AfID provides partners organisations with a programme of support designed specifically to develop their financial management capacity and long-term sustainability. Our qualified volunteer accountants can provide one to one coaching and consultation on all matters relating to the organisation’s finances and accounting. Partners may request specific and timely support limited to one assignment or may wish to receive support by a succession of volunteers, handing over to each other over an extended period of time.
As a guide our volunteers support has included the following topics*
- Organisational needs assessment/ Risk & controls audit
- Developing financial procedures & controls
- Budget preparation, monitoring and analysis
- Year-End/ Project-end audit preparation
- Internal and External (donor) reporting & grant management e.g. EU, DFID, USAID.
- Cash-flow forecasting, cash management & financial planning
- Confidential coaching & mentoring new or inexperienced FMs/FOs and CDs.
- Review and development of local income generation activities
*Please note these are only examples and additional areas of focus may be appropriate.
Remote pro-bono Technical Assistance
During the Corona virus pandemic we will not be organising onsite face to face assignments, we are arranging remote technical support whereby experienced finance & accounting professionals can support non-profits via email, telephone and video conferencing. This also means we can now provide remote support to organisations globally and offer volunteer roles to professionals unable to travel. This will remain a service after the pandemic. If you are an organisation that would welcome this type of support please email partners@afid.org.uk
First Volunteers
The first volunteer to visit a new partner will always begin the programme by conducting a detailed financial health assessment of the organisation and of the skills and potential of its staff, evaluating need and existing capacity. Working closely with the volunteer and the partner organisation’s management team, AfID will use this first report to tailor a long-term programme of support; creating the terms of reference and a skills profile for the volunteers that will follow.
Is there anything your volunteers do not do?
Volunteers will not take responsibility for stand-alone accounting functions such as external audits or new software implementations however we are happy to help your staff prepare for an external audit, address audit directives, conduct impact assessments, prepare for a new software implementation and make the most of the new software.
