Is this you?

It’s likely that many of you out there fit the following profile:

• You manage the family’s finances, balancing the checkbook and ensuring that the cash flow covers expenses in different categories
• You can balance a detailed view with the “big picture” — basing an overview (which is all many people need) on the underlying facts (which some people will ask for)
• You care about the fiscal health of AAUW of North Carolina and its ability to use its resources wisely to promote equity for women and girls across the state

Does all that resonate? Or do you know someone  else who fits that description?

Why do we ask? Because the AAUW NC nominating committee has been unable to find a candidate for the position of treasurer for 2009-2011. We believe that there is someone in our 1000 members who will be an excellent candidate, but our recruiting has not found her (or him) yet. We have avoided cajoling and twisting arms to get someone who’s not enthusiastic to say “yes” against her better judgment. Yes, everyone is busy and has other priorities — but AAUW NC does, obviously, need someone to handle its finances and this may be your opportunity to show your support (and that of your branch) to ensure AAUW NC is able to continue providing the key link between the wealth of information at AAUW with the grass roots in NC.

What does the job entail?

• Making deposits and writing checks for the organization
  • This may get easier for 2009-2010 for those branches that participate in a new program from the Association that will allow AAUW to deposit the branch dues directly into the state account.
• Keeping the books in a way that makes it possible to produce both detailed reports (of interest to committee chairs responsible for particular budget lines) and summaries (to tell all the members how the board is using the state funds)
  • For at least the past 10 years, AAUW NC has used Quicken to manage this data. Note that this is a consumer-level money management program that is designed to be familiar to people migrating from paper-based checkbook registers. A similar program you already know would be fine, but if you’re not using such a program this can be an excellent opportunity to learn a skill that will help you in your personal life.
  • Quicken is not a very expensive program, and AAUW NC can provide a copy and support for someone who is just learning to manage accounts with a software program.
• Participating as a member of the board and the executive committee, particularly in financial discussions (preparation of the annual budget, discussion of funding special projects that may require drawing from the reserve)
  • There are three face-to-face board meetings each year.
  • Most of the work of the executive committee is done by conference call.
• Supporting an annual review of the organization’s finances.
  • This typically consists of providing documentation on the checks and deposits along with the overview and detailed reports. It is not a full “audit.”

Good news about the job

• The AAUW NC annual income is on the order of $15,000. This means that the organization does not need to file a full tax return,  just the “e-postcard” (IRS 990-N) that documents the nonprofit status.
• AAUW NC has assets of more than $25,000, and its income has covered expenses for the last six fiscal years. This means there no work involved in juggling when to pay bills, and the organization has the ability to fund special projects when a case is made for a particular project. On the other hand, the assets aren’t large enough that we’ve needed a complicated investment plan — the reserve is simply kept in a certificate of deposit.
• Those assets are all in bank accounts, and the organization has no liabilities.That means preparing the balance sheet is quite simple, and the organization uses “cash based” accounting, just as almost all of you do in your personal accounts.
• Many members of the AAUW NC board find great satisfaction in the connections and friendships they make with other members of the board. Extending your AAUW community from the branch level to include others from across the state can add enormous value to your membership.

Want to learn more?

• Contact nominating@aauwnc.org or call 866-525-2155, and someone will call you back to answer any questions.
• If you’re ready to apply, you’ll find the nomination form (as well as various financial reports) at www.aauwnc.org/documents