While this doesn’t quite come into HR, finance and governance do sit within operations so hopefully it’s still relevant to the community.
The difficulty of finding a board treasurer had been a common experience of groups and charities I’ve been involved with. Has anyone got any tips for where the anti-capitalist accountants hang out? I’m being flippant but I’d love to know if there was a community of people with finance skills, who share the values of this community.
Related to this difficulty - I’ve volunteered to be the treasurer for People & Planet and am looking to upskill myself to be able to perform this role well. I’ve got finance experience from an staff/operations perspective (preparing management accounts, budgets, reports to funders etc.) but am struggling to find resources aimed at treasurers committed to radical and anti-oppressive approaches.
Are there any other treasurers here? Does anyone having any suggestions for building the finance skills necessary to support radical groups, without bringing in unnecessarily corporate or competition-based language or models?
I know what you mean RE scant guidance for treasurers. I got my start as a branch treasurer of the IWW (an anti capitalist union). Basically no-one else in the branch wanted to be the treasurer. I then “accidentally” ended up becoming the treasurer for the union as a whole and then paid finance admin. Then I joined an accoutancy co-operative (thirdsectoraccountancy.coop) where we took on the full service incl accounts, audit etc. I now do a lot of varied work for lots of orgs. Amongst all that I’ve done some quals and now about halfway through becoming a chartered accountant. All because no-one else put their hand up to be treasurer.
In terms of building skills - I think experiential learning is number one and it sounds like you’ve some mint experience under your belt. I think you’re right that there isn’t any prominent resource aimed at our type of folk. Maybe this ace forum needs a rad treasurers section!
Thanks Jed, and that’s exactly it - I volunteered as nobody wanted to be. Though I do find the money side interesting! Third Sector Accountancy looks great, I will take a look at the site. Your point re experiential learning is reassuring. I think perhaps my unease is about a lack of confidence as much as skill, but want to make sure there’s nothing I’m missing, and also to connect with people trying to do similar things (so hi )
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