Book: Local Action Chapter: Money and fundraising Section: Introduction Metadata: Details Buy this book

All groups spend money on day-to-day things. Some of it goes in large sums on tools or training. More often it trickles out in small amounts on meeting room hire, photocopying, fuel and so on. Some small groups try to ignore the accounts and individuals pay for things themselves, but as the group grows this just doesn't work. It also makes it very hard to keep an eye on how much is being raised and spent.

Most groups spend much larger sums on their site that they have raised through grants or sponsorship. The grant-awarding organisation will want to see your records so they know you have spent it correctly.

If you are going to operate efficiently, you need some financial records, a way to agree what the money is to be spent on, a strategy to raise the money that is needed and a treasurer to look after the accounts. Appointing a treasurer is the place to start. A good group treasurer can make the co-ordinator's life a great deal easier, whereas a bad one can make life a misery.

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A good group treasurer can make... life a great deal easier.

A treasurer should ideally have some experience of handling money. If you have a volunteer willing to take on the role of treasurer, but who has no experience or who lacks confidence arrange for them to have some training. Your local Volunteer Action may run training courses for treasurers, as will community support networks, your local council, or local colleges. The duties of a treasurer in a small group are fairly straightforward so they should not take up too much time. They are to:

• Keep a record of income and expenditure
• Make sure that important payments such as insurance and BTCV membership are made on time
• Deal with matters relating to the bank or building society account
• Work with the co-ordinator, membership secretary and fundraiser to ensure that money is coming in and that the group stays in credit
• Produce a regular financial update for meetings
• Produce an annual financial report

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