Why do Volunteers Stay?

It’s not enough to attract talented individuals to your organisation. When your turnover rate is high, you must spend extra time trying to recruit and train replacements, wasting your resources and decreasing your NFP’s effectiveness. The following strategies will help you improve your volunteer program and increase your retention rate.

Offer rewarding work

Many nonprofits spend a lot of time, effort and money to find and onboard volunteers only to give them tasks to complete that many consider to be “busy” work. Your volunteers don’t just want to be helpful – they want to do work that matters!

Look for ways to give your volunteers meaningful work, and, always connect their performance and the results to the impact they are helping your organisation achieve in your community!

Give them the training and tools they need to perform well

One way to guarantee that your volunteers will be unhappy and tempted to leave is to make their environment as difficult as possible. Your volunteers need training, guidance and coaching to help them develop the skills that they need to perform well. In addition to education, show your volunteers that they matter to you and that you respect them, by giving them all the tools, equipment and resources that they need, especially when it comes to software, hardware and IT.

Using outdated equipment and apps not only slows down your processes and increases the chances of errors, but it will also frustrate your volunteers and increase the chances that they look for opportunities to volunteer that are less stressful.

Express your appreciation

Do you thank your volunteers for their work and effort on a regular basis? Do you have an established means of thanking them for exemplary performance that is both public, and, heartfelt? Have you considered offering your volunteers perks and benefits, such as partnering with third-party businesses to give them discounts and small gifts that show your appreciation? Everyone likes to see their hard work acknowledged, and, rewarded! Keep your volunteers excited about the help that they provide your organisation and its beneficiaries by establishing a rewards and acknowledgement program for your volunteers so that you both show, and tell, each one just how much their work matters!

Follow up

One of the most common reasons that volunteers leave an organisation is that they don’t feel that their opinions matter. Encouraging open dialogue, and, asking for feedback on a regular basis, shows your volunteers that you value their input and advice. It’s also an excellent way to gain insight from the front lines, so you can identify potential issues quickly and develop “real world” solutions that work!

Sit down with your volunteers regularly and talk with them about their performance. Ask them if there is anything that you can do to make it easier to complete tasks. Ask for feedback about your program and ask them to suggest steps that you can take to make volunteering a more enjoyable and rewarding experience. Don’t forget to thank them for their suggestions and ask them to return and consider volunteering with your NFP for the long-term!

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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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3 Ways to Attract Younger Volunteers

Human capital and the ability to raise funds are the lifeblood of any organisation. In the past, nonprofits could rely upon the public’s very human need to give back to society to help drive their recruiting efforts. Today, younger adults are more likely to commit to a nonprofit because its values and work, align with their own interests. In other words, if you want to attract younger volunteers, you should seek to build meaningful relationships with them, and offer them work that they find valuable and personally enriching.

There is also some research that suggests that today’s youth are hesitant to claim the mantle of volunteer, spending more of their time in activities related to education and paid work. When our young people do volunteer, they tend to do so informally, rather than connecting with a public institution and working through them.

Nonprofits need this generation to grow, so your NFP will need to change up its recruiting practices. The following tips can make your NFP and its volunteering opportunities more appealing to Millennials and younger adults.

Connect with Millennials on their Terms

If you want to target younger adults for recruitment, you must target your messages to match this generation’s preferred means of communicating and gathering information. In the past, your recruiting efforts likely focused on personal, face-to-face recruiting drives, and notices that you posted on your website, in your email newsletter, or via direct mail. Today’s young adults conduct most of their business in the virtual, digital world via mobile devices. To reach them, you must go where they are!

This means using apps that make it easier for the public to connect with your nonprofit and learn about your openings for volunteers. It’s also a good idea to invest in developing your website so that it’s easy to navigate, especially on mobile platforms, so that young adults can quickly browse your site and learn more about your cause and the work that you are doing to make a difference. You should also invest in developing your social media channels, posting your volunteer positions on them, and encouraging all your supporters to like, share and follow your posts to increase engagement with your cause.

While Facebook is popular with older adults, younger ones tend to be more visual, and enjoy shorter, faster, and more spontaneous posts. Focus on developing your Twitter profile, along with your Instagram and Pinterest accounts to convey your NFPs story visually, and quickly get the word out about volunteer opportunities, breaking news and other needs.

Help Young Adults Become Passionate About Your Cause

Keep your messages focused on your mission, and present it in a format that’s fresh, entertaining and light. Tout the mutual benefits of volunteering with your NFP and offer opportunities for young adults to gain valuable work experience, learn new skills, and polish existing ones. Try to show your younger volunteers exactly how their role contributes to your cause, and how they are explicitly helping you to make a difference in your service community. Share your NFP’s stories of how young adults just like them have been able to create a tremendous impact through their work.

Be Flexible

Today’s young adults are very busy and always on the go. They may be less likely than previous generations to stay in one location or position for very long, which can make them hesitant to take on challenges and opportunities that may require extended time commitments. Wherever possible, try to be as flexible as you can with scheduling.

Offer a variety of volunteering positions that vary from short, online activities that require just a few minutes of their time, to longer ones that will allow them to do some of the work remotely. The easier that it is for young adults to engage with your organisation and act on its behalf, the more likely this generation will be to support your work by contributing their time and hard work!

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Nonprofit Software To Help Your NFP Grow

A nonprofit’s ability to thrive and grow can be directly tied to how well its board of directors performs their governance and oversight role. It requires a plethora of information from multiple sources to meet this fiduciary duty. Recording, tracking, organising and presenting your organisation’s data in a form that is accurate, easy to understand, relevant and actionable as well as secure and available at a moment’s notice is critical to fulfilling this role and is one of your volunteer treasurer’s most important duties.

If you want your NFP to grow, then your organisation must enable your treasurer to be able to perform these necessary functions. The easiest, most cost-effective way to do this is to back them up with robust, fully-functional software that’s specially designed to meet their needs.

More than the Sum of its Features

There are many brands of accountancy software on the market that enables users to complete a host of bookkeeping tasks; but, most of them are filled with generic forms and processes that can be customised for the for-profit or non-profit sector. Admin Bandit breaks the mould because it has been designed to be used by volunteer treasurers. It is a powerful suite of tools that enables you to manage the NFP’s finances and makes it easier to monitor the health of the nonprofit. Thanks to Admin Bandit, you can give your board actionable information, that informs their decisions and helps them take the steps that are necessary to strengthen their organisation so that it can flourish and grow in a sustainable manner.

Software that Benefits You!

Admin Bandit is easy to set up. In fact, in less than 2 minutes you can be up and running, tracking your bank account transactions, issuing receipts and invoices, and monitoring your expenditures. Creating the annual budget has also never been easier, as it allows you to import last year’s data. All your records are kept in the cloud, so that it stays up-to-date, secure, and accessible, around the clock, every day of every year.

While its ability to record and track information, and produce a host of reports is great, one of the best benefits it provides is that it makes it easy to keep track of your NFP memberships and donations. This way, you can keep up with who has paid their dues, and take action to increase engagement, and prevent lapses in membership. By tracking donations, you can keep an eye on who has made a gift to your nonprofit, when it was made, and its size, along with other key demographic information for your donors. Not only does this allow you to measure the effectiveness of your fundraising campaigns, but it also enables you to segment your donors and conduct further research. You can then adjust your messages accordingly to encourage your existing donors to increase their support by signing up for recurrent monthly giving, or take it a step further and become major donors and key supporters of your cause.

All these benefits are available to you and your nonprofit when you make the decision to empower your volunteer treasurer and give them this tool that will increase their productivity and improve your ability to guide your nonprofit into greater opportunities for growth!

Check out this list of features, to learn more about how Admin Bandit software can improve your nonprofit’s efficiency and effectiveness and sign up for the free 55-day trial to see for yourself how easy it easy to stay on top of your nonprofit’s financial health and well-being!

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Characteristics Of A Good Volunteer Treasurer

Do you have what it takes to be a good fit for the role of treasurer in your organisation? Before you say “yes” or “no” to the position, look at our list of the top traits shared by successful treasurers.

Integrity

Integrity means various things to different people, but at its heart, to have integrity means that you are honest, dependable and trustworthy. It is the number one trait that treasurers, as well as the other board members, should have. When someone has integrity, it means that others can count on them to look at situations objectively, and, to do the right thing.

For nonprofits, this means that others are safe putting their trust in you to look out for the best interests of all your stakeholders, and the public at large.

Patience

Another trait that is critical for nonprofit treasurers is patience. As treasurer, you will be called on to simplify complex financial information and translate it for others that don’t have extensive backgrounds and experience with accounting and finance. Treasurers need to have their fingers on the pulse of their organisations, and to be able to answer questions and provide their input on matters that may only be tangentially connected to your NFP’s financial health.

Persistence

To fulfil their oversight role, treasurers must be ready to follow the trail of their NFPs past financial moves. They need to be able to look through the records of former treasurers and be prepared to deal with the unexpected, including changes in accounting practices that have affected the way that specific valuations are determined and accounted for. They need to be prepared to see that effective and transparent practices and policies are put into place that lowers the risk of loss for the nonprofit. Each of these tasks can be both time consuming, and, stressful over time, but a good volunteer treasurer has the determination and responsibility to stay on top of these and other tasks.

Availability

While automated bookkeeping software has simplified many of the most basic, time-consuming and monotonous accounting tasks for treasurers, there are still many duties that require the treasurer to be available. NFP meetings, preparing reports, and getting the NFP ready for independent audit can all lead to treasurers needing to be available outside of the hours of a “traditional” 9 to 5 position.

Good treasurers are available on an as-needed basis and are always ready to weigh in with their other board members to answer questions and make sure that everyone has the information that they need to make good decisions for the benefit of the nonprofit.

Comfortable Dealing with Numbers and Handling Cash

While it’s not necessary to have a specialised degree in accounting or bookkeeping, or have direct experience in the financial sector, it can definitely help. Regardless of their previous experience, a good treasurer will be comfortable with figures, as well as handling large amounts of cash. They are prepared to enter transactions, especially those that affect nonprofit monies, as soon as possible. They “play by the rule,” and are responsible and do not disburse funds without board approval and require proper documentation before making disbursements.

A good treasurer also recognises the benefits from continuing education. They are open to taking classes and attending training courses to help them strengthen the skills and knowledge basis that they need to perform their tasks and fulfil their duties well.

An Analytical Mind with an Eye for Details

A good treasurer is also someone who tends to be very practical. They can analyse problems, zero in on the fine details, and perform tasks in a very planned, methodical manner. Being able to think, plan and act logically helps them to spot discrepancies and trace them back to the source, whether the source is a simple human or computer error or a deliberate act, such as an instance of internal theft or another form of fraud.

Ability to Act Decisively and Impartially

The best treasurers are always able to separate their personal feelings about a person or proposal, from their professional, legal duties. They can thoroughly analyse the facts around a situation and make impartial decisions that are based on what is best for the nonprofit and the population it serves.

If you possess these seven traits, then you are well on your way to having what it takes to make a great volunteer treasurer. Like other forms of volunteer service, it is a great way to give back to your community and help others! If you have the time and ability to do so, you should consider serving in this capacity!

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Top 7 Reasons To Volunteer As A Treasurer

The role of treasurer in a nonprofit is one that carries a weighty responsibility. Like any other board member, treasurers have a fiduciary duty to always act in the best interests of the public and to ensure that any funds that are received are put to use to advance that nonprofit’s mission and goals.

As the primary watchdog of an NFP’s finances, they “wear many hats” as they oversee transactions and record keeping and manage assets and cash flows. The best volunteer treasurers take steps to anticipate losses and minimise risk and keep the board and other key stakeholders informed of the nonprofit’s financial status.

Since it is a role that is filled with so much responsibility, it can be difficult to recruit good candidates for the position. If you’ve been reluctant to take on this challenge, consider some of the following advantages that serving in this capacity has to offer.

Strengthen and Diversify Your Skill Set

As a volunteer, even if you are using your existing skills, the chances are great that you will be using them in different ways to solve the unique challenges that tend to crop up in the nonprofit sector. Serving as a volunteer treasurer is a great way to put your bookkeeping and financial management skills to use building your community and brush up on your people skills as well as you cooperate and collaborate with others to advance your NFP’s mission.

Hone Those Communication Skills

Many professionals in the accounting and financial sphere can go days or weeks without speaking to a live person. As a volunteer treasurer, however, you will be the point person on your NFP’s finances.

When board members and others don’t understand a term or line item in your NFP’s financials, you will be the one that they turn to when they need help comprehending your nonprofit’s true financial state, and what the long, and short-term ramifications will be if your NFP takes a specific course of action.

Excellent communication skills is the key to being able to simplify complex financial issues so that everyone can understand what’s going on, and it’s a skill that you will be able to practice and sharpen as volunteer treasurer.

Expand Your Network

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people from all walks of life, which expands your network of connections and opens the door to new opportunities. Your next employment opportunity might just come from a tip that you receive from a contact that you make during your volunteer service!

Become a More Attractive Job Candidate

Volunteering doesn’t just help your job prospects by improving your network, the practical experience that you gain in the role will make you a more attractive recruit for headhunters seeking prospects with hands-on experience filling a role in accounting, finance and leadership.

Boost Your Confidence

Helping others provides a lift to our spirits, and increases our feelings of self-esteem, value and self-worth. When you feel good about yourself, it shows in the way that you carry yourself, and, in the energy that you bring other areas of your life.

The Purpose of Life is Not All About You

The urge to look back and reflect on our lives as we grow older is a normal, expected one. Volunteering to serve your community and give back is a great way to know that you’ve done something in your life to make a difference in the lives of others and help your community.

It’s Fun!

Serving as volunteer treasurer isn’t all about work and responsibility, it can also be a lot of fun! Many organisations offer their volunteers special recognition and invite them to attend members-only events such as awards ceremonies, galas, and other exciting celebrations and action-packed activities!

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Your Duties as a Volunteer Treasurer – What to Expect

For many, their only interaction with the treasurer of a nonprofit is listening to their report about the organisation’s finances during regular board meetings. Most of the processes and procedures that involve the treasurer are conducted out of the limelight, which is why so many people have a very limited understanding about the tasks and duties that are performed by the treasurer. It’s also the reason why most newly elected treasurers come to the job full of questions about the role that they will play in their NFP.

The following overview outlines some of the major functions and responsibilities of the volunteer treasurer.

 Management and Oversight of Finances

The treasurer is an officer of the board, and as such has the same fiduciary responsibility to ensure that public funds are spent for the public welfare, and in keeping with the nonprofit’s mission.

The treasurer is also tasked with managing and overseeing their organisation’s finances. They are responsible for recording and tracking both the monies that the nonprofit receives, as well as those that it expends. Effective management of cash flows is critical to effective financial management.

They help to establish policies and controls to protect the nonprofit’s assets and are either directly, or indirectly, involved with making and monitoring deposits, seeking board approval for the disbursement of funds, managing investments and similar activities.

Whether the treasurer is directly involved in the day to day cash transactions or has a staff that assists them with this and other duties, typically depends on the size of the nonprofit.

Creating and Managing the NFP Budget

The treasurer plays an integral part in creating the annual budget and is responsible for helping the board stay on track as it raises funds, makes expenditures and invests in capital projects. The treasurer is responsible for creating a realistic budget and using sound, reasonable judgement and accepted accounting principles and practices when making forecasts involving income, outlays, expenses, and similar items that affect the financial health and sustainability of the nonprofit.

Reporting and Adherence to Legal Requirements

Nonprofits must meet the requirements of many state, federal and regional laws when it comes to reporting, as well as the calculation and payment of taxes and other obligations. This means that the treasurer is responsible filing reporting forms in a timely manner.

The treasurer is also tasked with keeping the board well informed about the NFP’s financial status and producing and presenting formal reports that illustrate the NFP’s current financial status on a regular basis. To fulfil this role, treasurers often find themselves offering the board advice so that they can make better decisions that will advance the mission forward without weakening the NFP’s long-term financial stability.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

The treasurer is also responsible for many other tasks that complement their main duties. For example, it is the treasurer that is tasked with preparing the nonprofit for an audit, and, helping the board to fully understand any issues or items of interest that may be raised in the auditor’s report. They should also work to keep the NFP’s accounts updated and current on a regular basis and be prepared to assist a new treasurer with assuming the position should they choose to retire or otherwise leave the role.

The position of treasurer is one that requires the person holding it to be responsible and well-organised. Since so much is dependent upon the nonprofit’s finances, the treasurer should also be honest and known for their determination and moral character.

While some duties that are performed by the treasurer are sensitive to deadlines, the actual work involved with being the treasurer need not be excessively time-consuming. A good accountancy software suite, such as Admin Bandit can help treasurers stay on track by automating and streamlining many of the data entry and recordkeeping requirements associated with the role.

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Volunteer Treasurer Roundup: Strategies to Survive and Thrive in the Role

Serving as a volunteer treasurer is both demanding, and gratifying. This roundup of prior posts, offers tips on how to know if you are cut out for the position. It also offers advice on how to acquire the skills that you need to perform your duties well, along with strategies on how to keep calm and save time while fulfilling your responsibilities.

Do You Have What It Takes to Serve?

There are several myths about the skills and background that volunteer treasurers must have before they take on the position. Learn more about what it takes to perform the job well in the post, What Makes a Great Volunteer Treasurer.

Once you’ve assumed the role, you are likely to have a lot of questions about how to get started managing your nonprofit’s finances and performing your other fiduciary duties. The post, How to be the Best Treasurer You Can Be will let you know what steps you should take as you begin so that you can put your best foot forward.

Tips to Reduce Stress and Improve Effectiveness and Performance

The volunteer treasurer is often a time consuming, and stressful role. Much of the work is time-sensitive meaning that there are numerous deadlines that you must make in order to keep your nonprofit on track and in compliance with numerous guidelines and regulations.

The article, Work Life Balance, for Busy Treasurers, contains several tips to help you destress and reclaim your peace as well as your ability to concentrate and perform.

The post, How to Convince My Committee to Upgrade My Software contains advice on how to demonstrate to your board the benefits of updating, and how it will increase the security and reliability of your systems and processes. Not to mention that upgrading your software to an automated system such as Admin Bandit will also help you to decrease the time, hassle and expense involved in managing your NFP finances!

Take Care of Your Volunteer Treasurer offers advice for directors, board and others on how they can make it easier for their new treasurers to perform their duties well and reduce their stress levels in the process. Of all the tips that it offers, it explains the connection between training and effectiveness, and how investing in your people and helping them develop the skills that they need to perform their tasks well will reduce the workload and pressure on everyone.

Strategies to Keep Your Motivation and Morale High

Burnout is a genuine risk for volunteer treasurers, especially if they serve in the position for several years. While some automatically assume that establishing a well-known routine decreases the stress associated with the role, it actually works in the reverse for many volunteer treasurers. Overly familiar policies and procedures become tedious and difficult to maintain day after day and year after year.

How to Stay Motivated in Your Job is a prior post that can help those that serve in the same position for a long span of time to find new meaning in honing their craft and perfecting their performance.

The article How Taking on the Role of Volunteer Treasurer Can Boost Your Career reminds us of all of the numerous benefits volunteer treasurers receive when they choose to serve their communities in this capacity.

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What Does Being a Volunteer Treasurer Involve?

One of the most common assumptions that holds back many otherwise qualified individuals from volunteering for the role of treasurer is that you must be an accountant or have a strong background in finance. While experience in bookkeeping or related areas is certainly helpful, it’s not an absolute must.

The following is a list of the top qualities and characteristics needed to fulfil the role of treasurer.

Honesty and Integrity

Treasurers and other office holders in a nonprofit organisation have a fiduciary duty to look out for the best interests of the nonprofit, to ensure that the NFP operates for the public good rather than for a specific individual, and to ensure that the NFP acts according to its bylaws and other applicable guidelines and regulations. Treasurers, as well as NFP directors and board members all need to follow the highest ethical standards and should be known for their honesty and integrity.

The Ability to be Organised, and Think Critically

Some of the important duties of the treasurer include the ability to keep up-to-date records on NFP finances, analyse financial information, protect assets such as monies received, taking steps to protect the nonprofit from losses such as fraud and theft. To be able to discharge duties like these, the person that your nonprofit elects as treasurer will need to be able to think and act in an organised, methodical manner.

The treasurer also needs to be able to evaluate information with a critical, unbiased eye so that they can make decisions that are informed, balanced and based on accurate information.

The Ability to Break Down Complex Concepts and Simplify Them

As part of their role in monitoring and controlling NFP finances, the treasurer is responsible for reviewing all internal processes and methods of reporting. They need to take steps to ensure that the nonprofit complies with all tax obligations, including FBT, GST, and payroll taxes. They need to assist in preparing the budget and reviewing performance. They also advise the board on fundraising and financial strategy.

As a consequence of performing these types of duties, they need to be able to understand the complex concepts involved in these items as well as be able to simplify this information and explain it in terms that board members and others can easily understand. Making sure that the board understands the organisation’s finances and obligations is certainly one of the most important, and weighty responsibilities of a nonprofit’s treasurer.

Automated Software Can Simplify the Job

While each of these areas seems overwhelming and daunting, it’s not as complicated, and burdensome as it may sound at first. While having a background in accounting, it is not that difficult for most folks to learn the basics about how to record, analyse and monitor the transactions and other data that make up your nonprofit’s finances. Accounting Software such as Admin Bandit simplifies the process and makes it easy for even a newly elected treasurer with little previous experience to keep up with their organisation’s finances and reporting requirements.

First Steps for the Newly Elected Treasurer.

Most volunteer treasurers begin their service by being appointed at their nonprofit’s annual meeting. If you have just landed the job, it’s a good idea to get started in the role by completing the following tasks.

If possible, schedule a meeting with the prior treasurer and ask to be filled in on important details, such as the passwords to online accounts and software. Make sure to ask for a copy of the financial procedures manual, and check to ensure you have been provided with a copy of all financial information, including prior budgets, receipts and other essential financial documents. Review any upcoming payments, and incoming revenues that may not have been included in the budget.

Review the details of all bank accounts held by your NFP. Update changes in signatories. Do the same for any credit card accounts and update any spending authorisations. Ask that outstanding or otherwise missing cheque books or credit cards be returned as soon as possible.

Create a schedule of upcoming deadlines, such as payments for bills and other expenditures so that you don’t miss any due dates. When you create the budget, review it with the outgoing treasurer if possible to make sure that you haven’t missed or otherwise overlooked anything that should be included.

Going forward, you should check to see if your NFP has an audit committee. If not, you will need to prepare to review your nonprofit’s existing control policies and procedures to ensure that they are adequate and take corrective measure if they are not.

You will also need to be prepared to look for and analyse any financial discrepancies or other irregularities. The treasurer is also responsible for taking steps to ensure that the NFP’s financial information is accurate, organised and ready for independent audit.

Treasurers also act as a liaison between their board and the independent, third-party auditor and help prepare their NFP for audit.

Don’t Worry – You’ve Got This!

While all these duties sound complicated and time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be if you have a high degree of integrity, are diligent and logical, and have sound systems and software to simplify your processes and back you up!

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7 Ways To Reduce Stress As A Volunteer Treasurer

Being stressed out seems to be an all too common occurrence in the workplace today. The side effects of it are genuinely terrible. Along with raising our heart rate and blood pressure, stress saps our motivation and productivity levels so getting a handle on it should be a priority for everyone.

The following seven tips can help you relieve the pressure so that you will feel better and be able to get more done during your workday.

Cut the Clutter

When our workspace is unorganised and piled up with unfiled paperwork and misplaced objects, it is visually distracting and can add to our stress levels. An easy way to beat the stress and feel more in control during your day is to take a few moments to clear off your desk, and organise the items in your workspace.

Place the items that you most frequently use within hands reach, and store items that you rarely use away in a closet, filing cabinet or other storage area. Before you leave each day, take a few moments to tidy your space so that you start the next day off with the proverbial clean slate.

Turn Up the Lights

How is the lighting in your workspace? If you spend lots of time in front of your computer, pouring over transactions and other financial information, having adequate lighting is important to prevent eyestrain as well as lift your mood.

Ensure that your workspace has adequate overhead lighting and consider adding lamps or changing the type of bulbs that you use. If you can, position your desk close to a source of natural light to help your body regulate its internal clock so that you feel more awake during daylight hours.

Add a Personal Touch

Add a few decorative plants to your workspace to soften your environment and make it more warm and relaxing. Place a framed picture of your loved ones, or another image that brings a smile to your face, on your desk to add a personal touch to your space and to remind you of why your work matters.

Consider Updating Your Accountancy Software

Old, out of date systems are frustrating to work with. Lighten your load by upgrading your nonprofits accounting software to a fully automated one, such as Admin Bandit’s so that it’s faster and easier to stay on top of your NFP’s finances.

Put the Kibosh on Interruptions

Few things are as frustrating as having your full concentration unexpectedly interrupted. Beat the stress by putting an end to interruptions. Learn to set boundaries with co-workers and others so that they know not to swing by for a chat when you are fully engaged in working on something important. Set the right expectations when it comes to answering phone calls and emails, and only send replies during set times of the day rather than reading and replying to messages and calls throughout the day.

Walk it Out

Don’t forget to take frequent breaks during your day and get up from your desk and walk around your facility. Doing so will help you to mentally switch gears. It also stretches your muscles and increases your intake of fresh air, which are all good to relive the tension and stress that you are unconsciously carrying in your body.

Practice Good Self Care at Home

When our minds and bodies are healthy, they are more resilient to the effects of stress. Take good care of yourself both in and outside of the office. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of water and good night’s rest to support optimal health and nutrition so that you are mentally and physically prepared to give your best at work.

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