a bank that gives back.

Your school district’s bank should be more than just a provider of financial services. It should be a community partner.

A local bank will have a vested interest in your district, the students you serve, and the people you employ. And it will show its support in multiple meaningful ways.

At The Grant County Bank, we pride ourselves on being a true community champion. Our community-building efforts include grants for teachers and local education programs, student sponsorships, and donations for school-related activities. We want the communities we serve to succeed—and we know that begins with helping students succeed.

Why it matters: Your entire district benefits when your bank is more than your bank.

Let’s make your district’s dollars go further.

Your school district has many options for who it will trust to be its banking partner. But not all those options are created equal.

Local banks offer a wealth of advantages that set them apart—and make them the best choice to entrust with your district’s money.

Contact The Grant County Bank to explore the benefits of a smarter, more community-driven approach to managing your district’s finances. Call us today or visit our website to learn more about what a local bank can do for your schools.