What does a charity treasurer do?

There is no single Canada-wide treasurer job description. The governing statute and the organization’s own documents determine the office and its authority. The practices below are common governance arrangements, not mandatory duties for every treasurer.

Core duties

Common monthly practices may include:

Review the monthly financial statements before they go to the board.
Identify any line items that need attention or explanation.
Confirm fund balances and restricted fund movement are tracking correctly.
Approve or question any unusual transactions.

At board meetings, the role may include:

Present the financial report to the board.
Explain budget vs actual, fund balances, and cash position.
Answer questions from other board members.
Recommend any board action required (approval of reforecasts, transfers between funds, reserve adjustments).

Annual practices may include:

Review the draft T3010 before it is filed.
Liaise with the auditor on behalf of the board (where applicable).
Lead the budgeting process with the executive director.
Review and recommend reserve and investment policies.
Sign financial documents that require an officer signature.

As delegated, the treasurer may also:

Respond to financial questions from members at the AGM.
Provide context to journalists or funders if financial questions arise.
Lead board response to any CRA inquiry or funder audit.

What a treasurer is not

Not automatically the bookkeeper. A small organization may combine the roles, but doing so should be explicit and accompanied by compensating review controls.
Not automatically the executive director’s reporting line for finance. The ED usually reports to the board as a whole, not to the treasurer specifically. The treasurer is a peer who reviews finance work, unless the bylaws or board delegation say otherwise.
Not automatically protected from every liability. Director and officer exposure is fact-specific and can arise under tax, employment, corporate, insolvency, or other law. Obtain legal advice for a specific concern.

Tools the treasurer needs

A treasurer may be better able to perform an oversight role when the board receives:

A monthly board pack delivered before the meeting (not handed out at the meeting).
Fund balances and budget-vs-actual by program.
A 12-month rolling cash flow.
A short narrative explaining anomalies.
Quarterly access to the bookkeeper for questions.

A treasurer who is missing these is doing far more work than the role should require — and is usually trying to do the bookkeeping in addition to the governance.

How outsourced bookkeeping helps

Outsourced bookkeeping can prepare consistent reports and reconciliations, while the treasurer and board retain their governance and approval responsibilities. The exact division of work should be documented in the engagement letter and board delegations.

Does a charity need a treasurer?

There is no single Canada-wide answer. The office and its authority come from the governing statute, articles, bylaws, board resolutions, policies, and delegations. Many organizations have a treasurer, but the specific duties attached to the role differ between statutes and between organizations.

Is the treasurer responsible for the bookkeeping?

Not automatically. The role does not inherently include day-to-day bookkeeping, signing authority, or supervision of staff. A small organization may combine the roles, but doing so should be explicit and accompanied by compensating review controls.

Can the same person be treasurer and bookkeeper?

It happens in small charities, and it is not automatically improper, but it removes a basic separation of duties. Where the roles are combined, the board usually adds a compensating review - for example, a second person reviewing the monthly bank reconciliation and the list of payments.

What should a treasurer receive each month?

A board pack delivered before the meeting rather than handed out at it: fund balances, budget versus actual by program, a 12-month rolling cash flow, a short narrative explaining anomalies, and access to the bookkeeper for questions. A treasurer without these is usually doing bookkeeping on top of governance.