How to Become a Volunteer Treasurer

Are you already interested in a specific cause, or directly involved in a nonprofit’s activities? If so, becoming a volunteer treasurer is likely to be very easy. If the position is currently open, and you already have a background in accounting or finance, all you will likely have to do is simply volunteer to serve!

Recruiting for this position is notoriously difficult for many nonprofits. Some nonprofits might post the position on websites that help connect volunteers with nonprofits that are looking for people with specific skills and backgrounds. Other times,  the executive director or board members will reach out to their circle of contacts to find a good candidate. When this happens, you might not even have any experience, or even formally apply for the spot,  but find yourself “drafted” into the position by the board.

Before applying for, or accepting, the position the first thing that you should ask yourself is whether you have what it takes to be a great treasurer.

Are You Organised?

One misconception about the job is that you must be a licensed accountant, or, come from a background involving banking, or even bookkeeping, to be successful in the role. This common misconception simply isn’t true. What you will need, however, is the ability to think logically. You will also need to be very detailed oriented, and able to perform your duties is a very methodical, step-by-step manner. It will also help if you are good at math and performing calculations and can be depended upon to handle cash.

Are You  Dependable and Trustworthy?

Can your nonprofit count on you to do your best to fulfil the role? As a volunteer treasurer, you are an officer of your board, and will have the same the fiduciary responsibilities shared by all board members. You and every other board member are responsible for ensuring that your nonprofit operates in a legal, financially sound and sustainable manner and that all your actions are to serve your NFP’s core mission and benefit the public good.

Will You be Comfortable in the Role of Watchdog?

The treasurer is responsible for the oversight and protection of their nonprofit’s finances. Many times, in a small nonprofit, you will be responsible for the management of all areas of your NFP’s finances. This means that you will handle the cash, write the cheques, disperse funds, track and record transactions, and take steps to secure your NFP’s financial documents and other important information. There may also be other duties such as creating the budget, reporting before your board about the nonprofit’s financial health, and ensuring that your NFP is meeting all of it’s required regulatory obligations such as filing super and calculating GST among others.

In larger NFPs, you may have a finance committee and staff members to assist you in your role, but ultimately the burden and responsibility to see that everything is done legally and according to your nonprofit’s internal charter, bylaws and policies, rests squarely on your shoulders.

Can You Act as a Detective When the Need Arises?

Ideally, the outgoing treasurer will meet with you before you begin your duties, and all your nonprofit’s past records will be presented in a straightforward, accurate and organised manner. This often isn’t the case. Before your arrival, your nonprofit may have experienced mismanagement, turnover or other upheavals, so you should be prepared to use your analytical and organisational skills to uncover errors or even deliberate malfeasance. You should be prepared to make corrections and update your NFPs accounts and other records. While some mistakes can be attributed to human error, others may be the result of planned actions by those inside or outside of your organisation. You will be expected to use your critical thinking skills to help uncover activities that carry the risk of loss and take steps to reduce these risks and secure your NFP’s finances.

Can Your Board Count on You to be a Wise Counsellor?

One of the most important functions of the treasurer is to present financial information to the board in a way that is both accurate, and, easy for board members and other stakeholders to understand. You will need to be prepared to make regular reports on the NFPs finances to the board. You will also need to make yourself available to answer questions about the past, present and expected future status of your nonprofit’s finances. You should also be prepared to use this information and experience to assist in your board’s strategic planning sessions and provide your perspective and opinion when important decisions are being made that will impact your nonprofit’s financial stability.

While some of these responsibilities can seem daunting and overwhelming, especially to novice treasurers, take comfort in knowing that Admin Bandit is here to support you. Our software has been created with your needs especially in mind and is designed to help walk you through the steps of many of the duties that you will need to perform to fulfil your role. Getting started is fast and painless. Give our 55-day trial a chance today, at no charge to you,  to see how quickly and easily you can manage your nonprofit’s finances!

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The Importance Of Staying Organised As A Volunteer Treasurer

A volunteer treasurer’s role can be both varied and challenging, and while your position can be as unique as the company you work for, all volunteer treasurer positions have one particular thing in common. It is important that you are organised and stay on top of your workload at all times.

While there are many positions where it is okay to fall behind or to have a week’s backlog of work sitting in the in-tray, a volunteer treasurer’s work can suffer if that happens on a regular basis. People look to the treasurer to be able to provide accurate information, and if there are a pile of receipts or invoices to be processed, the work will be far from accurate. As the position can be stressful, falling behind can only serve to heighten any anxiety, particularly if there are deadlines to meet.

As a volunteer treasurer, the transfer of money coming in and money going out is your responsibility. If there are any discrepancies, the blame will fall on you. You must be vigilant when it comes to the deposits and withdrawals and confirm that everything is as it should be.

Paperwork should always be filed before completion dates, and as NFPs rely on grants and are offered special dispensations by the government, everything must be done in a timely fashion. Falling behind on important deadlines can have huge repercussions.

Management will rely on your budget as a guide. If your actual budget is not accurate, then poor financial decisions may be made.

Failure to stay up to date, particularly when your tenure is at an end, will be a nightmare for the next person who takes over the volunteer treasurer office. Everything will need to be up to date to enable a smooth transition.

A volunteer treasurer plays an important part in sustaining the future of the nonprofit and ensuring it meets its goal and mission. There is no room for disorganisation anywhere in the skill list.

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How To Budget For NFP Events

Fundraising campaigns are one of the most significant sources of funding for most nonprofits. Most fundraising events are not without cost, however.

Preparing a budget for special fundraising events helps nonprofits avoid overspending, especially if their event does not raise an amount equal to or greater than its fundraising goal.

The Importance of Setting a Large Enough Fundraising Goal

When making plans for your nonprofit’s next fundraiser, it’s important to set an appropriate amount as your fundraising goal. This goal should be realistic; it should be an amount that your nonprofit can reasonably expect to raise during the event.

Your fundraising goal should also be for an amount that is large enough to cover all of the costs and expenses associated with the event. In addition to this amount, you will want to add a net sum that is left over after all of the costs are paid. This net sum should be large enough that it justifies the time and effort that is put into hosting the event.

The Importance of Creating a Detailed Budget Specifically for the Event

You should create a separate, completed budget that lists each expense that will arise as a result of hosting the event. This list should be thorough, and highly detailed to help you avoid under budgeting.

When creating your budget, look at the history of past, similar fundraising events held by your nonprofit. Look at the types of costs that were incurred, as well as the amounts that you have raised during these events. Can your nonprofit reasonably expect to spend a similar amount, or, have costs increased in one or more categories? Determining the answers to these questions can help you avoid underestimating the actual expenditure.

At the very least, your budget should include the cost to rent the venue for the event, as well as unique items related to the location. For example, will your nonprofit need to rent extra tables and seats or other items and equipment to hold the event at the designated location? Be certain to include realistic estimates for these items in your budget.

Catering, staffing, creating and sending invitations, security, transportation, VIP accommodations,  entertainment, ticketing, fundraising software, marketing materials, promotional and gift items/event swag are all typical expenses associated with special fundraising events, so be certain that you include these and any other costs in your budget.

Don’t Forget to Plan for the Unexpected and Include it in Your Budget

It’s also a good idea to include a built-in “cushion” in your budget to help your nonprofit be able to cover the cost of unforeseen events to help you make certain that your nonprofit has enough funds to cover the cost of the event.

Use Caution When Attempting to Cut Costs

Many nonprofits are still feeling the pinch from the global economic downturn of a few years ago, and remain short of funding, especially given the resulting cuts in Federal monies in the form of grants that many nonprofits relied upon. If your nonprofit is struggling financially, it can be tempting to cut corners to reduce spending. While reining in expenses is important, it’s equally important to avoid cutting quality.

For example, you don’t want to skimp and not spend enough on marketing, and word fails to get out about your event. You also want to make certain that you choose reliable vendors for the venue, catering, and so on. Just because one vendor offers a lower price, doesn’t mean that you can depend on them to deliver on time. Make certain that you still check references and look at past histories in addition to price when comparing services and creating your budget.

Accurately budgeting for your special event is an important part of ensuring your nonprofit’s financial stability. Don’t forget the traditional fundraising metrics such as net revenues and costs to raise when hosting your event, and preserve this information to help you more accurately forecast the budget for your nonprofit’s next special event.

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Don’t Forget to Say Thank You To Your Donors

When it comes to receiving donations, saying thank you should be high on your priority list. In an interesting study carried out by Parachute Digital Marketing last year, they discovered that most charities were not taking the time to say thank you.

Their longitudinal study also showed that less than 20% of thank you pages were personalised with the donor’s names and 10% of NFPs were still manually processing payments and sending out the receipts via the postal system.

Thank you may be just two words, but it can make the difference between how someon views your charity. These two little words are what stands between your one-time donors become repeat donors. Spend a little time crafting your thank you so it comes from the heart, yet remains on a professional level to reflect your charity. Show your gratitude to demonstrate how much you truly value your donors and their contributions. Explain how the money will be used clearly and concisely.

With a non-profit, your gratitude should go above and beyond a simple thank you. Acknowledge their kindness and caring nature and thank them for taking action to support your cause. While the majority of your donors may only give once, many will have it in the back of their mind to give in the future. Nonprofit Hub claims that 13% of donors stop giving to a non-profit purely on the fact that they did not say thank you. It may only be 13%, but every donation is important.

Your website should be set up to immediately thank the donors for giving. Following the donation, an email should be sent to acknowledge the donor’s kind nature. It might be prudent to send out a secondary email part way through the project to demonstrate the progress or a series of emails depending on the length of the project. It is this attention to detail that will entice them to give again in the future. You can also go so far as to thank them on your website or your social media pages. It is actions like these that will encourage others to follow suit.

There are many ways you can say thank you. If you feel like mixing it up, you might want to consider recording a custom made video message or sending a greeting card or personalised postcard.

Showing your gratitude is one of the most important things your NFP can do. Whether it is coming from a volunteer or the board, always remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously.” Wise words to live by!

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Common Pitfalls When Non-Profits Use Social Media

Nearly 7% of all of the donations that nonprofits receive comes from online sources, but harnessing the power of the Internet and Social Media tends to be less about collecting money and more about increasing interest in your NFP.

While social media is a great way to share stories about your nonprofit and strengthen supporters’ connection to your cause, there are downfalls to using the platform. The following is a list of some common pitfalls that nonprofit’s experience when they rely too heavily on social media channels to spread their message.

It’s Expensive

Advertising on social media isn’t free, and even though Facebook and other social media platforms sometimes offer discounts, click-thru ads, sponsored posts and other marketing campaigns, it can be still extremely expensive.

NFPs must control costs by using tools that allow them to test messages, manage start and kill dates for ads, and set budgets to keep an eye on ad costs to make social media campaigns worthwhile.

Many Social Media Channels Offer Low ROI

It would be easier to justify expensive advertising on social media if these campaigns at least generated high returns on this investment. But, the truth of the matter is that they simply don’t. Facebook offers the ability to connect, like and share with nonprofits, as well as the capacity to donate directly, and yet only provides a 3% increase in reach.

Other social media platforms, such as Instagram, make it easy to like photos and gain followers, who seldom, if ever, react to direct calls to action made on the platform. Snapchat’s ROI is even worse, as it doesn’t allow online donations directly from its app and nonprofits can’t even share a link to their website.

Despite the low returns on the time and money invested in social media, it’s still a great way to increase awareness about the good work that nonprofit accomplish. You can start conversations with others about the difference specific nonprofits are making in their communities, as an example.

NFPs should keep their objectives in mind, use targeting and segmentation to make certain that they are reaching the correct audience with their messages and set realistic goals when creating their social media marketing campaigns.

Focusing on Social Media Makes it Easy to Forget about Other Ways to Connect with Supporters

While social media seems to be all the rage these days, direct appeals and calls to action made on a nonprofit’s website, as well as in emails, newsletters and direct mail cost less to create and still generate most of the donations that are received by nonprofits.

NFPs that focus exclusively on social media marketing are likely missing out on ways to connect and raise funds that are less expensive and that offer a much higher return on the cost that is invested.

Trolls and Depressing News can Damage Social Media Marketing Efforts

Not every visitor to your nonprofit’s social media accounts is there to connect and share with you in a positive, meaningful manner. There are individuals who surf the Internet looking to join in on conversations with the deliberate intention to create as much chaos and ill will as possible.

Sometimes in the comments section and elsewhere, visitors may share depressing news or memes that feature disturbing text or images. NFPs must take care to monitor and moderate their social media accounts to protect the reputation of the NFP. Care must also be taken when responding to potentially negative or offensive posts to avoid encouraging or “feeding” trolls.

Social media is a great way to increase awareness about your NFP’s mission. The high cost of social media marketing campaigns, and the low returns that they offer, means that most non-profits should continue to include other more traditional methods of communication and fundraising in their strategic marketing plans in addition to their social media marketing efforts.

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Are You Missing Out On Free Educational Opportunities?

Continual learning and education are important regardless of what your role entails. It enables you to push and motivate yourself so you can engage more fully in your position, non-profit or otherwise.

Education, in any form, is vital to both your personal and professional life and can help in your future success stories. Showing an eagerness to learn and ability to increase your knowledge is very exciting to many employees and NFPs.

Did you know that there are many free educational opportunities out there? And did you know many of these are suitable for volunteer treasurers and NFPs?

Each year, NFP advocates and individuals offer free webinars on subjects specifically relevant to charities and not for profits. They can be a valuable source of information, particularly when they impart knowledge that can have enormous benefits to your organisation.

Learning from others who have gone before you is a great asset to your career path. Why make mistakes which can affect your fundraising ability or cost your NFP money when you can follow the advice of other fundraisers and charity workers? And as much of the work you do is relevant only to the NFP niche, it makes it even more advantageous to take advantage of these offers when they appear.

So what’s in store for January? Here are a handful of exciting webinars to get you started. Bear in mind that many webinars are offered live rather than as a recording, so you may need to set a reminder in order that you don’t miss these and other similar events.

The 7 Fundamentals of a Monthly Giving Program – January 12, 2017

In this 30 minute webinar, you will learn how to recognise monthly donors, how to set your ask amounts, how to present results and how to plan for growth.

10 Signs Your NGO Excels at Social Media – January 18, 2017

This live webinar will show real case examples of how to use images and video to increase engagement, how to inspire your donors to give as a result of social media and how to format online news and blog content for maximum effectiveness.

Finding New Donors for 2017 – January 18, 2017

This webinar will take you through new places to find donors, how to build your email list, cultivation tips to keep your existing donors and fast ways to thank your donors.

As technology changes and develops, so does the demands of fundraising and financial management. Keeping up to date with this ever-changing technology is more important than you think, especially since many of the areas are becoming more mobile in their capabilities.

New information is always relevant to fulfilling your role adequately. Familiarise yourself with NFP-related websites and mark your calendar with the many relevant webinars which will come your way in 2017 and beyond.

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A Very Merry Christmas From Admin Bandit

Admin Bandit would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to supporting your non-profit in 2017 and beyond.

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7 Steps To Help You Create Your NFP’s Next Annual Budget

In past posts, we’ve discussed a few of the different types of budgets and how each type might be used by a NFP. While the most common type of budget is an incremental one, the actual goal that you are trying to achieve determines the type of budget that will provide your board members with the clearest, most actionable information.

Budgets can also vary based on the length of time that they measure, such as monthly, interim and annual budgets. Individual budgets can also be made for a specific department or service project, while a master budget includes information and projections from all of your organisation’s individual budgets.

The following list outlines a few steps to take to help you get started creating your NFP’s next annual budget.

1. Pick a Budget Type. The first step in creating a budget is to decide what you are trying to measure and pick the corresponding budget type that will give your organisation the most useful information. For incremental annual budgets, figures and categories from the prior year’s budget form the basis for your new projections.

2. Start With Expected Revenue. As you begin to prepare your annual budget, you will likely want to start with the revenue section, as your NFP’s level of service, and the number and types of projects it offers the community, are dependent upon the type and amounts of funds that you expect to receive.

Include monies you expect to receive from all sources, including federal grants, donations, proceeds from fundraisers and/or ticket sales, other events and even unexpected or overlooked sources of income, such as rental fees or interest earned from other NFP assets.

3. Count Your Costs. Regardless of the budget type that you choose, you will want to separate your fixed and variable costs. This simple step enables your board to quickly see if they have enough revenue coming in to cover operations and what expenses that they might be able to lower through their direct actions.

Controlling costs enables your board to make the best use of the funds that they receive. Boards can also go a long way to ensuring their long term survival by controlling their costs.

4. Account for Project and Service Funding. This section of the budget allocates funds from revenue to specific services and projects. Depending on the type of budget that you choose, a portion of the fixed and variable costs associated with providing these specific services to the public might also be accounted for in this section of your budget.

5. Stay on top of Capital Budgets and Asset Management. Assets that are owned by the NFP must be properly maintained and cared for, and at some point, may need replacement as well. The costs associated with these actions should be accounted for in the budget.

Rather than directly using funding from the revenue budget, some NFPs use proceeds from investments in real estate, annuities, bonds, or other investment vehicles to help them to save to acquire capital that is later sold, with the proceeds being used to finance specific NFP goals.

Other NFPs seek to operate in such a way as to build cash reserves that can be later used to cover unexpected pitfalls, such as a loss of funding that might occur. Plans to save to cover the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and selling plant, equipment, and other capital assets, as well as plans to build cash reserves, should be included in this section of the budget.

6. Don’t Forget About Restricted Funds and Assets. Some grants and donations may come with conditions that restrict their use, so you will want your budget to include the revenue and costs associated with these funds separately from the sources of revenue and expense that don’t have such limitations.

For example, you wouldn’t want the sections of your budget reserved for general revenue and costs to include funds from sources that can only be spent to meet a specific need.  To ensure that these funds are spent properly, it is best to account for them in an individual budget that is then accounted for in a separate section on your master annual budget.

7. Frequently Review and Revise the Budget. Your board will likely want interim performance reports for each section of the master budget. Budgets should be reviewed frequently and action taken by the board so that they can quickly respond to any sudden changes and developments.

For example, the unexpected loss of funding from a long term donor or governing body should be addressed to prevent a shortfall in the revenue section of the budget and a corresponding drop in service level. If the loss of revenue can’t be made up, the NFP might look at cutting back on some of its variable costs or drawing upon its cash reserves or selling a capital asset in order to maintain its service level to the public.

While preparing the next annual budget for an NFP might seem like a daunting task for the volunteer treasurer, Admin Bandit’s software makes it easy for both the novice and the expert to stay on top of these and other common NFP accounting tasks. You can see just how easy it is to use by getting started today with our 55 day free trial!

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How To Raise Funds Without Fundraising

Some people find it hard to ask other people for money, even when it’s not for personal gain, but when it comes to not for profit organisations, the responsibility to stay financially viable partially rests on the shoulders of the board.  There are however creative ways to create income without ‘fundraising’.

Neil Edgington from Social Velocity has practical and nonthreatening suggestions on his article 9 Ways Board Members Can Raise Money Without Fundraising.

Edgington strongly recommends using the personal networks of board members in a variety of ways.  Well connected members may have access to information that can add weight to a submission, tender or contract, or be in a position to arrange a meeting with a contact in a targeted business partner or customer.

Board members who are business leaders or entrepreneurs are also of great value in accessing extra income, as they may be able to help create or assess a business plan in relation to an earned income venture, highlighting opportunities and strengths, as well as potential risks.

Also discussed by the author and according to Penelope Burk’s annual donor survey, 84% of donors would “give again if they were thanked in a timely manner”.  A personal visit by a board member, and an explanation of why they are committed to the organisation might be just the catalyst the donor needs to dig deeper, or recommend a donation to another potential benefactor.

Another avenue worth considering but not discussed by Edgington, is whether your organisation has underutilised infrastructure or skills that are worth a premium to other parties.  For example, you may own buses or offices that can be used out of hours on a fee for service basis, or be able to offer consultancy, advice or audit type services in your area of specialty to organisations starting out or experiencing a period of change or review.

In an uncertain and less buoyant financial climate than one seen for many years, the responsibility of boards to assist in maintaining financial stability for their organisation is stronger than ever, but need not be confrontational or uncomfortable.  You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

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What Will 2012 Bring For NFPs?

We recently spotted an article from The Guardian newspaper which discussed the trends likely to happen in 2012 which will affect NFPs.

The journalist spoke with experts from different UK charities and fundraisers and reported on their opinions.

1.  Social investment.  The opinion is that we are likely to see more social investment this year but questions whether organisations are set up well enough to manage the debt repayment.

2.  New technology.  The use of technology to encourage online donations will increase as will the use for supporting communication with the marketplace.

3.  Collaboration.  The economic climate (especially in Europe) will see organisations working together instead of competing for funds.

4.  Going Mobile.  The use of apps and mobile platforms to encourage giving.

5.  Ambassadors.  “In 2012 we will see more ambassador and blogger engagement programmes but also more involvement from local communities.”

These are interesting predictions and you should think about them in the context of your own organisation.

What do you think?  Are the predictions likely to be accurate?

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