How Commissions and Fund Distribution Work
When your family works a concession stand event, you earn commissions that are credited to your family account. But before that credit reaches your account, the system may apply organizational fund deductions. This page explains the full flow from event revenue to the amount you see in your account.
How families earn commissions
The basic earning model is straightforward: your family sends workers to concession stand events, and after the event, each worker earns a share of the event's revenue. The more workers your family sends, the more your family earns.
Revenue at each event comes from multiple sources, depending on how the organization's arrangement with the venue is structured:
- Stand commissions -- the total commission amount reported for each concession stand
- Credit card tips -- tips left by customers paying with cards
- Per-person amount -- a flat rate paid per worker by the venue (for example, $15 or $20 per person depending on the venue)
These revenue sources are added together to determine the total event income.
What are fund deductions?
Before the total event income is divided among workers, the organization may deduct portions for organizational funds. These deductions support the organization's operating costs and reserves.
There are typically three fund types:
| Fund | Purpose |
|---|---|
| General Fund | Covers operational expenses like event fees, change fees, and general costs |
| Board Fund | Reserved for board-level expenses and organizational reserves |
| Insurance / Operating | Covers per-worker costs like insurance fees |
Each deduction is calculated according to rules defined in the event's settlement template. Common calculation methods include:
- Percentage of commission -- a percentage of the stand commission total (for example, 6% to the General Fund and 3% to the Board Fund)
- Per-worker flat fee -- a fixed amount per attended worker (for example, $5 per worker for insurance)
Fund deductions apply to specific revenue sources, not necessarily to the entire event income. For example, the General Fund and Board Fund percentages may apply only to stand commissions, while tips and per-person amounts pass through to families without deductions. The exact rules depend on how the settlement template is configured.
How the net payout is calculated
Here is the step-by-step flow for a typical event:
Step 1: Add up all revenue sources
Stand commissions + CC tips + per-person amounts = Total Revenue
Step 2: Calculate fund deductions
General Fund deduction (e.g., 6% of commissions)
Board Fund deduction (e.g., 3% of commissions)
Insurance fee (e.g., $5 per attended worker)
Sum of all deductions = Total Deductions
Step 3: Subtract deductions from revenue
Total Revenue - Total Deductions = Net Event Income
Step 4: Divide among workers
Net Event Income / Number of Attended Workers = Per-Worker Payout
Step 5: Credit each family
Per-Worker Payout x Number of Family Workers Attended = Family Credit
Every attended worker receives an equal share of the net event income.
Example with real numbers
Suppose your organization works a football game with two concession stands and a total of 30 assigned workers (28 attend, 2 are no-shows):
Revenue:
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stand commissions (all stands combined) | $2,461.55 |
| Credit card tips (all stands) | $350.00 |
| Per-person amount ($15 x 28 attended) | $420.00 |
| Total Revenue | $3,231.55 |
Deductions (applied to commissions only):
| Deduction | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| General Fund (6%) | $2,461.55 x 0.06 | $147.69 |
| Board Fund (3%) | $2,461.55 x 0.03 | $73.85 |
| Insurance ($5/worker) | $5.00 x 28 attended | $140.00 |
| Total Deductions | $361.54 |
Payout:
| Calculation | Result |
|---|---|
| Net Event Income | $3,231.55 - $361.54 = $2,870.01 |
| Per-Worker Payout | $2,870.01 / 28 = $102.50 |
If your family had 2 workers at this event, your family account would be credited $205.00 (2 x $102.50).
What you see in your account
When you view the commission transaction in your account ledger, StandShare shows the full breakdown so you can understand exactly how your payout was calculated:
Football Game - Stadium East
Workers: 2 family members (Jane D., Mike D.)
Stand Commissions .................. $2,461.55
CC Tips ............................ $350.00
Per-Person Amount ($15 x 28) ...... $420.00
---------
Total Revenue ...................... $3,231.55
General Fund (6%) ................. -$147.69
Board Fund (3%) ................... -$73.85
Insurance ($5 x 28) .............. -$140.00
---------
Total Deductions .................. -$361.54
Net Per-Worker Payout .............. $102.50
Your Workers: 2 .................... x 2
=========
Credited to Your Account ........... $205.00
You can access this breakdown at any time by clicking on a commission transaction in your Transaction History page. The breakdown shows every line item that was used to calculate your payout.
Events without fund deductions
Not every event applies fund deductions. For lower-revenue events (such as small college games), the organization may choose to let families keep 100% of the earnings. This is configured by assigning a different settlement template to the event -- one where the General Fund and Board Fund deduction line items are turned off.
When fund deductions are off, the calculation is simpler:
Total Revenue = $500.00
Total Deductions = $0.00
Net Event Income = $500.00
Per-Worker Payout (10 workers) = $50.00
In your transaction record, you will simply see the gross commission credited to your account with no deduction lines.
Per-event flexibility
The fund deduction configuration is not a one-size-fits-all setting. Each event can use a different settlement template or have individual line items overridden. This gives the organization flexibility to:
- Apply full deductions for high-revenue events (NFL games, major concerts)
- Skip deductions for low-revenue events to maximize family incentive
- Adjust rates for special events (different venues, different venue contracts)
- Add one-time fees or bonuses for specific events
The settlement template assigned to each event determines exactly which deductions apply and how they are calculated.
No-show fees
If a worker is assigned to an event but does not attend (a "no-show"), the family may be charged a no-show fee. This fee typically equals the per-worker payout that was lost, plus any per-worker costs (like insurance) that the organization still incurred.
For example, using the numbers from above:
No-Show Fee for one worker:
Lost Payout ........................ -$102.50
Insurance Fee Pass-Through ......... -$5.00
========
Debited from Your Account .......... -$107.50
No-show fees are configured as part of the settlement template and appear as separate debit transactions in the family's account.
Key takeaways
- Commissions are earned per worker, per event -- the more workers your family sends, the more you earn
- Fund deductions support the organization's operating costs and are transparently shown on every transaction
- The exact deduction rules are configurable per event through settlement templates
- You can always see the full, line-by-line calculation for any commission transaction in your account
- Not all events apply fund deductions -- the organization decides on a per-event basis
Next Steps
- Enter Stand Revenue — Record commission, tips, and per-person rate after an event.
- Settle an event and distribute earnings — Run settlement and create family transactions.
- Getting Started — Set up your account
- How-To Guides — Step-by-step instructions