FINANCIAL BEST PRACTICES

The following are guidelines that communities should keep in mind:

• Signing officers should never pre-sign cheques. It is the responsibility of each signing officer to check the expenses or invoice that is submitted against the approved budgets and ensure that only approved expenses are being paid for.
  
• Money should only be reimbursed after an expense form is submitted with receipts attached and the submitted expenses are checked against the approved budgets.
  
• SOO recommends that Staff and Volunteers use their credit card for out of pocket expenses and submit the expense form and receipts before interest is charged.
  
• Cash Advances should never be issued.
  
• Invoices should be sent directly to the community Treasurer when possible to avoid delays in payment or interest charges (the community is responsible for paying for any interest charges they incur).
  
• All cheques should remain with the community Treasurer.
  
• It is recommended that signing officers not be related.
  
• All cheques should be ordered through SOO, not through a local bank.