"Nooo!" I hear you scream. "Get it away from me!" :-)
Well, the thing is, paperwork is very much a part of effectively managing a charitable or non-profit organisation.While the regulations governing the activities of non-profit organisations are not as extensive or as stringent as those governing companies and other for-profit organisations, there is still plenty of paperwork to be sorted through, organised and properly stored. Records still need to be properly kept for audit and other regulatory purposes, even though the organisation is not a revenue-generating business.
A large, established non-profit organisation with sufficient funding would probably have full time or part time administrative staff to help manage its secretariat, but a small organisation that's just starting out, would have to rely on its founding members and volunteers to help.
The sooner a system is set up to handle this aspect of managing a small secretariat, the better. Just in case new volunteers come in to take on some of the roles, or an existing founder member needs to step down, a proper handover can be conducted to ensure that the person taking over the job, can easily find the documents he or she requires. Also, if at some point in the future, the organisation needs to apply for non-profit status, all documents will need to be in order before the submission of the application can be made.
So, here are some quick tips to create a simple and easy-to-manage system.
a) List your categories
First, make a list of the categories of documents that you have. These could be, for example (i) accounting, tax and finance - this would include bank statements, resolutions to open bank accounts, bank-related documentation, accounting documentation, utility and other bills, etc (ii) regulatory - certificate of incorporation, the Constitution of the registered society, documents from the Registry of Societies, notices of exco meetings and AGM's, minutes of exco meetings and AGM's, circular resolutions, etc (iii) correspondence - letters and other communications.
b) Get your supplies
Once you have a list of categories, you'll know roughly how many files you need. To start off, pop over to the stationery store and pick up a bunch of paper files. These are inexpensive and very convenient as no holes need to be punched on documents - everything just goes straight into the paper file. Also pick up as many plastic clear folders as you can, as these are absolutely invaluable for organising materials in a hurry. Finally, get a stapler and a felt tipped black pen.
c) Organise your documents
Label each paper folder clearly with its corresponding category with the black felt-tipped pen. Inside each paper folder, create sub-categories by filing documents inside the clear plastic folders that can then be slipped into the paper folder. You could label these with post-its.
d) Create a system for sorting and filing
The secret to any successful system is consistency. Develop a standard operating procedure whereby incoming documents, mail, receipts, bills and other items, are sorted immediately upon receipt. On a daily basis, label each document with a post it and place it in a box.
Once every 2 weeks, sort through that box and file all the documents it contains, into the paper folders. If 2 weeks is not doable, then at least once a month. Do NOT let the documents pile up, or you'll never be motivated to go through the mountainous pile! :-)
Once every 6 months or once a year, go through all the paper folders, either throw away documents that are no longer of any use, and archive documents that are more than 6 months old and will not be used again, into box files or ring folders. These can be stored in a storage area. Note that accounting and tax documentation should be kept for a minimum of 7 years, so don't throw them away just yet:)
Hope the above was helpful :-)! Comments, questions or requests to cover
particular topics, email me at spiralcraft1701@gmail.com.
