Volunteer treasurers are often looking for ways to make their work go smoother, and increase their accuracy and time efficiency. One fantastic resource at their disposal is the ‘Mentor the Treasurer’ program run by Pro Bono Australia, in partnership with CPA Australia. To receive mentorship, the volunteer organisation must be based in Australia, and run under AUD$100,000 revenue per year.

Have an Experienced Chartered Professional Accountant Guide Your Learning Curve

Many volunteer treasurers do not come from an accounting or bookkeeping background, and those people especially have a lot to gain from reliable mentorship. Mentors are given materials to help them convey the knowledge treasurers need to do their best, and are well stocked with knowledge needed to answer questions as they arise.

Have a Mentor Available to Answer Queries

Due to the nationwide nature of the program, a mentor might not be close geographically, but can still be contacted by telephone, or conveniently, by email, to answer questions. This can save volunteer treasurers from hours of fruitless googling, or making guesses that can have negative consequences down the line. Being able to fire off an email to a mentor, and get a reply within a reasonable window of time can remove a lot of the stress and difficulty from the role of treasurer.

Appropriate Division of Labour

Mentors are not in place to do the treasurer’s work, but rather to steer them towards being able to do it confidently, swiftly, and accurately. With a mentor overseeing as the treasurer learns the ropes, the end product will be complete records, reconciled statements, and an accurate account of the financial activities and standing of the NFP. When the treasurer has developed the skills required to do this, they can confidently continue to serve their community in the treasurer’s role.

Terrific Safety-net

Having the mentorship and advice of a CPA is an incredible asset to small scale non-profit organisations. The mentorship arrangement will enable the treasurer to avoid inadvertent financial reporting mistakes that can harm or even completely dismantle a community organisation. While the responsibility for the records remains in the hands of the treasurer, with the knowledge gained from the ‘Mentor the Treasurer’ program they can be fairly sure the work they are doing will pass an audit with little difficulty.

For more information, and to apply for this program, see Mentor the Treasurer.