Have you ever thought about the amazing work Not-for-Profit treasurers do for their organisations? Making both ends meet, making sure that there is enough money for all events and activities, taking care of all financial matters is a challenging job that often receives little recognition from beyond the particular NFP. Therefore, the Not-for-Profit Treasurers’ Awards are a unique event, designed to recognise all the efforts NFP treasurers put into the development of their organisations and community groups, which has a major impact on the NFP sector in Australia as a whole.

The 2016 Not-for-Profit Treasurers Awards will open in February 2016. This year’s run will be the sixth one and is, as before, a common initiative of The Commonwealth Bank and Our Community. If you would like to receive more information about the Awards, and to get notified when they open, you can register on the official website of Our Community. Once the Awards are open, you would be able to nominate a treasurer you believe have gone an extra mile to ensure the well-being and financial security of their organisation.

In 2015, the Commonwealth Bank and Our Community received over 1100 nominations, and a great feedback from treasurers nationwide. The Awards event was divided in two parts. In the first one, community members nominated treasurers to receive the award, and in the second the treasurers themselves identified and discussed various problems related to the NFP sector in Australia and the work of the not-for-profit treasurer. Three of the nominated treasurers were selected to receive Awards: a certificate, a prize of $5000 for their organisation, and an iPad as a personal reward.

Meet Some of the Winners 

Waheeda Bulladin – Winner, 2012

Waheeda won the Award as a result of her work the Islamic Women’s Welfare Association in Lakemba, NSW (Category: Medium Organisations). The changes Waheeda introduced in IWWA could be described as revolutionary. She made sure the organisation’s constitution includes important points for enhanced members’ control and that all the staff and volunteers are trained to the required standard which would allow them to observe the organisation’s values. In addition to that, Waheeda computerised all IWWA’s accounts and established protocols for risk managements, making sure the staff was trained in best practice. Good job, Waheeda!

You can find a full list of the winners and a short description of their work on the link above, just above the registration form. Their stories are not only an inspiration for all of us working in the NFP sector, but often quite insightful and truly beneficial for the practical work of a volunteer NFP Treasurer.