Volunteer Treasurer Network

Do Balance Sheets Matter?

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000+11:00

The end of financial year is a stressful time. Balancing the accounts on time and correctly can be very difficult if your records are even slightly disorganised. Add to that the production of the Annual Report and the Treasurer’s Report and you’ve got a big job on your hands.

One of the most important parts of the Treasurer’s Report is the balance sheet.

The Small Business Development Corporation of WA says,”The balance sheet is a statement of what a business owns (assets) and owes (liabilities) at a specific point in time. It lists the assets that the business owns, the liabilities owed by the business, and the value of the owner's equity (or net worth of the business).”

The balance sheet is a statement showing the financial health of the business and is a legal requirement for most organisations.

But how useful is a balance sheet? To most people who read it, all they see is a blur of numbers that mean very little. Indeed, even the full length balance sheet, usually compared to the previous year’s figures, means absolutely nothing to the layman so is there any real point in putting it in?

1. They are costly to prepare.

2. They take up time that the Treasurer could better use.

3. No one reads them anyway.

4. Very few people actually understand what they are reading.

5. The report is probably out of date by the time it is published so it doesn’t accurately reflect the financial position anymore.

6. One tiny mistake in the calculation of assets or liabilities can make the report invalid.

7. If you were debt free on 30th June but took out a huge loan on 1 July the balance sheet becomes irrelevant in your financial planning.

With all those negatives, I ask you for your opinion. Do you think that balance sheets matter?

The End Of Year Handover

2011-12-27T23:37:00.001+11:00

For many institutions, this is the time of year when you have a change in committee members. Some retire and new members are elected. It often involves the changeover of office bearers, too. For the outgoing treasurer, you will need to have the books audited and prepared for the new treasurer to take over.

The books

• Clearly record all outstanding invoices to be paid
• Clearly record any monies still owed to the organisation
• Finalise as many accounts as possible
• Reconcile the books
• Book an auditor to audit your records

At The AGM

• Present your report
• Present the auditor’s findings

After the AGM

• Meet with the new treasurer
• Make sure that your bookwork and papers are complete prior to handover
• Include the auditor’s report
• Arrange for change of signatories at the bank
• Familiarise the new treasurer with your filing and recording systems
• Together with the new treasurer, complete your final BAS report

This is a simple list of the things most committees will need to do. If yours is a large organisation, the process will be more detailed but the principles still hold true.

We have a more detailed guide (cheat sheet) that takes you step by step through the handover process. It was prepared in conjunction with Canberra Preschool Society Inc. If this is your first handover, print out a copy and it will help keep you on track.

The Letter of Comfort

2011-11-30T00:13:00.000+11:00

We’ve talked before about the importance of managing your finances but sometimes, particularly when your Board of Management is inexperienced, you can run into difficulties. In fact, sometimes even major organisations need their support. Recently, Forestry Tasmania was issued with a Letter of Comfort from the Tasmanian Treasurer guaranteeing its ability to repay a loan. We’ve also seen a couple of smaller organisations require one recently.

The Letter of Comfort had almost disappeared but lately seems to have been making a comeback. Given the economic climate, that probably should not be a surprise. In this post we discuss letters of comfort, what they are and what impact they might have on your organisation. It might be something you come across shortly.

In financial terms a letter of comfort is a letter from a parent organisation to or on behalf of a subsidiary, offering support to the subsidiary’s assurance that they can and will honour their debts and loans.

Creditors and or Lenders may request a letter of comfort from a subsidiary before they will put a hold on legal proceedings that may be started against them to recover outstanding monies and it is usually issued as a form of back up from the parent organisation to assist them to cover their debts or loans.

Many companies and money lenders will accept a letter of comfort as a reassurance that they will get their money, even if no clear terms of action or promise of financial assistance are outlined.

If your organisation is struggling financially, a letter of comfort from your parent organisation will give you room to breathe.

If you have organisations under you, you may one day be advised to write a letter of comfort as an alternative to a legally binding contract that outlines your intentions to undersign financial responsibility for a subsidiary, but you should be aware that under certain circumstances a letter of comfort can be deemed to be as legally binding as any contract.

If your letter is found to promise financial support in a court of law, you may become liable for all or some of the subsidiary’s debts and loans.

Be very careful in how you word your letter, leave nothing open to interpretation and consider using dot points to clarify what you are or are not willing to assume financial responsibility for.

A carefully worded letter of comfort may ease the minds of creditors without placing you under any legal obligation to provide financial assistance. However, in the case that any form of financial assistance is offered by the parent organisation, you would be well advised to seek professional advice about creating a legally binding contract, so that your intentions cannot be misinterpreted and your good will taken advantage of in the event that the child or subsidiary cannot actually honour their debt.

Australian Government Support For Volunteers

2011-10-26T01:37:00.000+11:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

The Office for the Not for Profit sector advises the value of volunteering in the Not-for-Profit sector is “estimated at $14.6 billion in unpaid work to our economy,” and with many community, government and not for profit organisations relying on the 713 million hours of unpaid work each year undertaken by volunteers to operate.

Australian census data also tells us that since 1995 the adult population who reported to have 'volunteered' in the previous 12 months increased from 24% to 35% in 2006. This is exceptional news for people and communities across the country, who are connected and empowered by volunteering, and add to a sense of community, identity and personal confidence.

It is therefore in the best interests of the Australian Government to support and encourage volunteering in the community, and they do so in a variety of ways.

A great starting point is Volunteering Australia, a one stop shop regardless of what side of the volunteering fence you are on. This site lists all relevant state, territory and local volunteer organisations, as well as free resources, news, events, policy information and training resources.

Current information on Volunteer Grants is available as well as programs to encourage International Volunteer programs, with ‘Voluntourism’ becoming more and more popular for Australians of all ages.

Corporate volunteering is of particular benefit to the Not for Profit sector and creates new opportunities for organisations to access volunteers with professional expertise that they might otherwise be unable to access due to financial and recruitment constraints. Click here to learn more about the benefits of corporate volunteering to not-for-profits organisations.

Without volunteers, meals would not be cooked and delivered to the elderly and infirm, storm and natural disaster recovery would be near impossible, community and sporting events would be without first aid services and children in classrooms all over the country would have less literacy, numeracy and general education support.

Corporate Governance

2011-09-28T03:10:00.000+10:00

Every not-for-profit organisation is established for the benefit of its members and other groups that it deals with. In order for this to occur effectively and efficiently, a clear set of goals and objectives is needed so that your organisation can reach the heights that it intends to. Put simply, this is what corporate governance is all about. Think of it as a “plan and road-map to success” which allows your organisation to combine your intended community service objectives with the financial objectives that need to be achieved.

After having established the “road-map”, which includes listing the core vision and values of the organisation as well as clear performance targets to move towards the organisation’s objectives, it is important to assess whether or not the organisation is achieving its intended aims. Such evaluation is an integral part of the process so that the organisation is accountable to the members, who are then assured that the organisation is acting in their best interests.

An effectively managed not-for-profit organisation, with proven performance and leadership by a capable board/committee of management, will not only ensure that the organisation survives during the tough times, but thrives at all times. This benefits members in countless ways and enables the organisation to achieve further growth with more people willing to join the organisation in its ventures (increased membership, higher reputation in the field and the possibility of establishing further links with other stakeholders in the form of sponsorship).

How much more will your organisation benefit from an enhanced corporate governance structure?

How To Teach Finance To Your Board

2011-08-24T07:58:00.001+10:00

As Treasurer, the management and control of the financial reports falls to you. Aren’t you lucky?

If you have read some of our interviews with treasurers, you will have noticed that they comment on how big that responsibility is especially when the members of the board or committee don’t really understand what you are talking about. Many reports are approved on sheer trust and that isn’t a good basis for decision making. It leaves treasurers feeling very vulnerable.

Sometimes it will fall to you to teach the board about how to read the reports and what they really mean. You might even have to show them that they are responsible for the contents of the report, whether or not they understand it. For some members you might have to start at the beginning and show them what basic accounting and finance is all about.

Our Community has developed a simple, online course that will help you teach finance to the members of your committee.

The course starts at the very beginning and explains what financial reports are and what they should cover. It gives readers a basic view of accounting, bookkeeping and financial controls. It isn’t an in-depth course but it will give the members of a committee a better understanding of the role of the treasurer and what the reports actually mean.

The course is free to do and will help the members of your committee to support you better in your work as treasurer.

Heart and Soul Grants for Your Organisation

2011-07-29T03:53:00.000+10:00

This clever competition will make you think. It's exclusively open to NFP's and voluntary organisations in Australia and New Zealand. It's a little different because it asks you to be creative with your entry. In fact, it asks you to be poetic about your mission. If you are clever enough, you will win a Heart and Soul grant.

So, its fun and rewarding. I wish you luck.

CTK Foundation Heart and Soul Australia New Zealand Announcement from Community TechKnowledge on Vimeo.

Looking for exposure?

2011-07-28T08:46:00.000+10:00

Cavill and Co have published an offer that might be of interest to not-for-profit organisations.

They are working with a leading FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) client that is seeking to establish a partnership and make a significant investment into an Australian charity and provide mass market exposure via promotion on its product.

Does this sound like something that would be of benefit to your organisation?

You can apply on site. The process is broken down into simple steps, each with advice. You have nothing to lose so why not have a go?

The closing date for submissions from potential NPO partners is Thursday 4 August at 5pm.

Interview With A Treasurer

2011-07-27T10:46:00.000+10:00

We recently spoke to the treasurer of a community group about their role in the organisation and the challenges they face.

1. What do you love about the role of treasurer?

I know that people tend to think of small not-for-profit organisations as casual and with no real budget to worry about. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We are not-for-profit, yes, but we have a budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars to manage. We have all the demands of a regular workplace – salaries, overheads, budget limitations and the lot. You can’t just leave it to anyone to manage the budget. You have to know what you are doing. That’s why I took on the role.

2. What has been the hardest part of your job?

Well, when I first took over this role there was a big mess that I had to clean up. The previous treasurer had done some account fiddling and there was money missing. I had to go back through our financial history and look for irregularities and make sure that we were still financially viable as an organisation.

It was very fiddly and detailed work and even worse, there were a lot of people in the organisation who were quite upset at being duped. They blamed themselves for not keeping an eye on the accounts, too. And they should have.

3. So should the treasurer be accountable to someone?

Of course. For the safety of the individual as much as the safety of the organisation, the finances should never be left to one person to manage. I report to a board of management but even so, they don’t quite understand the accounts fully. Part of my job is to teach them so that they get the whole picture and not just what the treasurer tells them.

4. What would you like to change?

I’d like to change the attitude to the role. Everyone thinks that treasurers have a boring job but really it’s dynamic and involving. It’s strategic, too, not just about counting the numbers. It’s about long term planning so that the organisation can stay in business.

Without good monetary control that goes beyond keeping track of your bills, no committee or organisation will be able to function.

Free NFP Success Course

2011-06-22T04:00:00.003+10:00

How successful is your NFP? If it’s struggling, you could probably do with some help. That’s where Westpac comes in.

7 Steps to Successful NFP is a free course offered by the Davidson Institute as part of Westpac’s commitment to financial education. The course offers an introduction to key financial management concepts in an easy to follow, practical format.

The course description says:

“This short course will provide you with valuable tips and tools that can assist you in understanding the key financial drivers of a successful organisation.”

At only 1 ½ hours in length, this course won’t eat into your day but it will make a difference to the way you operate.

The course is being presented around the country during the first week of July and places are still available.

To check the dates and locations of this course visit the Davidson Institute now.

Passing The Buck

2011-05-25T03:00:00.000+10:00

When your term of office as a Treasurer comes to an end, there is a simple but clear process for handing over the bookkeeping responsibilities to the new Treasurer.

Firstly, it is imperative that you make sure that all of your financial records are up to date, even if there are monies outstanding or invoices unpaid for some reason. As long as you have it all clearly recorded, the new office bearer can move easily into the role and the financial administration can continue to run smoothly.

Many committees don't remember to have their books audited but it makes sense to have a complete audit before you hand the books over to someone new. You will then have a clear record of the state of the finances at the point of handover. Many accountants will offer their auditing services free of charge if you are a small NFP organisation so make enquiries with your local accounting services.

When you contact the bank to organise for any new signatories to be added to the account, don’t forget to get the necessary paperwork for removing anyone who no longer holds a role as signatory within your organisation. Otherwise you can end up with a long list of people who can move money in and out of the NF’s bank account/s and it can become very difficult to maintain accurate banking records. That can obviously expose you to some risk.

Always hand over every historical financial record to the new Treasurer. Although legally you are only required to keep records for the past seven years, it can be a handy reference tool when it comes to expenses and investments, so it often pays for an NFP to keep them for much longer.

Finally, spend some time with the new treasurer and show them how the system works. Every system is a little different and it is important that they can follow an audit trail if they need to look up an older transaction.

A good handover means a smooth progression for the role so take the time you need together.

Is Social Influence Important?

2011-04-27T10:36:00.000+10:00

Once upon a time fundraising was all about knocking on doors, making hundreds of lamingtons or selling raffle tickets. These days with the rise in popularity of social media comes a new way to raise money; through online social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs or LinkedIn. Not only are these methods free to use, the potential audience reach can mean a very successful campaign for a non-profit organisation.

Facebook

Aside from creating a page for your campaign and starting a fundraiser via a Facebook page, one of the most well-known social fundraising tools is called Facebook Causes.

Twitter

Also has a special platform called Twitplay. Twitplay works especially well because of the viral nature of Twitter – donations are created based on re-tweets which means more visibility and in turn, more donations.

Blog

Create a blog post, or series of blog posts on your fundraising campaign, your organisation, personal testimonials or stories using photos, videos and guest bloggers. This will create a more personal side to your non-profit organisation instead of just being seen as a large organisation.

You can also add a PayPal button at the end of the post (or posts) which will encourage and motivate people to donate.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn gets far less attention than other social networking sites but if used cleverly, it can really generate big business for non-profits by building on connections. LinkedIn also has search tools which will enable you to locate and find excellent prospects. You can target your search geographically, by industry or by keywords.

If you want to know more about LinkedIn and the first steps you should take, there is an excellent blog post entitled Getting to know LinkedIn written by Gayle Roberts.

So, back to the question – is social influence important? Without a doubt, yes. It is an essential way to raise money and awareness of a campaign in modern times and without it your non-profit organisation is not only missing out on potential sources for raising funds, but also awareness for your cause.

New ATO Guide for NFP Sporting Clubs

2011-03-23T06:22:00.001+11:00

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has released a new guide, Income tax exemption and sporting clubs. The guide is for office bearers and advisers of non-profit clubs to use when self-assessing if they are exempt from income tax as a society, association or club established for the encouragement of a game or sport.

The guide is available from the ATO website only.

You can use the guide to determine if your society, association or club is established for the encouragement of a game or sport. The guide includes summaries of three Federal Court cases and three Administrative Appeal Tribunal decisions to help clubs that conduct extensive non-sporting activities (in addition to their sporting activities) determine their income tax status.

Where you are satisfied that your club is exempt from income tax, you do not need to seek approval from The ATO.

This situation may vary in the future of your club or organisation depending on your growth andthe type of activities you undertake in the future.

Download a copy of the document to help you work out or confirm your status.

22 Fundraising Ideas for Not-for-Profit Organisations

2011-02-23T15:43:00.000+11:00

I found this clip on YouTube and thought that it had some great ideas for fundraising, especially for smaller organisations.

It goes for around 10 minutes but it is well worth watching. You may already be doing some of these things but all it takes is one new idea to lift your fundraising to the next level.

Interview with a Volunteer Treasurer.

2011-01-28T11:22:00.001+11:00

Volunteer treasurer roles are always demanding, no matter how small the organisation is. We spoke to the volunteer Treasurer of a local kindergarten about the role and found that the frustrations and responsibilities were just as difficult to manage.

What frustrations have you found as Treasurer?

• Often it can be hard to find and space to work with minimal distractions when I come in because other people also need to use the office space or equipment. Alternative work spaces in the kindergarten complex can also get quite busy and noisy especially because I work while the children are having their sessions.

• Invoices and receipts are not always in the correct files and I get annoyed when I have to hunt for them. There are too many people handling too much paperwork and not everyone knows what they are doing with it.

• We use the paper cheque system here and I find it slow and frustrating, especially when trying to catch up with the Director when I need cheques signed so that I can post them out.

• We don’t have a petty cash system for the staff to use so they pay for small items themselves and furnish me with a receipt. I then have to write cheques for small amounts to reimburse them.

What changes would you make if you could?

• If I had the choice I would change from the paper cheque system to online bank transfers because it is cheaper and easier. There seems to be a lot of double handling with the cheque system.

• I would like to have petty cash on hand for the staff to use. That brings its own problems, of course, but it will still be cheaper in the long run.

• I would like to be able to pick up the files I need at a set time each week and process them in my home office. If we used the online model I could work at any place at any time and probably be far more productive.

• A simple online system would be easier to manage. All the committee members would be able to see at a glance what was going on although I don't think they should be allowed to alter it. That responsibility should stay with the Treasurer.

I look at the issues confronting this treasurer and see the solution in front of me. Admin Bandit software will overcome most of the issues that treasurers have to deal with and will produce your reports for you on demand. At 25c per day even the smallest NFP can afford the software. In fact, for 25c per day you can't afford to be without it.

Westpac and Organisational Mentoring.

2010-12-22T11:16:00.000+11:00

It's always good to see large companies giving back to the people, and Westpac has launched a program that will have on-going benefits for many in the broader community.

The Organisational Mentoring Program is designed to support and encourage Not For Profit (NFP) management officers and staff through skills transfer and coaching from Westpac staff.

Westpac are understandably proud of their upcoming 200 year anniversary, and are keen to share their knowledge of business sustainability with close to fifty NFPs, Indigenous organisations and social enterprises throughout Australia that they have already included in this program.

Westpac hopes that the general skill development that their program offers will have a positive influence on the wider community.

Our Governor General, Quentin Bryce, was at the launch of The Organisational Mentoring Program and she applauded the bank's move to help develop the leadership, HR processes and work culture of the organisations they have taken under their wing.

Leading on from Westpac's successful pilot of The Organisational Mentoring Program in 2008 with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) they have further developed their innovative skills transfer initiatives.

This mentoring model is seen as an opportunity for Westpac employees to develop leadership and coaching practices while helping to influence improvement and business sustainability through an exchange of management tools and methods for ongoing business improvement.

Not only do the mentors offer skill development in financial sectors, but they coach in better workplace practices, engaging employee commitment and reducing the sometimes high levels of employee turnover.

We hope that this scheme broadens even further, allowing many more Not For Profit groups to benefit from the intitiative.

Well done Westpac.

Engaging Younger Generations on NFP boards

2010-11-25T15:35:00.000+11:00

A recent study* found 62 per cent of NFP board members were aged 50 years of over. Those aged between 30 and 49 (mainly Gen X) represented 36 per cent of board members, and a mere 2 per cent were under 30 years old. That means almost an entire generation, Gen Y (those born between 1981 and 2002) are not represented on NFP boards.

In the article, Why Don’t More Members of Gens X and Y Join Boards? Emily Heard outlines some of the reasons why younger people are hesitant to join boards. They include a reluctance of older generations to involve the younger and the general tendency of people to recruit others like themselves.

So how do you overcome this and engage younger people on NFP boards?

• Appoint a youth co-ordinator to take responsibility for young members to engage and recruit them at a volunteer level.

• Use marketing strategies to ‘speak to youth’. Review your advertising and target publications specifically for youth such as street presses, music magazines, FM radio, internet etc.

• Let your existing members and supporters know you are actively seeking youth involvement and use them to spread the word and find people they know might be interested.

• Set up a mentoring program so that all members (young and older) can exchange knowledge and ideas.

• Adapt NFP organisation rules and procedures to accommodate younger people and instigate extra training programs.

• Give a clear outline of what is expected so they know their duties and how they can fit into the organisation.

Considering Gen Y is the second largest generational demographic (behind the Baby Boomers) it is clear there is a definite lack of age diversity on NFP boards. The benefits of attracting younger people to NFP boards are numerous and it is important the next generation of leaders are recruited now.

* BoardSource: Nonprofit Governance Index 2007

I'm on a committee

2010-10-27T14:49:00.000+11:00

Saw this funny poem in the Heart Support - Australia newsletter and thought you might enjoy it too.

Oh, give me some pity, I’m on a committee.
Which means that from morning to night,
We attend, and amend, and contend, and defend,
Without a conclusion in sight.

We confer and concur, we defer and demur,
And reiterate all of our thoughts.
We revise the agenda with frequent addenda,
And consider a load of reports.

We compose and propose, we suppose and oppose,
And the points of procedure are fun!
But though various notions are brought up as motions
There’s terribly little gets done.

We resolve and absolve, but we never dissolve,
Since it’s out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity to end our committee,
Where else could we make such a fuss?

Is this your experience of being on a committee. :-)

Why Good Financial Management is Essential

2010-10-27T08:24:00.001+11:00

Not-for-profit refers to the fact that no individual will gain from the profits earned by an organisation, but any well run organisation should be achieving some level of profit so it can meet the needs of its members or beneficiaries and to stay solvent.

Good financial management of an NFP is as important as it is for any other organisation or company. They require sound budgeting, receipting and invoicing and cash flow practices and should be audited at least annually to maintain the accuracy of all financial records.

NFP is still a business so it is important to know the financial position at any time. How else will you know which activities are profitable and which are costing you money? The Board of Management is responsible for the financial health of the organisation and if it is mismanaged, its members are often liable. Do you really want to risk your personal assets?

Members of the NFP and other members of the community that have supported their cause need to be able to see how their money has been used and the financial records need to be open to question and accessible at all times to all members. Technically, anyone who is a member can walk in and ask to see the books when they feel like it. Your books must be maintained to professional standards.

Financial management of an NFP organisation is a responsibility that is taken on by usually one or a small group of people but no matter what your role, it is important that you have a basic understanding of accounting processes so that you know that everything is being done properly.

Finance, Administration and Back Office Awards (FABO) finalists announced

2010-09-30T15:48:00.003+10:00

The Finance, Administration and Back Office Awards (the FABOs) are an opportunity to recognise the huge contribution that non-profit organisations make to the Australian community and to recognise the ‘quiet achievers’, the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes of our non-profit sector.

The 2010 finalists have been decided. Judges selected forty finalists in nine categories from well over 200 nominees, more than expected for the FABO’s inaugural year. And it was a tough decision!

The aim of the FABO Awards is to celebrate and publicly appreciate the contributions made by those people who spend their time working behind the scenes of our non-profit organisations and social enterprises, people in Finance, Administration, IT, Human Resources.

All nominees and finalists will be recognised at the FABO Gala Dinner Celebration, 18 October in Sydney.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the Gala dinner go to the FABO website.

Fraud in Not-for-Profit Organisations

2010-09-30T11:03:00.001+10:00

Fraud in not-for-profit organisations is, sadly, not a rare event. If you do an internet search you will find lots of reports of court cases where a committee member has stolen funds from a community group. Often the group is something small like a volunteer fire brigade or kinder committee and they are the ones who can least afford the loss.

The problem with smaller not-for-profit groups is that they are often from small communities where it is hard to find someone who is willing to take on one of the roles. Sometimes members hold roles on a couple of different committees so they tend to do their own jobs and not worry about the rest. I'm sure you know people just like this.

This leaves the organisation open to misuse of funds. Reading reports of some of the court cases will show you that people accept the roles in good faith but that, through unfortunate circumstances or a gambling addiction, they begin dipping into funds which they can never pay back. It's sad for the organisation and the individual that usually this goes on for a long time before it is discovered.

What can you do to help reduce the risk of this happening in your organisation?

1. Identify the areas of potential risk.

2. Develop a plan to monitor the situation.

3. Take action.

For smaller groups this means actively working with the treasurer to help record and monitor your invoices and payments. It means not leaving the control to one person. An accounting system like Admin Bandit can bring some control to your bookkeeping because it is harder to 'fudge' than manual accounts.

If you are the treasurer for your organisation you need to protect yourself from risk by having at least two signatures on each cheque and regularly having the cash tin counted and balanced against your books. It means asking for help when risky or difficult work comes in.

The risk of fraud is always present but if you can minimise the opportunity you will be protecting your organisation's future.

Canberra accounting software rewarded for helping community

2010-09-23T12:03:00.000+10:00

Senator Kate Lundy presents ACS award to Nerida Gill

Admin Bandit online accounting software continues to sweep the awards pool with its eighth major accolade in four years, receiving the ACS Canberra ICT Community Award at the awards ceremony on 16 September 2010.

“Our software is fast developing a reputation as the premier financial management tool for Australia’s grass roots community and non-profit groups,” said Admin Bandit Director, Nerida Gill.

“The ACS is the peak body for ICT professionals, so to have our peers recognise our commitment to supporting community life in this country is a terrific endorsement,” she continued.

Admin Bandit has produced the only accounting software tailored to the unique needs of organisations at the grass roots of the community sector. It solves the many problems faced by volunteer treasures by providing users with the exact tools for meeting their legal responsibilities, including BAS, audits and monthly committee reports.

Award presenter Senator Kate Lundy MP said, “I am thrilled to present this award to Admin Bandit Online because it is a fantastic financial management software that supports hard-working volunteers who are contributing to their community”.

The award is another feather in Admin Bandit’s cap for what is turning out to be an exceptional year. In the last 12-months, the company has continued to upgrade its web-based software application, secured an internationally-renowned investor, won the nation’s most prestigious ICT award and represented Australia at the Asia Pacific ICT awards. Meanwhile, Ms Gill was crowned the Women in Information and Communication’s woman of the year for her contribution and role as mentor in the ICT industry.

“These successes are a great boost for our morale and credibility,” Ms Gill said. “However, as a former volunteer treasurer, the biggest reward is giving community and non-profit organisations a tailor-made product to modernise their financial management. Ultimately, that results in an enriched community life for us all.”

Photo by Emily White Photography

Settling in as a Volunteer Treasurer.

2010-08-26T12:47:00.000+10:00

Are you new to the role of Treasurer? Sometimes when you agree to take on a new role the other committee members forget to tell you what the job entails. If you haven't been a treasurer before it can be a bit overwhelming.

Some time ago at Admin Bandit we put together this clip to help people start off on the right foot. I hope it helps you to get settled into the role.

Coming to a Consensus

2010-07-28T15:33:00.000+10:00

Over at the Admin Bandit blog we have been talking about decision making by consensus. In a 2 part series we looked at what consensus really is and then the steps committees need to go through when using the consensus model.

It pays to have a consensus when making decisions about finances so we thought we should bring you a summary of the consensus process and why it works so well. For a more detailed explanation you can drop into the Admin Bandit blog.

Consensus means ‘by general agreement’. It doesn’t mean that everyone agrees with the decision but it does mean that everyone can accept it. The power of consensus is that the decision is supported by the group. No member disagrees to such an extent that he or she will undermine the result.

There is a fairly firm procedure to go through in this model of decision making. The steps are:

1. Present the proposal to the group.

Be as clear as you can about what the proposal covers. The more work you can put into this proposal the more likely it is that the next stages will go smoothly.

2. Question time.

Let committee members get the clarification they need. People need to be sure that they understand the proposal and some need more information than others.

3. Open Discussion

The committee is encouraged to talk it through. You may find that you need to make some alterations to the original proposal – clarify, rephrase or even remove bits.

4. Call for consensus.

Ask you committee for their agreement. Find out who is not yet satisfied and identify the issues. Once you know the objections you can usually redraft the proposal to suit.

5. Present rephrased/rewritten proposal and call for consensus.

This is usually a formality by this stage. All concerns have been addressed and your proposal modified so you should reach consensus now.

6. Work out objections.

If there are still objections at this point you will have 2 options. Firstly, you can guage the extent of the objection. It might be that the member can 'live with it' and will agree with the others. The other option is for when the objection cannot be overcome and that is to scrap the proposal and start again.

Consensus is a powerful thing and it is worth the time it takes to reach it. Just imagine how strong and united your committee would be if they could reach consensus on all of the decisions?

ATO News Service

2010-06-25T06:41:00.010+10:00

Did you know that the Australian Taxation Office has a free news service relevant to the Not For Profit sector? This is a free service where emailed information is sent out at a time to suit you - daily, weekly or monthly.

"The Non-Profit News Service will keep you up-to-date on key tax issues affecting the non-profit sector, new publications we release for non-profit organisations, and changes to the tax law. This is a free service through our email updates."

This service is very useful and although there will be releases that don't apply to your area of NFP there are releases that might prove vital to you. The emails keep you up to date on changes within the Budget, tell you when important events occur such as the mail out of franking credit refunds or about alterations to the deductible gift register.

This is a simple way to stay up to date with important changes in legislation and government activity that may affect your NFP All it will cost you is your email address.

Women's Leadership Grants 2010/11

2010-06-15T13:43:00.003+10:00

Applications are now open for the second round of Victorian Women's Leadership Grants. The Women's Leadership Grants are part of the Victorian Government's commitment to creating a community where women have equal representation and can fully participate in all aspects of community and public life. Grants of up to $20,000 will be available to local councils, non-profit community and women's groups in Victoria for projects and activities that increase the capacity of women to participate in decision making; increase opportunities for women's leadership; increase diversity amongst Victoria's female leaders in particular women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and rural and regional areas. Applications close Tuesday, 3 August 2010. For more information go here.

Here's to the leadership of volunteer treasurers..

Using Facebook for Fundraising

2010-05-28T10:50:00.002+10:00

If you thought that Facebook was a waste of time or perhaps useless for charities and not-for-profit organisations you might want to think again. Take a look at how The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal used Facebook for fundraising.

The charity set up its page in the weeks leading up to the event and had around 38.000 members within a few weeks. A report by Pro Bono News quotes the appeal director who says "....the Facebook page went from hundreds of fans joining up each day to thousands as the Appeal got closer – with each fan telling their own story of appreciation and care from the Royal Children’s Hospital. She says as it got closer to the day the fans then began urging each other to donate as well as connecting up with families they had met at the hospital over the years."

The beauty of social media is that your fans become your campaigners as they each spread the word about your good work.

Have you set up your Facebook page yet? If not, you could be missing out on some potential income.

Kookaburra Awards - Community Groups, Projects and Individuals

2010-04-25T11:59:00.000+10:00

We received an email this week about the Kookaburra Awards. Nominations close on May 12th.

Our Community and Westpac are undertaking a search to find Australia’s Kookaburras – the loud and proud stirrers – the community groups, the people and the projects that changed our communities for the better.

The 2010 Kookaburra Awards will offer prizes to individuals, groups and projects that really made a difference – that stretch people’s vision of what’s possible in Australia’s society today.

At times, we might think of these people as ratbags, or cranks, or worse.

We call them radical, or subversive, or infuriatingly single-minded. But we can’t deny that they made a difference in the world. Nominate now for a 2010 Kookaburra Award!

There are prizes for:

COMMUNITY GROUPS: It’s not about being the biggest, or the best resourced, or the highest-profile group, it’s about being a group that does what it does brilliantly – and one that stands out as a bea con of innovative community leadership and works to change things for the better.

PROJECTS: It’s not about having a project that brought in a large grant, or came in below budget. We’re looking for projects that have changed people’s lives; that make people say “Gosh, I didn’t know you could do that. Awesome!”

INDIVIDUALS: It’s not about being a saint, or a guru, or a great philanthropist: it’s about being some one who can bring ordinary people along with a movement to change their lives, and ours.
Each winner will receive a total prize package valued at more than $10,000, plus free tickets (including flights and accommodation for those outside Victoria) to attend Australia’s best community conference – Communities in Control 2010. The winners will be announced at the conference in front of an audience of 1500 community groups, MPs and dignitaries.

If you know of people, groups and projects in your community that fit that description, make sure their names are put forward for a Kookaburra Award. Nominate Now

Does your committee understand your reports?

2010-04-22T15:21:00.003+10:00

One of the hardest things about being a treasurer is that you feel like you are totally responsible for the finances of your agency. Could it be the way people run for cover when they see you and your reports coming that makes you feel that way? Perhaps it is the way the collective eyes of your committee members glaze over the moment your report is introduced?

The role of treasurer is yours but the financial decisions are made by the committee, not by you alone. That means that all committee members are equally responsible and need to understand the reports that you are presenting.

At one regional Community Health Service it became quite obvious to the treasurer that Board members didn't understand the reports they were getting. Some members were not even familiar with accounting terminology so discussing liquidity and profit ratios sent them off into a vacant mental space. You can't afford to let that happen. In this case, the treasurer decided to make a special presentation to the Board which explained in simple terms how the finances worked across the agency. Each Board member was given a booklet which explained the terms used in a treasurer's report along with a simple explanation of the budget process. The examples in the report were specific to the agency so they were quite real to the readers. While this didn't turn them into financial experts it did give them enough information that they could read and question the treasurer's reports.

You might not have to go this far with the members of your committee but I think part of your role will always have to include teaching people to understand simple financial reports. It shifts the load from your shoulders and puts it back where it should have been - spread fairly across the shoulders of every committee member.

At your next meeting watch the faces of your committee members. Do they look as though they understand what you are saying? If they don't you need to take some action.

Participate in the NFP Risk Survey - Great prizes to be won

2010-03-22T07:50:00.000+11:00

I received this email recently and I hope you are able to help out this charity. You may win yourself some great prizes while doing so.

A local charity was collecting gifts for underprivileged children for Christmas. They worked very hard and collected a number of gifts from people in the community. A member of the public donated a small electric toy of the more "economical" variety that, unfortunately, must have bypassed safety testing on the way into the country. While in storage it caught fire and burned down all the donated gifts AND the offices of the charity concerned. I wonder if this was a type of risk that any of the devastated staff at the charity have even considered?

The management of risk plays an enormous role in the success of your organisation. It is with this in mind, I'd like to invite you to participate in the 2010 Not-for-Profit Risk Survey. The survey is being undertaken to gain an understanding of the risks facing not-for-profit organisations from around the world. The results will be used to make nonprofit organisations more aware of the key risks that could impact on the success of their organisation. As a participant you will be one of the first to recieve a copy of the final report on its release.

The survey is designed to be simple to complete and should not take more than 15 minutes. If you wish, you can choose to remain anonymous but if you complete the survey by 10 April and provide your details, you will go into the draw to win one your choice of four fabulous prizes ...

64GB Apple iPod Touch valued at approx $540;

Playstation 3 Console (Slim) 120GB valued at approx $465;

Dell S561207AU Inspiron Mini 10” Netbook valued at approx $490; or

Olympus Tough 8000 Black 12 MP Digital Camera valued at approx $475.

All participants who provide their contact details will receive a copy of the survey findings. I would really appreciate it if you also could forward this along to others in the sector from around the world to help us to create the most comprehensive resource possible. Click here to complete the survey.

The survey will be authored by Lisa Bundesen, a PPB Partner and one of Australia's foremost experts in risk management and fraud control in the Not-for-Profit sector along with Andrew Morgan, a PPB Director with considerable experience in the identification and management of risk in business.

The deadline for participation is Friday 10 April 2010 to complete the survey. If you have technical difficulties or would like any clarification on questions, please contact Andrew Morgan of PPB at amorgan@ppb.com.au
I hope you'll be able to be a part of this great initiative. Please click here to complete the survey.

Changes to BAS Tax Agent Legislation

2010-03-18T06:37:00.002+11:00

The new BAS Tax Agent Legislation has come into effect 1st March 2010 and it is likely to have an impact on you. It sets the new standards for BAS and Tax Agents.

The new Tax Practitioners Board says that "Bookkeepers who prepare business activity statements (BAS) other than as employees will be required to register as BAS agents. To help them transition into the new arrangements, those who have been providing BAS services immediately before 1 March will be able to register by notifying the board within six months."

There is a FAQ section on the website which explains the changes in detail including arrangements for transitional agents.

From now on when you use the services of a bookkeeper you will need to be sure that they meet certain requirements including registration and experience levels. From 1 July 2011 BAS Agents will need to have professional indemnity insurance.

If you use the services of a bookkeeper you need to familiarise yourself with these changes for your own protection.

For more information, please visit the Tax Practitioners Board website at http://www.tpb.gov.au/.

Record Keeping for Smaller Not-For-Profits

2010-02-27T16:44:00.000+11:00

No matter how small your organisation is you need to have an efficient record-keeping system in place. Keeping the paperwork straight can sometimes be the messiest part of the job but it is your responsibility to do so. It is this information which the committee will use as a basis for its financial decisions.

The Australian Taxation Office says that the basic records you may need to maintain are:

*cash book records of daily receipts and payments
*GST tax invoices and income tax records, such as debtors and creditors lists, stocktake records and motor vehicle expenses
*records of payments relating to employees, such as PAYG withholding, superannuation and fringe benefits payments
*records of payments withheld from suppliers who do not quote an ABN, and
*bank reconciliation statements.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants recommends that you also keep these records:

Asset Register – recording any office equipment
Insurance File – containing details of any insurances
Statutory File – containing Constitution, Minutes, etc.

Next time you are sighing over your record-keeping responsibilities remember that they also form part of your protection should something go wrong. Decisions can be questioned months after they were made especially if they weren't minuted properly. These records are the paper part of an audit trail that investigators will be searching through looking for their answers. Keep them well and keep them carefully.

Why you should reconcile your accounts....seriously!

2009-11-11T17:58:00.007+11:00

Kylie Short from Tilda Virtual specialises in providing administrative support, bookkeeping, online marketing, e-newsletter design, website design and technical support. She is passionate about good book keeping and has provided this great article about reconciling your books that applies equally to business as it does to the volunteer treasurer in a community organisation.

"It’s an issue I come a cross often, incorrect or no reconcilation of accounts and it still amazes me to see it. I can’t imagine not reconciling the accounts and don’t understand why people are so laid back about doing it. Reconciling your accounts are important for a number of reasons:

It picks up any missing transactions that you may have misplaced a receipt for;
It picks up any transactions that should not have gone through your bank account;
It picks up over payments to suppliers;
It picks up over payments by customers;
It’s good business practice to do it.

When reconciling your accounts under no circumstances do you ‘make up’ transactions just to make it balance. If the accounts don’t reconcile after you’ve ticked the statement and ticked the transactions in your software, then you need to start again from the beginning to find the mistake. One trick I have is to reconcile the bank statement on a page by page basis. Try reconciling the first page, if it balances then mark it reconciled and move onto the next page. Going page by page is a great way to find the mistake and you’ll soon have it finished.

After you have reconciled your bank accounts mark the statement as reconciled and file it so you can find it later. If you are ever audited you’ll need your bank statements and it can get quite costly to replace them. I personally don’t print all the reconciliation reports but it’s a good idea to print them to PDF and file them on your computer so you can find them later.

If the idea of reconciling your accounts gives you the chills or makes you want to head for the hills, give me a call on 03 9013 8389. My team and I would love to help you!"

If you operate a home-based business, Kylie Short can help you become more successful through her virtual assistance business, Tilda Virtual Services.

How to Fraudproof Your Not-for-profit Organisation

2009-09-09T17:03:00.010+10:00

Research shows most companies have been defrauded in the last 10 years. If you don't think you have then you need to attend this seminar.

An organisation should never say “it can’t happen to me”. Fraud can occur in any organisation. If you want to implement appropriate controls and processes to reduce the likelihood of fraud in your organisation it is important to first understand why people commit fraud and what are the major fraud risk areas for in your organisation.

Armed with that knowledge, you can then put in place appropriate processes to curb the opportunities for fraud to occur in your the organisation - pick it up quickly if it does occur. The longer fraud goes undetected, the greater the impact on the organisation.

Benefits of Attending

When you attend one of Lisa's workshops, you will:

Gain an understanding of why people commit fraud;
Understand the main fraud risk areas for nonprofits;
Develop a fraud control process including:
- A Fraud Control Plan and Policy;
- Whistleblower Policy;
- Fraud Recovery Plan;
- An appropriate fraud reporting structure; and
- Fraud Risk Assessment framework.

There is preparation work of approximately 2 to 3 hours required to gain the most benefit from attending her workshops. Delegates are advised to the preparatory work one week prior to the workshop via email.

About the presenter
Lisa Bundesen is a popular presenter world-wide on fraud and related topics. She arrives on the platform armed with a range of practical solutions and tools sourced from her extensive experience. Lisa is a Partner in the Forensics Division of PPB, a firm specialising in Recovery, Forensics and Advisory. Lisa has over 20 years forensic accounting and investigation experience, including five years with Ernst and Young Corporate Recovery and Insolvency, almost five years as an Investigative Accountant with the Queensland Police Fraud and Corporate Crime Investigation Squad and seven years with BDO where she spent her final two years as the National Director of Forensic Services and authored the 2006 and 2008 BDO Not-for-Profit Fraud Surveys. Lisa has given evidence in Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts as well as various Tribunals on numerous occasions. Lisa also acted as the Forensic Accounting Expert to the Queensland Fuel Subsidy Commission of Inquiry held in 2007.

Westpac is hosting a workshop by Lisa in Canberra on 10 December 2009 at Westpac Business Banking centre (AON Bldg), 11/15 London Circuit, Canberra at a cost of $495.

Phone Rose Stellino ( Specialising in NFPs) on 02 6275 5321 ASAP to book.

Improving financial literacy of community leaders

2009-09-09T11:36:00.004+10:00

Responding to the lack of affordable or accessible training courses available to the third sector, Social Ventures Australia, GippsTAFE and Matrix on Board have launched a new online Financial Management training course for community leaders. The new course is an interactive online financial management training course, specifically designed for leaders of non‐profit organisations.

The course will give each participant the resources to understand and prudently manage the financial operations of its organisation: financial statements, GST, audits, budgets through to risk management and much more. It’s perfect for non‐profit leaders who don’t have a background in accounting.

The exclusively online course offers the equivalent content of one full day’s face‐to‐face training. Condensed into two online sessions which include audio instructions, activities and exercises, dynamic tables and illustrations, the course also includes three real‐time tutorials with professional online trainers.

All participants are supported by experts in both technology and finance, ensuring the online learning experience is as accessible as possible.

The introductory course price is $250 per student.

Spaces are strictly limited.
For more information click here

Advanced Leadership for the Not for Profit Sector

2009-08-11T10:13:00.005+10:00

Course Overview
Advanced Leadership for the Not for Profit Sector will run from 21 - 25 September 2009, and is a follow on course from “Leadership for the Not for Profit Sector”. This intensive course will further develop the leadership potential of participants in the sector.

This course will focus on the leader as an individual, including the knowledge, skills and competencies required in the current climate, and on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Participants will undergo a number of rich and rewarding personal experiences.

Key benefits

Evaluate Leadership Potential in the context of leadership concepts and practice: Using the Unique UQ Business School Leadership Assessment Frameworks - Professor Victor Callan, international authority on Leadership assessment
Case study of one of Australia's most successful Not for Profit Organisations and the personal journey and challenges faced by the CEO
Case study of one of the world's most renowned leaders who conquered impossible odds to complete a successful mission
Strategic leadership - deep analysis of experience from the business, government, and Not for Profit sectors featuring strategic leadership and planning tools
Board-CEO-senior management dynamics featuring the role of Boards, Board selection and good governance
Forming and maintaining effective partnerships. Practical session from an expert with experience in all sectors
Media relations and leadership including practical media training for all participants
Executive coaching session focusing on the personal motivation, values, attitudes, and approaches for successful leadership
Meet the Leaders - an opportunity to hear from some of Australia's most successful leaders and learn of their approaches to leadership in a variety of contexts and settings

Who should attend
Past participants of the “Leadership for Not For Profit Sector” and current senior leaders in the Not for Profit sector and partners of these organisations.

Where and when
Central Plaza1, Level 19, 345 Queen Street, Brisbane, 21 - 25 September 2009.
Investment$2,950* Fee includes tuition, course materials, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea each day and a formal dinner on Thursday evening. * Please note, this fee has been discounted, no further discounts apply. Also, GST does not apply to Corporate Education courses.

Further information
Register online or download the Registration Form from the UQBS Corporate Education website: www.business.uq.edu.au/corporate-education

For further information contact UQBS Corporate Education, telephone (07) 3346 7111 or email corped@business.uq.edu.au

100 Online Tools for Non-Profits

2009-08-10T13:33:00.005+10:00

Wild Apricot has provided a great list of applications to help you out with a variety of tasks from project tracking and collaboration to donor and membership management, and from building your non-profit website to tracking its effectiveness. Some fall into more than one category of purpose, but most are web-based software-as-a-service tools, so you won’t have the hassle of troubleshooting, maintaining and updating software and servers.

It is well worth a look through the list to find a tool to suit your organisation and budget to improve the life of the volunteer committee.

Well done guys. Check it out at Wild Apricot.

Canberra Business Twitters US$1000 for Breast Cancer

2009-08-04T16:18:00.008+10:00

When two businesses provide a funding boost to a volunteer organisation it is worth spruiking about. Well done Kayako for running the competition.

Canberra-based software company Admin Bandit has won US$1,000 on Twitter for Bosom Buddies, a local volunteer group that supports women living with breast cancer.

Director Nerida Gill secured the donation on the popular social networking site by entering a competition run by Kayako, an international provider of online help desk software, which invited entrants to nominate a charity to receive a funding boost.

“A number of friends and family have suffered from breast cancer, so this cause is close to my heart,” Gill says. “Bosom Buddies provides vital aftercare for women who have undergone painful treatment for a disease that is frightening and often makes them question who they are as women.”

As a provider of volunteer treasurer software in community groups and a user of Kayako, Gill is also pleased to have won funding for an organisation staffed by volunteers. “Everyone at Bosom Buddies gives their time and energy simply because they care,” she says. “This kind of selfless giving is the backbone of our communities.”

Bosom Buddies is delighted with the unexpected windfall: “Nerida’s donation is like a rainbow delivering a pot of gold,” says Marilyn Brookes, chair of the organisation’s breast awareness education subcommittee. “We raise all our own funds, which is time-consuming and hard work.”

Brookes says the gift will be used to provide a range of support for those experiencing breast cancer, as well as their families and supporters, including: education materials, 24-hour telephone support, a one-on-one buddy system, hospital visits, and practical surgery aftercare in the form of soft prostheses and cotton shoulder bags to hold post-surgery tubes.

Kayako Chief Operating Officer Ryan M Lederman is also pleased to assist such a strong initiative. “We’re glad Admin Bandit chose to donate their US$1,000 to Bosom Buddies,” he says. “Breast cancer is a very important problem facing the world today.”

Lederman adds that Twitter was the perfect forum for hosting the competition. “Social networking is hot right now,” he says. “We believe in building relationships that last a lifetime and we want people to know they’re our highest priority. Twitter is one of the best ways we know to do that.”

Have you got critics?

2009-06-30T10:04:00.005+10:00

Sadly, I was reminded again this week that many times volunteer treasurers can be so poorly treated by their committees that they swear they'll never volunteer again. Usually this happens when the treasurer is attempting to bring an improved level of accountability to an organisation and those around them don't take too kindly to it. So their tactics are to intimidate and undermine the treasurer with criticism. Zoe Routh from Inner Compass has a helpful perspective on dealing with the situation. Here is her advice below.

"It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I once got an email that accused me of undermining the professionalism of the team I was working with at the time...

What the...?

Moi? Unprofessional? A liability? How could this be?

I cherish my professionalism and integrity! And this, out of the blue, after a behind-my-back discussion about events on the project.

I was sorely wounded.

And like any wounded animal I was surly, cranky, and out for blood.

How dare he! How could she? Why did they? Why me?

I wanted to bring out the ice pick and plunge it in to their backstabbing miserable little necks!

But decorum prevailed and I took a deep breath and picked up the phone instead.

The conversation that followed did not reveal much about my alleged behaviour except that it had been completely misinterpreted. Where I had asked to contribute to a discussion this had been seen as 'interfering'; where I had forwarded an email, it had been read as me 'taking over'. Ridiculous.

It was all petty, misconstrued, and out of line.

So what do you do when you've got critics?
Here's the process I went through in dealing with this scenario:

1. Rant, vent, and rage - carefully - in the presence of supportive of friends. You don't want to blast someone or tear up the office. But you'll likely feel some upset by someone being mean to you. It's ok - feel hurt, pout, cry if you need to, and then get on with it.

2. Find out the story from their perspective. This part sucks and is hard to do because you'll just want to interrupt with 'but...' and justify your behaviour. Just suck it up - they're entitled to their opinion - let them get it out. They'll feel better, even if you feel like you've got to prise an axe from your spine.

If you're not feeling like throttling them (good for you!), then you can address the issues then and there.

If you do feel like shouting at them until their eardrums pop, it's best to defer to a meeting you arrange for a day or so later. This will give you a chance to process their comments and blow off some steam.

3. Arrange a meeting - maybe with a witness or mediator. If you are still feeling attacked and vulnerable, then you might invite an independent person to witness the discussion. Or if it has gone pear-shaped, ask for a mediator to guide the discussion.

4. In the meeting, don't dwell on what has happened. Present options for solutions and future strategies.

5. It's about them, not you. If you're truly being criticised unfairly, then it's likely the other person has got some background issues that are feeding their maniacal nastiness. Pity them. Life is too short to get wound up by someone else's drama.
May you have many days free of critics, backstabbers, gossips, and other yuckiness! If not, stuff 'em! You're better than all that."

Leadership Coach, Speaker, and Author Zoe Routh assists women in business with practical mindset secrets and success strategies for effective leadership. Free Magnetic Leadership Assessment at http://www.innercompass.com.au/.

Treasurer Software named as nations best in the community sector

2009-06-04T15:53:00.004+10:00

Congratulations to Admin Bandit Online volunteer treasurer software for their national win a the iAwards. It was named the nation’s number one software product for the community sector after its national win at the iAwards, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) ICT industry awards. The award, seen as one the IT industry’s highest accolades, was a great scoop for the local Canberra business, when it won last Wednesday, 27th of May at the awards ceremony in Melbourne.
Taking out the top prize in the e-Inclusions and e-Community category, Admin Bandit, a software product for volunteer treasurers in community organisations, has been recognised as an industry leading product beating all other Australian state and territory entrants.
How fantastic that it was volunteer treasurer software that received the top gong for the category. Good financial management is crucial to sustainability of community organisations and making the job easier is a good key to achieving that goal. Well done Admin Bandit Online volunteer treasurer software.

IGA Unsung Hero Awards - Win $5000 for your organisation

2009-06-04T08:11:00.006+10:00

The treasurer role is often the most difficult to fill and the most thankless. The IGA Community Chest Unsung Hero Awards is a chance to let your treasurer know how much you value their contribution to your organisation. The state prize is a $5,000 donation for your organisation. For more information and to nominate look at the IGA Community Chest Unsung Hero Awards site.

Fraud Tip - Understanding the Role of the Auditor

2009-06-04T08:03:00.003+10:00

The role of the external auditor has often been misunderstood. This “expectation gap” has long been explained as being the gap between what the actual requirements and standards required of the auditor and audit process as compared to the expectations of the public as to what an auditor does in the audit process.

It has often been thought that the audit provides certainty as to the accuracy of the financial statements by the auditor undertaking a 100% check of the organisation’s accounts. It has also been thought that auditors should be able to provide early warning if there are solvency problems with the organisation and lastly, it is thought that a primary role of the auditor is to detect fraud.

An example of this can be seen in the BDO Not-for-Profit Fraud Survey 2008. 61% of respondents to the survey gave a reason they did not perceive fraud to be a problem for their organisation was that fraud had not been discovered by the external audit process.

It is important that not-for-profit organisations understand the role of the audit and not to relying solely on the external audit process as a way of detecting fraud. It is also important to consider that auditors, while conducing an audit as per the auditing standards, they are also conducting the audit on a fee paying basis. To undertake an appropriate audit, an appropriate fee is required to be paid.

Auditing standards provide us with guidance as to the auditors’ responsibilities regarding fraud. For example:

· “The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both those charged with governance of the entity and management. It is important that management, with the oversight of those charged with governance, place a strong emphasis on fraud prevention, which may reduce opportunities for fraud to take place, and fraud deterrence, which could persuade individuals not to commit fraud because of the likelihood of detection and punishment. This involves a commitment to creating a culture of honesty and ethical behaviour which can be reinforced by an active oversight by those charged with governance.” Paragraph 4 of ASA240 (Australian Auditing Standard – The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of a Financial Report)

· “The auditor has a responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether caused by error or fraud. Because of the nature of audit evidence and the characteristics of fraud, the auditor is able to obtain reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that material misstatements are detected. The auditor has no responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance that misstatements, whether caused by errors or fraud, that are not material to the financial statements are detected.“ – SAS99 (US Auditing Standard – Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit)

Article provided by Lisa Bundesen Forensic Accounting Expert. www.lisabundesen.com

Leadership for the Not for Profit Sector

2009-05-22T15:53:00.005+10:00

A one week course is being run by the University of Queensland in July. It has been designed to enhance the leadership capabilities of senior professionals in the not-for-profit sector. Here's the information:-

Course Overview
The Not For Profit sector makes important contributions to the Australian society and economy – impacts of which are often overlooked and neglected. This five day course is designed to enhance the leadership capabilities of senior professionals in the Not for Profit sector.

Participants will explore how strong leaders build culture and align it with strategy to effectively transform organisations. They will learn how to enhance partnerships and build networks across the Not for Profit and Profit sectors. This engaging course will equip participants with the necessary skills to be able to sucessfully respond to the leadership challenges faced in this hugely competitive sector.

Key benefits
Through attending this course, participants will be able to:
=>Build and sustain effective partnerships in the Not for Profit and Profit sectors
=>Successfully manage stakeholder relationships to the long term benefit of their organisation;
=>Respond to the national need to develop as leaders inareas such as strategic and organisational leadership,team leadership and change leadership across the Not for Profit sector;
=>Explore as leaders how they can transform and align the development of individuals in their organisation to the needs of the business culture;
=>Formulate practical ideas, models and tools of leadership and strategy applicable to the Not for Profit sector.

Who should attend
All current and potential leaders in the Not for Profit sector and partners of these organisations.

Where and when
Central Plaza1, Level 19, 345 Queen Street, Brisbane, 6th July – 10th July 2009.

Investment
$2,200* Fee includes tuition, course materials, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea each day and a formal dinner on Thursday evening. * Please note, this fee is heavily discounted, no further discounts apply. Also, GST does not apply to Corporate Education courses.

As part of our commitment to the sector, we are subsidizing the cost of this course for all non-profit organizations by 50%. Unmatched in Australia, this annual week-long executive level program is now $2,200 and is regularly $4,400 As space is strictly limited book now to avoid disappointment.

Further information
Register online or download the Registration Form from the UQBS Corporate Education website: www.business.uq.edu.au/corporate-education

For further information contact UQBS Corporate Education, telephone (07) 3346 7111 or email corped@business.uq.edu.au

Talking Finances

2009-05-04T12:59:00.005+10:00

I recently came across a booklet of ‘101 top tips’ from successful Australian entrepreneurs offering reflections of what they’ve learned on their journey.

A recurring theme amongst the entrepreneurs was the co‐existence of three key principles – high‐quality delivery,great people, and strong financial management – three pillars that are a valuable blueprint for organisations of any size.

One of the first pieces of advice a banker will provide to any organisation is that the key to strong financial management is to never take your eyes off the cash flow.

To do this successfully you need an effective accounting system, plus simple to follow processes that make it easy for your staff or treasurer to record the everyday transactions of your organisation.

Here are a few ideas that will help to ensure your books stay in good shape:
􀂾 Everything has to add up: adopt a methodical and reliable accounting system. Make the most of its software and processes to record all transactions relating to monies coming in and going out.
􀂾 Time savers: if needed, investigate additional products such as tools to manage invoicing, superannuation and payroll. Your banker can help here.
􀂾 Sound administration: keep a separate file for each project, make sure your internet banking forms clearly identify their purpose, and keep a hard copy of receipts and budget spreadsheets as a back‐up.
􀂾 Never let your accounting processes slide: no matter if you’re a larger organisation with auditing requirements or a smaller group (auditing requirements vary from state to state), you’ll need to keep accurate and up‐to‐date records for taxation reasons.

Setting up a full and documented accounting system and easy to follow processes will also reduce the potential for fraud or simple mistakes like miscalculations which can be damaging to your organisation.

Also, your Treasurer may change overnight through accident, retirement or new election, and the newcomer will quickly need to extract everything they need from your organisation’s records.

Effective accounting is not only the foundation of a sustainable organisation, but ultimately a time saver that will free‐up your time so you can focus on providing your services where they’re needed most.

Article by Vanessa Nolan-Woods, Head of Community Markets at Westpac. Reproduced from the Our Community newsletter.

$250,000 in fuel vouchers to volunteers

2009-05-01T14:06:00.007+10:00

As we all reel from the shock of calamities from bushfires to floods to droughts to global economic turmoil, community organisations are becoming more important than ever, providing a safety net, giving people a place to heal, providing help, support, hope, empathy and light relief.
The volunteers that sustain these great community groups need support.

With this in mind, Volunteer Treasurer Network would like to make you aware of a great initiative by BP Australia, "Vouchers for Volunteers" - which opened on Monday, April 27. Through this scheme BP will be providing $250,000 in fuel vouchers to volunteers assisting not-for-profit organisations.

For further information on this offer, please go to http:/www.talkstoppedlongago.com.au/v4v_home.html

Sponsorship is NOT fundraising

2009-02-12T13:47:00.018+11:00

As is often said, "money doesn't grow on trees" and sometimes the stress of being a volunteer treasurer comes from not having enough funds to achieve the goals of the organisation. Sponsorship can be the answer.

Sponsorship is not about donations. If you are looking for a donation - ask for it. If you are looking for sponsorship then it is important to understand that successful sponsorships are about understanding and delivering on your sponsors requirements. In most cases they do not share your passion for your cause. Instead they are looking for the commercial outcome resulting from their spend with you - their Return On Investment.

Therefore, when approaching a sponsor don’t talk in terms of the outcomes their money will have for your organisation. Instead talk about how sponsoring your organisation will help them to achieve their organisational goals. When someone asks the question “Why should we sponsor your organisation?” you need to be able to respond “Because we can help you become more successful/profitable by …”. When communicating with your sponsor always keep in the forefront of your mind “how will this benefit them!!” By making it about them you will be much more successful!

This article was written by Julian Moore and reproduced from the Strategic Membership Solutions free email bulletin. SMS assists associations, charities and other nonprofits to be as successful as possible in generating income, developing and maintaining income streams and managing membership growth. They provide workshops and training and have great resources on their website. Now that you know the difference between a donation and a sponsorship, check our Julian's article on "Tips for approaching prospective sponsors".

Tips for new volunteer treasurers

2009-01-27T11:10:00.002+11:00

Petrified or pleased — you’ve just been voted in as a volunteer treasurer at your organisation’s annual general meeting. Whatever you’re feeling, this is your first time and you’re probably wondering, “Now what?”

Well, a little “housekeeping” is your first task. The following three activities are easy, so will help you settle into your new role and build your confidence at the same time.

Arrange a Handover
Schedule coffee with the outgoing treasurer to swap important documents and chat about your role. This includes:

Handing over the accounts, cheque books, receipt books, invoices/receipts for purchases, bank statements, budgets, reports and any other relevant documents.
If your organisation uses accounting software, get a tutorial on how to use it, including passwords.
Handing over a treasurer’s or financial procedures manual, if your organisation has one. If not, you can create one when you’re more familiar with your role — this will add value to your organisation and future treasurers will breathe a sigh of relief!
Discuss any unfinished business, such as due bills or income, and any spending commitments or expected income that isn’t in the latest budget.
Ask questions! This is your chance to discuss any worries, have accounting concepts explained or get trouble-shooting advice. Grab the outgoing treasurer’s contact details for future reference.

Change Bank Signatories
Your organisation probably has a rule that two or three committee members, including yourself as treasurer, must sign, and thus authorise, cheques and bank withdrawal slips. These are called “signatories” and, chances are, you won’t be the only new one — other committee roles probably also changed hands when you were voted in at your annual general meeting. So you need to update your bank’s records of who these people are, which is as simple as picking up a form from any branch and then filling it in. The signatories will probably need to go to the bank with the form and show 100 points of identification too (if they are not already customers of the same bank).

While you’re at the bank, make sure your bank statements are issued monthly and cover the entire month. It sounds strange, but some banks start statements from the date an account was opened, not the beginning of the month. Setting up your statements as we’ve suggested will make doing reconciliations so much easier.

Get Organised
Start as you plan to continue — getting organised now will give you a clear picture of what you’re doing and set the tone for your tenure as treasurer. It will also save many hours of late night hair-tearing and rummaging through a mess of paperwork. Hopefully your predecessor was just as diligent as you’re going to be, which means you can leisurely go through the accounts, checking everything is filed correctly and familiarising yourself with what’s required at the same time. If not … well, hopefully you like filing because you’ve got a bit of work to do!

These tips were extracted from the Volunteer Treasurer Survival Guide and are provided with permission from Admin Bandit.

Meeting your objectives through successful fundraising

2008-10-30T15:32:00.015+11:00

Volunteer treasurers are an important part of any committee and if there are insufficient funds to meet the goals of the organisation it can make the job more stressful. This can be overcome by the organisation running successful fundraisers through goal setting.

S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting

Like all successful endeavours, a fundraiser should start by clearly setting its goals. There is nothing like a good goal to help your team focus on the job at hand, and keep the big picture in mind. The most common method for arriving at a goal is to use the SMART technique. That is, a goal should be:

Specific – well defined and clear
Measurable – activity or production should be quantifiable in terms of progress toward the goal
Agreed – all key stakeholders have agreed to the goal, and have some stake in its achievement
Realistic – based on real world estimates and information, and not over-ambitious
Timely – should have a time frame built in.

A well put together goal might read something like:

‘Kindergarten Centre aims to raise $5 000 by 30 June for the construction of new playground equipment’
Or
‘All funds raised from the Club Trivia Night will go toward purchase of new team uniforms’

Without clear goals there could be a lack of understanding among your team as to what you are trying to achieve – which means valuable energy and resources may not be being employed in the most productive way. You will find that your team will also be more cohesive, and experience a greater sense of achievement when your goals are achieved.

This article has been supplied by The Fundraising Directory who provide an A-Z guide to Fundraising Products and Services in Australia.

Budget is not a dirty word

2008-09-16T11:38:00.010+10:00

Many of us go about our lives not really having a grip on our finances through drafting a budget and sticking to it. Whilst this isn't the ideal for our personal finances it is not a luxury we can afford when managing the finances of a community organisation. It is not our own money to squander. As a result, it is important to prepare a budget and track the finances of the organisation to it.

We invited Michelle House from Secretbudget to give us the lowdown on the benefits of preparing a budget and how to do it. Here is what she had to say:-

The top 3 benefits for a community organisation to do a budget are...

You have direction and focus.
You can apply for grants and other kinds of funding.
You’re being good stewards of the money from the community in the form of membership fees or hard earned fund raising dollars.

What is a Budget?
A budget is a plan, a goal. It’s a monitoring tool for your finances. Most budgets cover a 12 month period and are broken down into income and expenses. Some software programs have a budget section built in, some use a spreadsheet. When it comes to the end of the first month of operating, have a look at your budget and do a comparison. Determine what was over and what was under or if using a percentage, where the budget is tracking based on when the expenses and income are come in during the year.

Why do a Budget? - My three P’s; Planning – Preparation – Prosperity!!
The idea of doing a budget is so you can see more clearly and plan for the year ahead, it’s a way of thinking ahead, financially. You need to predict your income and expenses for the year to ensure that you are staying above the line and finishing with a profit (or surplus) for your community organisation! It is also a great tool to have on hand for any financial assistance you may need to apply for. It demonstrates that you’re serious and that you have a plan/goal in mind!

When do you do a Budget?
Prepare the budget to present at the first or second meeting you take over as treasurer or the first meeting in the new financial year.

Who prepares the Budget?
I have run businesses since I was 22 and I find that it’s always a great idea to have one person who is accountable for the budget. The treasurer would hold this responsibility but I would base it on discussions with all members of your committee about plans for the year.

How do you do a Budget?

The first place to start is with your expenses. Gather the previous 12 months bills/invoices.
Predict income. Use last year’s income and discuss how this will improve.
Alternatively, use the Statement of Receipts and Exenditure from the previous financial year to give you an idea of how thing ran in the previous year.

With these figures in mind, amend the amounts based on the committee’s plans. Eg. Is there some equipment your club or association needs to purchase? What fund raising are you planning to do?

My best tip – Reduce expenses by 10%, increase income by 10% and you’ll be up 20%!!

Michelle House is bringing up a young family and manages the finances of a family business in property maintenance. She has also become well known as a budgeting expert, thanks to the creation of her practical budgeting tool called the ‘Personal Budget Organiser’, or PBO. The PBO works as a portable filing system within a wallet – perfect for organising money, receipts, or anything that will help you budget. Teaming her product with a useful website, http://www.secretbudget.net/, Michelle hopes to inspire Australians to ‘get back to basics’ with their understanding of expenditure and money.

Free grant writing resources

2008-09-11T20:52:00.000+10:00

Volunteer treasurers of community organisations are concerned about the financial position of the group. Sometimes this might mean working with others on the committee to apply for grants. At Step by Step Fundraising they have assembled a series of 20 free articles to assist with the process. Although some are specifically for the USA, there are also some very helpful resources regardless of the country you are operating in.

Volunteer Treasurer Survival Guide Topics

2008-08-19T22:07:00.003+10:00

Admin Bandit our sponsor is preparing a Volunteer Treasurer Survival Guide. They have a list of potential topics and would like to find out which ones appeal the most. If you have about 1 minute spare, please pop into the survey and have your say on which topics you like best.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Hjnhd4QFb1oP5PMVdEwytA_3d_3d

We'll let you know what topics make it in.

Community Treasurers' Awards

2008-07-02T14:43:00.007+10:00

Being acknowledged via an award nomination can provide enormous encouragement to keep on going for an individual volunteer treasurer and can be a great morale booster for an organisation. Some awards provide both a morale boost and goodies! Westpac and Our Community launched an award to acknowledge the great job of volunteer treasurers with the opportunity of winning $5,000 for your organisation. It closes on 10 September 2008 so start acting now to nominate an unsung hero in your community.

Westpac Internet Banking

2008-05-19T15:08:00.007+10:00

A Westpac Community Solutions Account is accessible via internet banking and is ideal for not for profit organisations with multiple signatories to simply receive and make payments. This tailored solution is FREE to set up with no monthly service or transaction fees for activities such as BPAY, Direct Entry, and cheque and branch transactions. If you’re paying a bill without BPAY using online banking you would use the “Pay Anyone” facility at $0.25 cents per payment. That’s cheaper than a postage stamp and envelope!

To open an account for a community organisation you’ll need to provide either:

a certificate of registration/certificate of incorporation for community groups; or
an ATO income tax exemption certificate; or
a Memorandum and Articles of association stating ‘not for profits’ status, or
Meeting Minutes.

For internet access you’ll also need to set up Business Online to allow multiple signatories (with various authority levels available) to access accounts and transfer funds online.

To start paying bills using Westpac internet banking just follow these simple steps:-

Open a Community Solutions account (remembering to provide one of the items listed above to open the account);
Each signatory provides 100 point identification (if they are not already known to Westpac);
Complete a Business Online form, outlining the number of signatories;
Each signatory is allocated an access level and a userid/password;
The treasurer logs in and creates a payment;
It sits in a Pending List waiting for authorisation;
Another signatory logs in with their userid to authorise the payment (assuming they’ve seen the invoice you’re paying);
The payment is then automatically submitted when it is authorised (if only two signatories are required for example).

To set up an account for your community organisation, simply visit any Westpac Branch and talk to a Business Banker.

If you would like to provide comments about this post to help volunteer treasurers, please do.

Internet banking for community groups

2008-04-09T15:27:00.002+10:00

In the next few weeks we'll have an article from one of the banks about how internet banking can be done by a community group with multiple signatories on their account.

Volunteer Treasurer Network Introduction

2008-03-31T14:23:00.003+11:00

Welcome to Volunteer Treasurer Network (VTN). Our purpose is to provide time-poor volunteer treasurers with tips, tricks resources and training to make your job easier no matter what part of the community sector you're serving in. We'll post articles about resources we've discovered and we invite you to post comments on the articles. By subscribing to the blog you will become a founding member of the VTN.
This network has been established by Nerida Gill of Admin Bandit who after a long involvement with the sector has seen a need for a central place to provide specific support to volunteer treasurers. Without people willing to take on the role in their busy lives, community groups would cease to function. If the role is not done well the organisation can be less effective in fulfilling their mission. If it is done badly it can have far reaching ramifications and in some cases can be catastrophic to the organisation and those involved.
For this reason VTN is setting out to provide a central place for support to make the job easier and more enjoyable.