Building Financial Management Capacity for NGOS and Community Organizations: A Practical Guide

by John Cammack

Overview

This book presents practical ways to build financial management capacity in an international development context (although much of it applies to any non-profit organization). It describes good practice in the specific tasks of financial management – for example, planning and budgeting and financial controls. It gives examples of how groups and organizations build their own capacity. It also considers what leadership teams can do to guide their organization’s longer-term direction and improve governance and it describes other financial management aspects such as building reserves that can be built into an organization’s structure to make it more sustainable. Building Financial Management Capacity should be read by programme staff and managers of non-government organizations, larger community-based organizations (CBOs), and charities, as well as for large NGOs and donors working with their partner NGOs and CBOs. The content can also be used in training courses, and university and college courses for international development workers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781853398254
Publisher:	Practical Action Publishing
Publication date:	04/28/2014
Series:	Practical Guides for Organizational & Financial Resilience
Pages:	196
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

John Cammack is a freelance adviser and consultant, trainer, writer and coach with international non-government organizations. He has previously worked as head of international finance at Oxfam UK and as a senior lecturer in accounting and financial management at Oxford Brookes University.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Capacity-building and finance
2. Assessing financial management capacity
3. Planning and budgeting
4. Accounts record-keeping
5. Financial reporting
6. Financial controls
7. External audit
8. Organizational aspects of financial management
9. Organizational sustainability, planning and ‘core costs’
10. Moving toward sustainability: ‘reserves’
11. ‘Toolkit’ for financial management capacity-building
12. Training for financial management capacity-building

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

‘A deficit in financial management capacity is common in NGOs, and there is not much well developed literature on the subject. John Cammack is a well-recognized author in the area of finance management of non-profits. This book has a lot to offer and suggests ways of developing capacity. John has pulled it off once again. Congratulations!’ Sanjay Patra, Executive Director, Financial Management Service Foundation ‘John Cammack’s excellent book will serve as an invaluable resource for teachers, graduate students and practitioners of sound financial management for civil society organizations. This compact manual provides NGOs and small community organizations with capacity building measures that will allow for sustained growth in challenging circumstances.’ Professor Susan H. Perry, The American Universityof Paris ‘Cammack’s professionalism and extensive experience blends perfectly with his innate ability to be a powerful communicator. His writing is very much a dynamic dialogue between the practitioner eager to implement and the mentor providing both tools and vision. This book is an excellent, innovative tool which I would certainly recommend not only to NGOs but also to UN Specialised Agencies, academia and the private sector. This book was an absolute pleasure to read; if other training tools had even half of Cammack’s style, learning would turn into practice with much greater ease and impact.’ Isabella Rae, Senior Programmes Manager, Gorta-Freedom from Hunger Council of Ireland ‘John Cammack’s clear style of presenting complex ideas and the use of jargon-free language differentiates his book from other technical financial management resources. The book succeeds in providing an excellent framework of progressive stages to attain the “Nirvana” state of financial sustainability and impact. Building Financial Capacity explains the importance of “hard” aspects of financial accountability such as developing robust financial systems and implementing transparent financial processes. But the essence of this book is John’s ability to emphasize and highlight “soft” issues. The case studies and practical examples illustrate the influence of organizational culture and human resource capacities on ensuring high quality financial management.’ Gopal Rao, Director, Skills for South Sudan