Tips for the End of the Guiding Year

Finalising your Accounts

  • Pay all outstanding accounts to Guide House. You can check if you are up to date by emailing the Finance Team.
  • Ensure all reimbursements are paid to your volunteers and leaders before 31 December, 2021
  • Ensure all deposits taken for the year are deposited before 31 December, 2021
  • Enter all accounts information into your Money Matters (or similar) records

Annual Review of your Accounts

  • Once your accounts have been completed, it’s time to organise the review of your accounts. 
  • The person completing the review of Region, District or Campsite accounts must be a one of the following:
    o A member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand; or
    o A member of CPA Australia; or
    o A member of any other body recognised for the purposes of the Corporations ACT 2001 (Cth); or
    o A registered Company Auditor, registered with ASIC; or
    o A person who holds a Certificate in Accounting from a registered tertiary institution
  • Prepare the Statement of Income and Expenses and Balance Sheet for presentation at your Annual General Meeting
  • Set the date for your AGM – it must be held before 31st May, 2022
  • Immediately following your AGM, please submit your Annual District Management Report 
  • Financial Paperwork should be kept for seven years – either hard or soft copy.  Once the review of your accounts is completed, wrap it up and label with the destruction date so you can easily identify what needs to be destroyed in the future. (i.e. Surry Hills Girl Guides – Financial year ended 31 December, 2021. Destruction Date 1 January, 2029)
  • HALLS ON CROWN LAND only – please send your completed 2021 financials and Money Matters to [email protected] 

Investment and Building Fund

  • Are you holding excess funds that can be credited to your IBF account?
  • Statements on IBF Accounts will be sent to Districts prior to 28th February, 2022 as part of the Girl Guides Association (New South Wales) audit process 
  • You may be asked to verify the balance of your IBF account by Auditors as part of the Girl Guides Association (New South Wales) audit process

Donations and Fundraising

  • Did you hold any Fundraising events or activities during the year? If so, prepare a Fundraising Activity Summary for the activities and forward to the Finance Team before 20 January, 2022
  • Were any donations received and DGR receipts issued? Regions should submit a summary of donations received before 20 January, 2022
  • All donation and fundraising information needs to be included in the financial accounts of Girl Guides Association (New South Wales)

Budgeting for 2022

  • Have you prepared a budget for 2021? Don’t forget to allow for inflation (At 8th November, 2021 the annual inflation rate is 2.5%)  
  • At Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT we’ve budgeted for a 20% increase in insurance costs next year.  We recommend that Regions/Districts/Campsite do so too
  • Are your Unit/District/Support Group Fees (along with hall hire where allowed) sufficient to cover outgoings?
  • If you would like some help with your District Budget, your Region Team and the Finance Team are here to help you.

Bank Accounts

  • Do you have multiple bank accounts? Can they be rolled in to one account to reduce administration?
  • Will you have new signatories for your bank accounts in 2022? Will there be a change of District Manager, Treasurer, Unit Leader? 
  • It’s a great time to remove outgoing signatories and start having your new signatories identified at the bank.

Grants

  • Has your District applied for and managed a grant?  Complete and submit your end of year information so it can be included in the 2021 Financial Statements. Find out more via this Grants Information Page.
  • Information on Grants outstanding at 31st December must be submitted by 20th January
  • Start preparing your wish list for next year’s grant rounds
  • Watch our Grant Webinar for more information about Grants. Recording passcode: adv^0tvH

Branding

  • Check all your signs, notices and mailouts to ensure you are using the correct Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT logo
  • Check your badge supplies – badges with Girl Guides NSW or Girl Guides NSW & ACT branding should be destroyed
  • Do you have old, out of date posters or advertising material in your hall?  It needs to go – contact the Marketing & Communications Team for updated marketing material

Property

  • Check your hall is secured for the holiday period 
    • Turn of electrical items
    • Clean out fridge
    • Are gas bottles stored correctly?
    • Do your gutters need to be cleaned?
    • Does your hall have close, nearby neighbours? Do they have Guide contact details in case there are any issues during the holiday period?
  • Are Trailers, Motor Vehicles and Marine Vessels stored securely?
  • Check your hall for any old or obsolete items that can be thrown out so you can have a fresh start to the new year.

Damage to Guide Property

  • If your hall is damaged during the holiday period (storm damage, fire, break in etc) please:
    o Secure the property to prevent further damage
    o Advise Margaret Heppell by email or call 02 8396 5229

Hall Hire for 2022 

  • Is your hall available and presentable for hire? 
  • Now is the time to prepare and submit paperwork for regular hirers – especially those commencing in January

Unfinancial Members

  • Check your list of members on your Dashboard Reports to ensure it is up to date.
  • If no longer attending Guides - resign them by using the Member Changes Form
  • If there are adults or girls missing from your list be sure to check the 'Unfinancial Members List' report or the 'Ex Members List' report.
  • If you do not see everyone who should be there, then contact the Membership Team via [email protected]
  • If members are unfinancial and have been attending Guides, membership fee needs to be paid so please advise them to update their membership.
  • Remind them to use their NSW Active Kids or NT Sports Voucher before the end of the year.
  • Remember those in NSW and ACT can pay in two 6 month instalments or full 12 months. 
  • Keep in mind the Hardship Fund for those members how may be facing financial disadvantage. Details and the application form are found in My Guidebook, or by clicking here.
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