Taking care of all volunteers is a must in any volunteer based organisation. The fact that people spend their free time working for the NFP and supporting the cause without any monetary gain is something we often overlook. We take it for granted that we have a great cause so why wouldn’t people want to help but volunteers also have lives. They have jobs, families, other interests and when we don’t factor these into any volunteer duties and scheduling, we could end up some very disgruntled and overworked volunteers who no longer have the passion for the organisation.

While no one volunteer is more important than any other, we cannot stress enough just how important it is to look after your volunteer treasurer. This person is responsible for all your financial record keeping, management and income/expense streamlining. They have a huge task to ensure the financial side of the organisation is viable. Their job is multi-faceted, unlike other volunteer positions where a volunteer is given a job role, and that is all that is expected of them.

The volunteer treasurer while being responsible for the day to day bookkeeping of the organisation, is also responsible for future projections for funding and expenditure. On top of that, they are also responsible for liaising with all levels of the organisation to ensure everyone understands the financial position and often liaises with government departments to secure the necessary funding.

Your volunteer treasurer is likely to be working longer hours than most volunteers. However, often this is behind the scenes and others are not aware of the hours that go into maintaining the financial viability of an organisation. They may not appear at events as they are more than likely working long into the night when other volunteers have gone home. Their job is a crucial one and one that can set up your organisation for success well into the future and well after they have given up their role.

To look after them means to ensure they are not having to use outdated systems and programs that make their task even more intense and time-consuming.  Ensure that they receive any training they need rather than expecting them to work it out for themselves.  A well-trained treasurer is one that can do the job with strategy and planning in mind rather than struggling just to get through the paperwork.  If you can send them on specialised training courses, do so. Not only will it help them in this role but also in their private jobs or other roles they may take on.

Ultimately, ensure that the systems and processes used by your organisation allow all volunteers to do their job well without having to spend time completing tasks that can be made easier with quality software programs.

If you’re new to the role of treasurer or need a little help to get an organisation up to speed, why not consider trialling Admin Bandit, a software package tailored for the grass roots volunteer treasurer free for 55 days.