Oh, I hope you don't just dump that all on Sam and expect him to magically
pull a rabbit out of a hat single-handedly!

Who's going to give, and for what purpose precisely?  Especially if it
isn't tax deductible.

In normal NGOs that are successful raising funds, there is a separate
governing board (of a formally incorporated body) that is deeply involved
in the "ask" process, according to the "give, get, or go" maxim.

Transparent accountability is of course the first prerequisite for any of
that, but you have to have a compelling organizational structure and
mission in place in order to make a case for funding.  But generally
speaking with nonprofit orgs, it is a Board that leads with their wallets
and networks from the top down -- the Board has the fiduciary duty to
support the org, and donors want to see that they are putting their money
where their mouths are, as a first step.

I thought Avri was joking, or commenting ironically on deficiencies in the
SG and constituency charters...

?

Dan



At 8:42 PM -0400 7/4/16, Stephanie Perrin wrote:
>Content-Type: text/html
>X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by mx2.syr.edu id
>u650gRwM016617
>
>Sounds elegant in its simplicity, but is it acceptable in terms of
>accounting practice? Do all jurisdictions allow un-incorporated
>organizations to open accounts? If the answer to those questions is yes,
>then this might solve one of our problems. The next problem is a bigger
>one: we don't have any money in NCSG.....:-) Here is hoping Sam can solve
>that one for us.
>
>Stephanie Perrin
>
>On 2016-07-04 20:10, Ron Wickersham wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 4 Jul 2016, Sam Lanfranco wrote:
>>
>>>As Chair of the NCSG finance committee I see our remit as doing the
>>>research to identify best practices here, identify
>>>the pluses and minuses of different strategies, and placing that
>>>information on the table for all to see, and some to use.
>>>
>>>It is possible to set up an unincorporated entity account in a Canadian
>>>bank,
>>>with full services across currencies, and with two signatures for
>>>disbursal of funds.
>>>The handicap there is the need for individual physical bank visits to
>>>change signing authority.
>>>
>>
>>Hi Sam,
>>
>>Could you consider the strategy of each new Treasurer to set up an account
>>that is convenient in his or her circumstances (travel, citizenship, local
>>banking laws, etc.) and that as soon as that new account is ready to
>>accept funds, all the money in the old account is transferred to the new
>>one?
>>
>>This means that there is no longer the requirement of an "eternal" account
>>in the name of NCSG where control of that account is transferred, which
>>as you point out has some big issues if someone distant takes over the
>>responsibilities of Treasurer.
>>
>>In the absence of any bylaws or formation documents that preclude this
>>approach, it seems to me that the NCSG process that selects the Treasurer
>>could also approve this method of conducting the Treasurer's business.
>>
>>-ron