Participate on the Board of Directors as school chapter or state association treasurer

As an NSNA leader, you'll learn and practice essential leadership skills by participating in the fiduciary responsibility as the treasurer on the state, school chapter or national Board of Directors. The role of an association treasurer is important to the fiscal health and fiduciary accountability of an association. Become familiar with the intricacies of financial reporting, the budgetary process, revenue and expenses, statement reporting, bank reconciliation, cash control procedures, IRS filing requirements, and NSNA policies.

 Treasurer's Role & Activities

  • Serve as a member of the chapter's Leadership Team (i.e., Board of Directors/Executive Board);
  • Complete the Treasurers' Certificate Program.
  • Accomplish the goals and objectives of the Treasurer Project.
  • Incorporate the 4 signposts of Professional Identity  in Nursing into your leadership formation.
    1. Ethics and Values: Help secretaries and treasurers incorporate NSNA’s Core Values and Code of Ethics
      beginning at the NSNA chapter level and into the nursing profession.
    2. Knowledge: Become knowledgeable in the nonprofit’s treasurer’s role including fiscal reporting, fiduciary accountability, managing financial matters such as tax reporting (state level).
    3. Leadership: As Chair of the finance committee, you will prepare the Board members to understand fiscal and fiduciary responsibility.
    4. Professional Comportment: Foster nursing students to think, act and feel like a professional nurse. Build confidence as you led the association as the treasurer. 
NSNA 2021-2022 Secretary/Treasurer, Shantel Rodriguez, speaks on the role of the secretary and treasurer during the 2021 NSNA Leadership U Summer Summit.

By participating in the treasurer project, you will be able to:

  • List your leadership attributes;
  • Explain the complex role that fiduciary responsibility plays in associations and organizations;
  • Contribute to your professional identity in nursing formation;
  • Define the role of the volunteer within the team structure.

Treasurer Learning Objectives

  • Duties of the Treasurer
  • Policies and procedures
  • Bonding Coverage for Association Officers
  • Internal Control Recommendations for State Associations
  • Automatic Clearing House (ACH) payments for State Dues Reimbursement
  • Maintaining NSNA constituent status
  • Leadership University Treasurer's Certificate Program
  • Budget
  • Reserve Fund & Sample Balanced Budget
  • Financial Reports
  • Internal Financial Controls to protect your assets and finances
  • Accounting Software and NSNA's Excel Financial Report template
  • Expense Vouchers & Sample Expense Guidelines
  • Checkbook
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Deposit Records
  • Audits
  • Income Tax Returns
  • Donation Records
  • Membership Dues/Records
  • Investment Guidelines
  • Securing Important Documents
  • Finance Committee Agenda
  • Incorporation, Employer ID Numbers (EIN), Tax Exemption

Finance Committee Responsibilities*

Chairs the Finance Committee: The work of the Finance Committee includes reviewing and making recommendations to the Board on the annual operating and capital budgets; reviews investment guidelines of the association; monitors trends in finances and proposals for new products and services for the association.

Strategic Plan of the Finance Committee and Treasurer*

  1. Generate sufficient funds to ensure fiscal stability and growth.
  2. Ongoing examination and updating/improvement of financial reporting and record keeping systems.
  3. Exercise due diligence to maintain an operating reserve of at least 50 percent of the annual operating budget.
  4. Monitor and maintain fiscal operations to ensure full compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, local, state, and federal regulations and laws.
  5. Efficient utilization of resources: Ensure that the resources, particularly human resources, are adequate and properly allocated to meet technological changes and challenges of he marketplace (entails hiring and training of relevant staff).
  6. Adopt fiscally conservative annual operating budget to meet the needs of the organization while operating within approved budget.
  7. Create a sub-committee to raise funds for the organization (chapter fundraising activities).
  8. Establish and maintain resources to fund technology.
​*See your chapter bylaws for the Treasurer role and responsibilities specific to your school or state chapter.
For a list of attributes and competencies for future nurse leaders and managers, click here.
For a printable version of the information above, click here.
​​For a FREE version of the Leadership Assessment for Student Nurses, click here.