Treasurers

Resources

ACAT Handbook

The primary source of reference for Quaker treasurers on legal and financial matters is the ACAT (Association of Church Accountants and Treasurers) handbook, which can be accessed at www.acat.uk.com. Britain Yearly Meeting has a membership with ACAT covering all area meeting and local meeting treasurers – if you are a treasurer and have not yet received the ACAT login details, please contact the secretary to Quaker Stewardship Committee on 020 7663 1161 or email qsc@quaker.org.uk.

Treasurers' guidance sheets

The Quaker treasurers' guidance sheets offer supplementary guidance to be used in conjunction with the ACAT handbook (see above). There are 25 guidance sheets – one for each chapter of the ACAT handbook – and all 25 are contained in the PDF linked to below. Please read the introduction first as this gives a brief overview of how to use these sheets as well as other information and resources that may be of help.

• Treasurers' guidance sheets (PDF)

Trustees' and Treasurers' News

This newsletter for Quaker trustees and treasurers comes out three times a year.

• Trustees' and Treasurers' News Summer 2019 (PDF)
• Trustees' and Treasurers' News Spring 2019 (PDF)
• Trustees' and Treasurers' News Autumn 2018 (PDF)

Trustees' annual review, annual report and financial statements for the year ending 2017

• Our faith our work: annual review 2017 (PDF)
• Trustees' annual report, including financial statements for the year ending December 2017 (PDF)

Quaker accounting spreadsheets and software

The following PDF document contains information about the accounting spreadsheets for Quaker treasurers and the Quaker version of the Paxton accounting software. It has links to download the spreadsheets and support material including a link to a set of training videos.

• Accounting spreadsheets and software for Quaker treasurers (PDF)

The technical support email for the spreadsheets is treasurersIT@quaker.org.uk.

Checklists for reports and accounts

There are checklists provided so trustees and treasurers can check whether their report and accounts are complete: England & Wales (word) and Scotland (word)

Recommended reading

• Protect yourself from fraud (PDF)
• For information on how to improve the cyber security of your meeting see the Cyber Security: Small Charity Guide at www.ncsc.gov.uk/charity
• Banking with the Co-operative – a dilemma for Friends: paper prepared by QPSW about our relationship with the Co-operative Bank in response to questions raised by Friends (PDF)
• Implementing an integrated finance system: information and guidance on how to create an integrated finance system (PDF)
• Treatment of local meeting money in area meeting accounts: information and guidance on local meeting money in area meeting accounts (Word)
• A vulnerable victim? An account of the theft of an area meeting's money by their treasurer, including lessons learned (PDF)
• Central England Quakers' approach to financial administration (PDF)
• Electronic donation boxes - points to consider for Quaker meetings (PDF)

Support

Treasurers' and Clerks' Support Officer

Our Treasurers' and Clerks' Support Officer is the first point of contact for treasurers who need information or advice to support them in their roles, or who wish to update their subscriptions to relevant newsletters and other mailings. Email Gaby Scott at gabys@quaker.org.uk or phone 020 7663 1045.

Contributions pack

Each year we produce a contributions pack for treasurers and collectors to use to encourage contributions from their meeting. You can find electronic versions of the documents in this pack at www.quaker.org.uk/contributions. If you would like paper copies to give out in your meeting please contact Maisa Monteiro on 020 7663 1015 or at contributions@quaker.org.uk.

Area meeting contribution reports

Area meeting treasurers can request a quarterly report on their giving to Britain Yearly Meeting by emailing contributions@quaker.org.uk. The report is broken down by local meeting and also shows a total for direct giving by individuals.

Help with contributions

In certain circumstances, our Treasurers' and Clerks' Support Officer may be able to provide support to some meetings with their annual contribution mailing where there is a need for this. For further information, email gabys@quaker.org.uk or phone 020 7663 1045.

Paying-in slips

Treasurers should use these paying-in slips for meeting contributions to Britain Yearly Meeting sent by cheque or BACS transfer. These will help your meeting's contribution get to the right place and any allocation details to be logged correctly.

• Paying-in slip to accompany cheques sent by post (PDF)
• Paying-in slip to email to us when you make bank transfer BACS (Editable PDF)

If you have any problems using the editable form, please contact Gaby Scott at gabys@quaker.org.uk.

Gift Aid

Your Quaker meeting can claim back 25p from HMRC every time an individual donates £1 to your charity. This is called Gift Aid. You must be registered with HMRC to claim Gift Aid and the donors must be UK taxpayers who have made a Gift Aid declaration. They must have paid the same amount or more in Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax in that tax year. See www.gov.uk/claim-gift-aid for further information.

There is a Gift Aid declaration section on all Quaker contribution forms at www.quaker.org.uk/contributions.

Information sheets on Gift Aid for treasurers:

• How Gift Aid works (PDF) – updated 2018
• Advice for local meetings on special collections and Gift Aid (PDF) – updated 2018

If you would like more information on claiming Gift Aid, please contact Gaby Scott at gabys@quaker.org.uk.

See also information below on the GASDS which you can consider if your meeting already claims Gift Aid.

Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme

The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) allows eligible charities to claim 'top-up' payments on cash donations of £20 or less. Cash donations must be in bank notes or coins that have been collected and banked in the UK after 6 April 2013. Donations can be in any foreign currency. You don't need to know the identity of the donors or collect Gift Aid declarations, which makes it easier to claim on donations like street collections.

See www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-a-top-up-payment-on-small-charitable-donations for further information about eligibility and making a claim.

Information sheets on Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme for treasurers:

• GASDS information sheet (PDF - May 2019)
• GASDS recording sheet (PDF)

If you would like more information on claiming through the GASDS, please contact Gaby Scott at gabys@quaker.org.uk.

Training and events

Conferences for Treasurers and Trustees

Joint conference for AM Trustees and Treasurers in 2019

This conference for AM Trustees and Treasurers was held from 29-31 March 2019 at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick.

Useful documents from the conference:

• Good practice in faith-based charities (pdf): Nick Donaldson, Head of Faith Charities Engagement, Charity Commission
• Simpler Meetings (pdf): Jonathan Carmichael, Simpler Meetings Project Manager
• Reducing the load on treasurers (pdf): by Jonathan Carmichael, Simpler Meetings Project Manager
• Can Quakers do buildings? (pdf): Huw Davies, Project Manager, Property Support Project
• Presentation by BYM Treasurer (pdf)
• Gift aid (pdf) [not yet ready]

Treasurers' training at Woodbrooke

Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre offers a range of courses for treasurers, including 'Being a Quaker Treasurer' (for new and prospective local and area meeting treasurers), 'Area Meeting Treasurers' and 'Financial Stewardship'. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.woodbrooke.org.uk, email enquiries@woodbrooke.org.uk or phone 0121 472 5171.