FINANCIAL PROCEDURES (APPROVED 2001)

PREAMBLE
These regulations are subordinate to the WHA Constitution, which contains provisions on financial matters as follows:

* The President (Art. IV, sect. 4) oversees the affairs of the association and has responsibility for its continuing operations; the President will be responsible for all assets of the association and will sign all contracts approved by the Council.

* The Treasurer (Art. IV, sect. 6) is responsible for the collection of dues, the disbursement of funds at the direction of the Executive Council, and the rendering of accounts at the annual meeting.

* The Executive Council (Art. V, sect. 3) conducts the business, manages the property, and cares for the general interests of the association; the council fixes the amount of the dues and the date on which any change of dues becomes effective.

* The Executive Council (Art. VI, sect. 6) also has the authority to postpone implementation of any measure adopted by the business meeting or approved by mail ballot that in its judgment is financially or administratively unfeasible; the Council must publish an explanation of any such action at its next meeting.

* The Finance Committee (Art. V, sect. 5) consists of the President, treasurer, and Executive Director (ex officio without vote), and no more than three other members of the Executive Council, elected annually by the Council. The Constitution does not elaborate the functions of the Finance Committee.

Interpreting these provisions all together:

* The President deals with financial matters as part of the overall business of the WHA, leads in defining financial policy, delegates financial detail work to the Treasurer, works with the Finance Committee on financial policy when the Executive Council is not in session, and brings matters of financial policy before the Executive Council for discussion and vote as needed.

* The Treasurer collects the dues, keeps the accounts, and does the detail work on WHA finance, including reports and tax returns.

* The Executive Council has general oversight of WHA finances and votes to approve financial reports and policies.

* The Finance Committee works with the President and treasurer on financial policy matters when the Executive Council is not in session.

 

PROCEDURES
1. Every year by 1 December, the Treasurer will prepare the budget for the coming year, based on the experience of the preceding year and projections for the coming year. In preparing the budget, the Treasurer will consult with the President and seek input in advance from other officers, members of the Executive Council, and committee chairs about budgetary needs and priorities.

2. The Treasurer will produce and make available monthly statements and an annual budget. Both the accounts and the budget will distinguish the different categories of WHA funds (dues, WHA Fund, grants) and show the balance of receipts and disbursements separately by funding category.

3. The Treasurer will make sure that all reports and forms required by federal and state authorities are scheduled, produced, and submitted on a timely basis.

4. The Treasurer will work together with project officers in charge of grant-funded projects to ensure that accounts are rendered to granting agencies by the dates they require. The Treasurer will work together with the accountant and bookkeeper to make sure that reports required by granting agencies or by federal and state authorities are scheduled, produced, and submitted on a timely basis.

5. The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the different categories of funds--dues income, WHA Fund, individual funded projects--in such a way that payments are made only out of funds of the appropriate category. Funds of a given category are to be used only for their appointed purposes and not transferred for purposes of cash management or short-term expediency, even temporarily, among sub-accounts or projects. The Treasurer may approve a payment or transfer from one category of funds to another, subject to the additional approval requirements in item 7 below, to meet a specific, legitimate obligation. The Treasurer must receive supporting documentation for any such transaction, and it must be shown on the accounts with matching debits and credits. Requests for any such transfer must originate from the person responsible for the fund or project.

6. Directors of grant-funded projects are responsible for securing grant funds for project expenses before those expenses have to be paid and for timely submission of reports required by granting agencies. In the event that funds are not received in time, exceptions may be granted by the President in consultation with the Treasurer.

7. All expenditures of WHA funds above $500 require the Treasurer and the Executive Director's signature and the approval of the President.

8. Specific, serially numbered forms will be used to generate payments. The form must include a clear indication of the sub-account or project against which the payment is to be debited as well as all other information needed to complete the payment. Requests for payment must be submitted and paid in a timely manner. Payment requests must be accompanied by the original receipt or invoice (not a photocopy); the Treasurer will permit no exceptions on this point without clear demonstration that duplicate payment is not being claimed elsewhere.

9. Specific flows will be set up to expedite the financial administration of grant-funded projects, to maximize efficiency and cut down on the number of people involved.

10. WHA officers whose responsibilities include purchasing of goods or services on behalf of WHA or projects undertaken under its auspices will take steps, before placing orders, to set up accounts and arrange for the treasurer to be billed directly.

11. The President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Executive Director are authorized to hold WHA credit cards for the duration of their service in those offices and to use them exclusively for official WHA business, and only when other modes of payment are not possible.

12. The Treasurer will receive and process dues payments.

13. The Finance Committee will establish procedures to solicit proposals for projects to fund out of the WHA annual account and to select the projects to be funded.

14. The Treasurer is the custodian of the WHA Financial records, past and present, and will keep them updated.

END OF FINANCIAL PROCEDURES