Financial Statements due March 11, 2015

From: Marlena Lee

February 12, 2015

To: Chapter Treasurers 
CC: Chapter Chairs & Directors

 

Hi Everyone, 

The chapter-only and consolidated financial statements are due to National on Wednesday, March 11, 2015!  Group, Activity Section, ICO and PAC Financial Statements were due yesterday, February 11, 2015.  If you have any trouble collecting statements from your sub-entities please do not hesitate to contact National at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Tip: As you review your sub-entities’ statements be sure to use the checklist National provided to make sure that each sub-entity has submitted all of the required information. Also, please make sure all of your sub-entities’ beginning cash balances (lines 24 and 25) match the 12/31/13 final cash balance on Line 34 per National. If you need your chapter’s final consolidated financial statements from 12/31/13 please contact[email protected] and we will be happy to send you a copy.  The Sierra Club will be closed Monday, February 16, 2015 in observance of Presidents’ Day.
 
Thank you for all your hard work!

Wilderness Wound Management Case Study

Check out this case study in the Wilderness & Environmental Medicine journal highlighting why we as wilderness first aid/wilderness first responder trained individuals manage wilderness wounds very differently then doctors in the hospital setting.  Check out our Medical library to read this and other articles!

ICO Special Outing Funding Requests due 3/15!!

ICO has $10,000 available to help all ICO groups provide a trip/trips for ICO participants that is "special"  - that would otherwise not be possible within the group's normal budget.  We want to distribute these funds as equitably as possible to those who apply.  In past years, we have distributed about $500 - $700 per applicant to support approximately 20 special outings.  Check out the Special Outing Application to learn more and apply.

Now Recruiting: Sierra Club Outdoors Team Volunteers!

We are looking for volunteers to join and help lead these new Sierra Club Outdoors volunteer support teams:

• Concerns & Complaints Resolution Team
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team
• ICO Name Change Materials Team
• National OLT & Basic First Aid Trainer Team (Applications due by 2/1!)

Check out the descriptions and see how to get involved!

OLT & Basic First Aid T4T Applications due February 15!

Come join us in Sausalito, CA March 20-22, 2015 for our second annual Training for Trainers! APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 15!

Sierra Club Outdoors has set a goal of training 600 new Outing Leaders who will connect 3000 new participants on Outings by the end of 2015. In order to accomplish this ambitious goal, we need to develop an energetic, regionally diverse pool of trainers who are able to facilitate high quality OLT 101, OLT 201 and Basic First Aid trainings.

Are you excited about taking part in this ambitious goal of connecting the public to the great outdoors? Are you interested in developing your presentation and facilitation skills? Are you able to conduct at least two OLT 101 or 201 regional trainings annually for the next two years? Then this training may be for you!

2014 Outings Accomplishments & 2015 Projects!

With the opening of 2015, we want to tell you what we have tentatively planned for the year. But before we do that, let’s review 2014.

 

This year, over 265,000 people went outdoors with Sierra Club Outdoors' trip leaders and volunteers through Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO), Local Outdoors and Military Outdoors. Local chapters and groups offered more than 15,000 mostly free outings. ICO, which has 54 groups nationwide, conducted over 900 outings for over 15,000 mostly youth participants, and the Club's Military Outdoors program went into the great outdoors with 13,000 service members, veterans, and their families in 2014. That was ALL YOU.Thank you for all you do!

 

Learn more about else happened in 2014 and what we have planned for 2015 on Clubhouse (clubhouse: explore).

 

Happy New Year!

Sierra Club Outdoors Leadership Team

2015 WFR and WFR-R at Clair Tappaan Lodge!

Do you lead others on trips in remote outdoor settings? Learn and practice your skills in the recognition, assessment and treatment of medical emergencies in the beautiful Sierra Nevada (and stay at the Sierra Club's famous Clair Tappaan Lodge in Norden, CA).  Instruction, food and lodging are available for both courses.  To learn more and register:

• May 2-4 WFR-Recert - If you have a current Wilderness First Responder and need to recertify, this is the course for you! These rigorous three days of training will help you refine your skills.
• May 16-25 WFR - This full Wilderness First Responder is ideal for those who are leading groups (or recreating) in remote settings where 911 is not an option. 

Leader News: Issue 62

Satellite Phones |Training Updates | Boost Signups with the 2015 Trip Guide | Concessionaire and other Third-Party Information | Rocky Mountain Officer Position Vacancy | New Travel Agency | Leader Discounts

Visit the Leader News page to learn more!

Important Message! IRS FORM 1099 REPORTING for 2014 due *1/15/15*

PLEASE NOTE: This message is intended for chapter/field office treasurers re: 1099 payments made to independent contractors/legal firms outside of headquarters (and not including payments to employees or volunteers). If you received it in error, please disregard or forward as appropriate.
This is a reminder for the period 1/1/14 through 12/31/14.

If you have questions, please reply to me individually and not the entire list. Thanks!

IRS FORM 1099 REPORTING
TO: Chapter Treasurers, RCC Treasurers and Field Offices
FROM: Jean Davis, Finance Department

One of the requirements of year-end reporting is to submit to the national Finance Department a list of individuals (excluding employees and volunteers) and unincorporated companies to whom you have made direct payments totaling $600 or more for services rendered during the calendar year. These services/expenses would include, but are not limited to, all consulting fees, commissions, speaker fees, honoraria or awards, rent payments not paid by headquarters, royalties, permission payments for use of photographs, and any other non-employee compensation. All payments for legal services, including settlements and reimbursements of expenses, regardless of whether they were provided by an individual, partnership or corporation, must be reported if they totaled $600 or more. We are required to disclose this information to the IRS on separate Form 1099's; a copy of each is sent to the respective individual, partnership or corporation.

This list must be submitted no later than January 15, 2015 in order for Sierra Club National Office to send out 1099 forms by the federally mandated deadline. Failure to comply may result in penalty payments levied by the IRS. If penalties are assessed, these charges will be allocated to the entity that failed to meet this deadline. You may email, fax or send regular mail, but do not miss the deadline or your payees will not be able to file their taxes in a timely manner.

To make it easier to report 1099 info to headquarters at year-end, it is recommended that you track 1099 payments on a spreadsheet throughout the year. To make this easier, we've created a sample spreadsheet for you to use. The spreadsheet is available in pdf format on the Finance area of the Staffnet Site on the extranet, and also in the Clubhouse, under Money/Finance Dept. If you'd like us to email a copy of the Excel version of the file (or a list of 1099-related FAQ's), please contact Jean Davis in AP. You should always get all necessary tax info from the vendor before you issue any payments, as it is often more difficult to reach vendors at year-end to gather any missing info.

If you have any questions about whether 1099 reporting is required for some specific entity activity, please call Accounts Payable for assistance at (415) 977-5514.

The required information is as follows: 
Name
Address
Social Security Number (or Taxpayer Identification Number)
Description of Services
Total Amount Paid for Services *
Total Amount Paid for Expenses *

*Please note that the amount paid for services should not include payments made as reimbursement of expenses. You must separate these amounts for 1099 reporting purposes.

Submit (with your name and phone number) to:
Jean Davis
Sierra Club
85 Second Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
-OR- Fax: Jean Davis (415) 977-5791
-OR- Email: [email protected]

If you have any questions regarding 1099 reporting, please contact Jean Davis at (415) 977-5514.

Thank you for your cooperation and promptness regarding this matter.

JD (Jean Davis)Lead Accounts Payable 415-977-5514

​​

The Amazing Process of Acclimitization

Dr. Gus Benner has revised his article on the acclimitization process. Check out this article (and many others) in the Medical Library.

Leader News: Issue 61 & Fall 2014 Inside Outings

Check out the July issue of Leader News and the Fall 2014 Issue of Inside Outings.

ICO E-News: November 13, 2014

Learn more about:

• ICO Chair Training summary
• Resources & Training Calendar
• Sierra Club Outdoors Leadership Team meeting
• Shirley Hickman - Madelyn Pyeatt Award
• Holiday Office Closures 2014 

To read more: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/outings/ico/publicity/e-news

Travel Leaders Replacing Beyond the Bay

With Travel Leaders, you will be able to book air travel, hotel and car rentals online, using the online system Concur (similar to Kayak.com or a comparable website). You will also have the option to call Travel Leaders directly to book or change travel.

To learn more about Travel Leaders/Concur system and to develop your online profile to book travel, please visit the Travel Leaders/Concur page.

Sierra Club 2015 Final Chapter Affecting Programs Memo

To: Chapter Chairs, Treasurers, Directors, Council, Board of Directors, Finance Committee, Audit Committee CC: Selected Staff

The 2015 Budget and Chapter Funding Allocation has now been approved by the Board of Directors and you find the final Chapter Affecting Programs Memo and allocation estimate worksheets at the below link on Clubhouse. There were no changes made to the preliminary version which was sent on November 6, 2014.

 

Link to Chapter Funding Page of Clubhouse:  http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/chapter-funding/changes2015/default.aspx

At the link you will find the 2015 memo and worksheets as well as past memos and worksheets.
Please let me know if you have any questions. 

 

Thank you,

 

Adrienne

 

Adrienne Frazier

Director of Financial Analysis and Risk Administration

Sierra Club

(415) 977-5569

 

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

Announcing Treasurer Training Event

February 26-28, 2015, Sierra Club - 85 Second St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco

To: Chapter Treasurers/Chairs/Staff Cc: Finance Committee, Audit Committee, CTAST
From: Lou Barnes, Chief Financial Executive Adrienne Frazier, Director of Financial Analysis 
Date: November 18, 2014 ==================================================================

You are invited to attend a training workshop designed to enable Chapter Treasurers and others involved in the chapter's financial process to more effectively fulfill their responsibilities. We will provide information that will help financial administrators to minimize possible risk both to themselves and to the Club, to maximize scarce Club resources, and to optimize the time necessary to meet the requirements of the position. SIERRA CLUB - NATIONAL WILL PAY FOR THE AIRFARE FOR SESSION PARTICIPANTS TO TRAVEL TO SAN FRANCISCO. Other expenses associated with the attendance of this training session will be the responsibility of the chapter. You may extend this invitation to any other person who you think would benefit by attending, for example, your Chapter's Finance Chairs or Assistant Treasurers, but note that enrollment priority will be given as below.

Since enrollment is limited, we urge you to make your reservation with us as early as possible, but no later than January 5, 2015. As with past sessions, we will be giving enrollment priority to those Treasurers or staff who prepare the year-end Chapter financial statements who have not yet participated in the Treasurer Training program. We strongly urge Chapter Treasurers as well as Chapter Staff who perform the chapter financial function to attend. Chapter Staff need to get Chapter ExCom approval prior to making a reservation. 

The first day of training is a half day from 2:00 p.m. to around 5:30 p.m. The second and third days (February 27-28) will consist of several sessions starting around 8:30 a.m. and going until around 5:00 p.m on Friday and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. This will allow most of you time to catch a return flight on the evening of the third day.

A detailed agenda will be available in the next few weeks. The topics below are covered in the Treasurer Training Manual, many of which will be delved into in detail at the Treasurer Training.

1. Scope of treasurer's responsibilities:

• To the chapter and group
• To the national office

2. Chapter Financial Reporting Process:

• Year-end financial reporting
• Tips and discussion of Chapter Financial Statements
• Chapter Statements of Activity
• Internal/External/Audit
• Calculation and Monitoring Overhead
• Using QuickBooks Online

3. Planning and Budgeting

• Strategic Plan
• Action Plan
• Budget Development
• Monitoring the Budget

4. Grants, Donations and Bequests:

• Differentiating 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 funds
• Restricted versus non-restricted money
• How to access Foundation funds
• Staff Time and Activity Reporting System (STARS)
• Maximizing access to and use of 501(c)(3) funds
• SCPC funds

5. Allowable investments and borrowing guidelines and restrictions

6. Accounting procedures:

• Banking guidelines and reconciliation of accounts
• Establishing internal controls (separation of duties)
• Adoption of formalized disbursement procedures
• Written, chapter specific, financial policies

7. Business licenses, sales/resale permits and postal permits

8. Regulatory compliance and tax issues:

• IRS Form 990
• Sales tax
• Personal property tax
• Unrelated business income

9. Fundraising restrictions/acceptable revenue-generating activities:

• March window
• Major gifts
• Bequest solicitation
• Raffle regulations

10. Legal matters:

• Contracts/Leases
• Litigation
• Risk mitigation
• Use of Club assets

11. Chapter funding allocation:

• Bequests
• Computation methods
• Opportunities
• Overdue accounts
• Charges

12. Insurance Issues:

• Liability policies
• Real and personal property policy
• Workers compensation
• Certificates of Insurance
• Accident reporting

13. Cost effective communication strategies:

• Maximizing 501(c)(3) reimbursement for newsletters
• Conversion from print to pixels
• Intellectual property do's and don'ts

Although it will be a full agenda, we hope to allow a limited amount of time to meet with you individually and address any concerns specific to your chapter.  If you have any questions about the agenda, please contact Adrienne Frazier at (415) 977-5569 or Lou Barnes at (415) 977-5672. 

Please reserve your space soon (no later than January 5th) by communicating to Marlena Lee at marlena.[email protected] or (415) 977-5501. When we have a count of participants we will contact the Club's authorized travel agent. Information about accommodations will be sent to participants at a later date. In the event of cancellation by the participant, any non-recoverable charges, such as airfare, will be passed back to the chapter. 

Thank you all for your hard work during this busy time and we look forward to seeing you in May.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lou & Adrienne 

 

Adrienne Frazier

Director of Financial Analysis and Risk Administration

Sierra Club

(415) 977-5569

Chapter October Statement of Activity uploaded

November 14, 2014

From: Marlena Lee ([email protected])

Hi Treasurers,

The October Statement of Activity has been uploaded to your QuickBooks Online account.  As a reminder the new software used to upload the chapter funding allocation entry uses account names to map the information to the respective accounts.  Please DO NOT edit account names or account numbers, editing a sub-account is fine.  Please review the journal entry with the Chapter Funding reports for accuracy and include applicable departments and class codes.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a wonderful weekend!

2015 Preliminary Chapter Affecting Programs Memo

From: Adrienne Frazier <[email protected]>

 

To: Chapter Chairs and Treasurers, Council, Board of Directors, Finance Committee, Audit Committee
CC: Selected Staff

You can now find the preliminary Chapter Affecting Programs Memo and allocation estimate worksheets at the below link on Clubhouse. Please note that the memo and worksheets are based on the draft national 2015 Budget, as recommended by the Club’s Finance and Risk Management Advisory Committee, and to be considered for adoption at the Board of Director’s meeting on November 21st, 2014. This memo, distributed per request from the Council of Club Leaders, is intended to provide preliminary budget-affecting numbers in early November, so as to aid in the chapter budgeting process.  A final chapter affecting memo will be sent in early December after final adoption of the national 2015 budget.

 

Link to Chapter Funding Page of Clubhouse: 
http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/chapter-funding/changes2015/default.aspx

At the link you will find the preliminary 2015 memo and worksheets as well as past memos and worksheets.

Please let me know if you have any questions. 

 

Thank you,

 

Adrienne

 

Adrienne Frazier

Director of Financial Analysis and Risk Administration

Sierra Club

(415) 977-5569

 

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

ezFRIP & Linkshare News!

Listen to Ben Avery explain how your ICO group can earn 100% of the initial membership dues of newly recruited members by setting up a LinkShare account and using your ICO FRIP code.  This pilot program will run from 10/1/14 through 3/30/15 (but may be extended). Review this page to learn more.

July 2014 Chapter Statement of Activity Uploaded in QuickBooks

Marlena Lee <[email protected]>	12:18 PM (20 hours ago)
to FIN-CHAPTER-RC.

 

H

i Treasurers,

The July Statement of Activity has finally been uploaded to your QuickBooks Online account.  The new software used to upload the chapter funding allocation entry uses account names to map the information to the respective accounts.  Please DO NOT edit account names or account numbers.  National will be sending out a revised chart of accounts in the coming weeks.  As a reminder, please do not make any changes at this point.  Please review the journal entry with the Chapter Funding reports for accuracy and include applicable departments and class codes.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

ICO E-News: August 14, 2014

Learn more about:

• Chair Training at NatureBridge in Sausalito, CA October 31-November 2
• Value of Annual Reports to you and Mel
• ICO web templatesLinkShare - get $ for SC memberships.

To read more: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/outings/ico/publicity/e-news

ICO Chair Training Applications Due 9/15!!

New ICO Chair? Never been to an ICO Chair Training? Are you part of the ICO leadership in your group?

 

If yes, then the upcoming ICO Chair Training October 31 - November 2 at NatureBridge Conference Center in Sausalito, CA may be for you! 

 

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with Sierra Club staff, other ICO volunteers, and some of our Sierra Club Outdoors partners to improve your skills in program planning, building community partnerships, using Sierra Club resources, promoting your program, and sharing best practices on common ICO issues. It is guaranteed to refresh, rejuvenate, and make one feel like you are part of a supportive network of other ICO leaders.  Click her to learn more and apply.

 

Leader News: Issue 60 & Summer 2014 Inside Outings

Check out the May issue of Leader News and the Summer 2014 Issue of Inside Outings.

Take my pulse...please, cold weather survival & more

Check out the following interesting and informative articles by Dr. Gus Benner (and others) in the Medical Library.

• Take my pulse....please (Summer 2014)
• Cold Weather Survival (Winter 2013/2014)
• Trip Members on Anti-Coagulants (Spring 2014)

 

 

June issue of The Compa$$

Marlena Lee <[email protected]>	3:32 PM (1 hour ago)
to FIN-CHAPTER-RC.

 

Hi Treasurers! 

The June issue of "The Compa$$," a quarterly chapter treasurer newsletter, is now available on Clubhouse:http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/finance/newsletter.aspx

June's issue provides first-hand experience on what to expect if your chapter is selected to be audited by National's external auditors.  There is also helpful information about creating a chapter finance committee.  As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions for future issues. 

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

The CTAST 

Chapter Treasurer Assistant Support Team 

ICO E-NEWS: JUNE 16, 2014

ICO Name Change | Welcome Knoxville ICO | ESR training: 6/26/14  5pm PT | 
ICO Chair Training 10/31/14 - 11/2/14 | OARS for quarterly insurance | 
Calling for Inclusion | July vacations

To read more: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/outings/ico/publicity/e-news

Train the Trainer

On the weekend of May 17^th, 12 Sierra Club Outdoors volunteers and partners met in Hampton, GA for our inaugural Outing Leadership Training-For-Trainers. This T4T was our first step towards reaching a new Sierra Club Outdoors goal of training 600 new volunteer trip leaders who will connect 3000 participants to the outdoors by the end of 2015.

Volunteer representing local Sierra Club Chapters, Inner City Outings, Military Outdoors program and partners from GirlTrek (a national organization that inspires and supports African American women and girls to live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives - simply by walking) came together to practice teaching core Outing Leadership Training 201 training sessions to their peers. Each trainer commited to facilitating two workshops this year: one for their own group and one for another group. Not only will more people get the training they want, but a larger community of leaders will grow.

The trainers in training hailed from Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Maryland and Washington, DC. Each  brought their breadth and depth of personal trip leadership and group facilitation experience to create a powerful weekend of learning for all!

 

• “I really enjoyed learning about how to tell my own personal story in order to help inspire trip participants to enjoy the outdoors.”

• “Getting feedback from our peers - especially the areas needing improvement – was most important and valuable to me.”

• “I enjoyed building relationships with folks I hope to teach with in the next year.”

Working with the Military Community

Check out Joshua Brandon's (the Sierra Club's Military and Community Outdoor Recreation Organizer) white paper on "Working with the Military Community" and call notes from our first in our Continuing Education Call Series. 

If you have a topic you are interested seeing discussed (especially if you would like to help run it!), please contact Sascha Paris ([email protected]) or Mark Walters ([email protected]).

Applications due April 15 for OLT 101/201 Training For Trainers

Come join us May 16-18, 2014 in Hampton, GA for our first Training for Trainers!

Sierra Club Outdoors has set a goal of training 600 new Outing Leaders who will connect 3000 new participants on Outings by the end of 2015. In order to accomplish this ambitious goal, we need to develop an energetic, regionally diverse pool of trainers who are able to facilitate high quality OLT 101, OLT 201 and Basic First Aid trainings.

Are you excited about taking part in this ambitious goal of connecting the public to the great outdoors? Are you interested in developing your presentation and facilitation skills? Are you able to conduct at least two OLT 101 or 201 regional trainings annually for the next two years? Then this training may be for you!

To learn more and apply!  APPLICATIONS ARE DUE APRIL 15!

August 2014! New Lodge-Based National Training Trip!

Learn to lead the trips you see in the Sierra magazine! We are running a lodge-based National Training Trip running this August at Sierra Club's own Hutchinson Lodge.  To learn more about the five-month pre-trip homework and the five-day trip (and apply), visit: August 20-24 at Hutchinson Lodge in Norden, CA  (First homework is due in April.)

ICO E-News: January 30, 2014

Our new Sierra Club Outdoors website, new background screening service, Scholarship opportunities for teens and adults this summer, using OARS for insurance data entry, and reminder that Sierra Club Financial reports are due 2/12/14.

To read more: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/outings/ico/publicity/e-news