TO: Provincial Presidents and Secretaries
CC: National Officers (for information), National Life Member Liaison
FROM: Alice Noble, National Secretary-Treasurer
Please forward this message to treasurers.
As council activities move from the quiet summer to fall on the journey towards winter, treasurers come into a busy few months with many fiscal responsibilities.
For All Treasurers
- Change signing officers for bank and investment institution(s) if your council has just had elections. Ensure two signatures of the three signing officers are required for all transactions including cheques, e-transfers and investment instructions*.
- Ensure the council secretary has sent your contact information to the other levels in your province, the national secretary-treasurer and to national office.
- The first responsibility in the fall is putting together the 2027 budget to be presented and approved at the council executive’s fall mid-term meeting (consult (609) Guidelines for Treasurers, Appendix 4). Remember to send the draft budget along with detailed line-item descriptions and present the 2027 budget with a 2027 budget column alongside the 2026 budget column and 2026 actuals column. This allows members of the executive to compare the budget with the previous year’s information.
- The above process will also help you to gather all the information needed for the end-of-the-year audit/review (consult (615) National Manual of Policy and Procedure, Section 8).
- Provincial treasurers should remind diocesan and parish treasurers to prepare their budgets, prepare for their audits/reviews and prepare to compile their council’s donation information on the (520F) Treasurer’s Annual Report Form.
- Looking further ahead, treasurers at all levels must present an annual financial statement of all financial activities (consult (609) Guidelines for Treasurers, Appendix 3). This statement must be approved at the spring executive meeting and once approved, published in the council’s annual report book and presented at the annual meeting of members/convention.
* Your treasurer email should be a generic email assigned by the council to the position and not a personal email. No financial transactions on bank accounts or investment portfolios should be linked to a personal email. Ensure the council secretary and/or president also has the password so if you are sick or leave the position, the information is not lost. Also, never should an individual use their own personal banking account for any League business.
Resources
The following is a list of resources, available on the national website to help treasurers. This list is not exhaustive.
- (604) Constitution & Bylaws, Part XI: Officers, Section 2: Diocesan and Provincial Officers
- (615) National Manual of Policy and Procedure, Section 5: Positions, Duties and Responsibilities, Officers at all levels; Section 8: Finance; Appendices 10 & 15
- (609) Guidelines for Treasurers
- (188) 2024 Council Budget Prep Template
- (190) Monthly Bank Reconciliation Template
- (191) Budget vs. Actual Template
- (189) Sample Provincial Convention Budget 2023
The national theme, Ignite Your Passion, Empower His Mission and focus, “Blessed Are the Poor” (Mt 5:3), calls members to reflect deeply on what it means to be poor and to respond with compassion, solidarity and prayer. Poverty and vulnerability take many forms—corporal, psychological, educational, spiritual and financial. Financial poverty remains a daily struggle for many individuals and families. Support to the League’s voluntary funds helps these organizations play a significant role in serving those in need. Many other worthy organizations can also benefit from council and member support.
As we journey, may we continue to ignite our passion by recognizing the many faces of poverty and responding with generosity, advocacy and prayer. Together, we empower Christ’s work in the world by supporting those who are poor in body, mind and spirit. League members efforts reflect faith in action and an unwavering commitment to His mission.
Your sister in the League,
Alice Noble
National Secretary-Treasurer