Tag Archive for: Budget

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Cashbook of NGO

After, note ban, cash book is getting more importance. Some of the entities also getting notice from Income Tax Department to submit cash book. So, let us today discussed, some of the points related to cash book.

1. Manual V/s Computerized Cash Book of NGO

Now a days, all the books of accounts are maintained on computer who are monitored using cheap 4k monitors for more quality, so it is difficult to find manual cash book of ngo. However, for better management and internal control purpose, it is required to have a Manual Cash Book along with the computerized cash book of NGO. There are many benefits to have manual cash book, like, daily cash checking and authorization, no cancellation or deletion, no rectification of amounts etc…

Thus if you maintained manual cash book along with the computerized cash book, that definitely increased the credibility of your accounting and control system.

2. Negative Cash Balance

For any reason, it is not accepted to go cash in a negative balance. Check the cash balance and see whether at any point of time it goes negative or not. To check negative cash balance in Tally go to cash book – F6 Daily breakup

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3. Unnecessary Withdrawals

Many a times major chunk of cash is withdrawn from bank for some event and event is cancelled later on.  At that time it is advisable to deposit the same amount to the bank. Many a times while checking cash book, it found that cash is withdrawn even though there was a enough cash balance on the books. This situation creates doubts about the genuine transactions of cash.

4. High and Law Cash balance

What should be  the average cash balance in the NGO. As such there is no such norms on the amount. However, it is advisable to keep low cash balance in the NGO. To check high and low cash balance in Tally,  go to Cash Book -> F6 Daily Breakup -> F12 Configure -> Show High Low Details – YES

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Hope this post on Cash book of NGO will give you some information on how your cash book should look. Check out your cash book and above points before its too late. Please give your comments and suggestion in the given below comment section.

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NGO and Budget 2014 – Less “Khushi” More “Gham”

NGO and Budget 2014

Finance Minister has proposed many changes for NGOs and Trust in the Finance Act 2014. On one hand many relief are given and on the other hand adding more powers to CIT will cause hardship to NGOs. Let us take highlights of both :

Retrospective Tax Exemptions

It is proposed by Finance Minister that now a trust can claim exemption u/s 12 AA even for the period before applying registration of 12AA. Earlier trust can get tax exemptions only from the date of getting registration.

Exempt Past Assessment years

The Finance Bill, 2014 proposes to exempt Past Assessment Years where the assessment proceedings are pending before the AO on the date of registration.

Anonymous Donation

It is proposed that while calculating Tax Liability of Trust, instead of excluding entire amount of anonymous donation, only the amount in excess of 5% of total income or Rs. 1 Lac whichever are higher should be deducted.

Power of Cancellation

The amendment may create discomfort among NGOs is to increase powers of CIT to cancel Registration.  Earlier only in two cases CIT can cancel the registration 1) If he feels that activities of organization were not genuine and ii) activities were not being carried out in accordance with the object of the trust. In current Finance Act, another four such provisions added –

 if the institution’s activities are being carried out in such a manner that:

iii) its “income does not enure for the benefit of general public”

iv) “it is for benefit of any particular religious community or caste”

v) “any income or property of the trust is applied for benefit of specified persons like author of trust…”

vi)  its “funds are invested in prohibited modes”

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Have you prepared NGO Annual Budget for Next Year?

ngo annual budget chart

Is it necessary to prepare NGO Annual Budget?

Yes 100% and why not? Every organization, irrespective of size and work pattern, has to prepare its Annual Budget, keeping main object in mind. An annual budget should be prepared, which is mainly activity wise. Have a look at below example.

Current Scenario of NGO Annual Budget

Currently, most of the NGOs prepare Budget to give it to Funding Agencies and only restricted to activities in which funding agency is ready to fund. Instead NGO Annual Budget is given to funding agency and ask to fund accordingly to particular activities. I understand practically one has to adjust with funding agency requirements, however annual budget is to be prepared as part of disciplinary excercise and looking to its benefit given below.

Benefit of preparing NGO Annual Budget

First and foremost benefit is to give clear cut idea about which activity an NGO is going to undertake next year, how much funds already available and how much efforts require to raise remaining funds. It also helps in achieving Long Term Objectives. If NGO is having its 5 years plan or 10 years plan, NGO annual budget becomes an effective tool to convert plans into actions. Look at below chart,  showing Funds already available and  to be raised.

 

Next year NGO Annual Budget in Annual Report

Annual Report of NGO should always contain some of the points. Refer our this post. One of them is to put Next year activity planning along with Annual Budget of next year. This will give readers an opportunity to see organization’s future goals in quantification manner.

Summary

Fund raising activity is one of the tough task in any organization. To make that task easy, it is necessary to prepare 5 years activity plan and prepare Annual Budget etc..

Hope this will help you in your NGO, if you have any question,  you can ask here or chat with us. Also your comments are welcome on the above subjects.

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Advance Requisition Form and its Importance in NGO

What is Advance Requisition Form?

In NGO world, most of expenditures are generally spent by field workers to complete projects of NGO. And thus Project Advance is playing major role in accounting of NGO. This is the area where it needed more Internal Control and Check. One of the handy tool is Advance Requisition Form. It tells Accountant or Finance person that how much advance require for project expenses and other overheads in next month.

What items to be included in Advance Requisition Form?

As such no thumb rule on standard format of Advance Requisition Form, however following information must be there in good Advance Requisition Form.

  • Heading : Advance Requisition Form for ___________ month
  • Name :  Field Staff / Project Officer
  • Location : Field Office Name
  • Particulars (Showing Project Activities and overheads)
  • Amount (If advance required for both FC and Non-FC project, it should mention separately)
  • Accountant’s Remarks and Signature
  • Approves Remarks and Signature
  • Summary of Advance Account (Showing Last Month Balance + Current Month Advance – Current Month Expenditure = Closing Balance)

Standard Format of Advance Requisition Form

Download from here standard Format of Advance Requisition Form. This is a specimen copy, you can customized according to your organization’s need and internal control system.

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Importance of Advance Requisition Form

  • Get clear cut idea how much fund needs for next month.
  • For which activities funds are needed?
  • To compare last month expenses to last month advance requisition.
  • Cumulative Advance Balance can easily trace out.
  • It is wonderful tool of Control Mechanism
  • It is very useful document for monthly program planning
  • For Accountant, Advance Requisition Form helps for Fund Management Planning

Summary

One of the general myths regarding Advance Requisition Form is that Management personnel, heading any project, need not require to prepare it. Irrespective of size of NGO, this is one of the best instrument to establish and maintain Internal Control System.

Hope this will help you in your NGO, if you have any question,  you can ask here or chat with us. Also your comments are welcome on the above subjects.

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Myths and facts about NGO Budget

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Importance of NGO Budget

Now a days, preparing NGO budget requires three dimension knowledge of Financial, Project and Activities and Presentation skills. NGO budget can not be prepared by each and every one. Today, Let us discuss some of the myths regarding NGO Budget.It becomes practice and tradition year after year. But facts are different than these myths.

 1. Budgets cannot be changed

Generally, we all believe that, once Budget is fixed an approved by donor, it can not be changed. But the fact is budgets can be modified to some extent. You can diversify your resources and cut your costs. Of course, take prior permission from your donor agency for this.

2. Budgets can be developed overnight

This is very common myth that budget can be prepared in couple of hours. Take the blank format of Excel Sheet, Put the figures and done. Often in our effort to meet deadlines, we develop budgets overnight. This ends up in poor planning and even rejection of proposals. Always take time to build your budget – your NGO should live with a budget always!

3. Budgets have approximate figures

While preparing budget, we believes that figures contain in the Budget need not be exact. If it is nearby or approximate, than its OK.  But the fact is Budget should be developed on a certain base. They cannot be developed without any basis. In most cases, the basis should be the previous year’s income and expenditure. If applying for a project, look out for the expenses of the project’s previous year.  Donor funding limitation to be also considered.

4. Budget can be developed by a single person

Generally, Budget is prepared by either Project coordinator or Trustee – single person or may be two persons. However Budget work is a joint exercise. It is a team work. Involving the entire team including Administrative and Accounting Staff is important to produce an effective budget.

5. Budgets have same formats

All budgets do not have same formats. Different budgets are developed for different purposes. If you are writing a proposal, it is a different budget format and if you managing an organization, you will have a different budget format. Similarly, different donor agencies have different budget formats.

source : fundsforngos

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