Settling in as a Volunteer Treasurer.

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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.