Contribution Agreements Resource Centre
Financial Planning and Reporting
If you are a financial officer or administrator for a First Nations or Inuit community, you know that understanding the mechanics of financial planning and reporting is very important when it comes to contribution agreements.
Knowing what to do, when, how to do it, and what framework and policies to follow is only the beginning.
Health Canada offers these links to help you understand financial planning and reporting:
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General Resources - Fact sheets, toolkits, guidelines, policy and reports that relate to business planning, fundraising, and bookkeeping;
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Training Resources - First Nations and Inuit financial management and administration courses, workshops and training; and
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Certificate Programs - University and college programs relating specifically to financial planning and reporting, accounting and business management.
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 Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada is a centre for excellence and innovation in Aboriginal finance and management. You will find:
- Membership and chapter information about the association;
- A resource centre with toolkits, Best Practices, online professional development and a members discussion group; and
- Information about certification programs and standards.
- Bookkeeping Handbook for Low-Income Citizen Groups is the findings of a committee of people from low-income groups and their input on how to keep books efficiently.
- Business Planning and Management Directorate Reporting Audit Guidelines describe the accountability relationship between Chiefs and Councils and the Minister of Health, according to Health Canada's Consolidated Contribution Agreement-Integrated (CCA-Integrated). These guidelines discuss several basic audit concepts. You will learn about:
- Audits and their relationship to the contribution agreement;
- Addressing audits performed on behalf of the recipient; and
- Annual reports.
- Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager Web site details the benefits of becoming a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) and includes details on how to become a CAFM and what is involved in taking the examination.
- 'Fundraising For Non-Profit Groups' book is a step-by-step guide to fundraising for non-profit groups needing to raise between $100,000 and $5 million annually. You will learn what approaches to use when raising money, including telemarketing and the Internet.
- 'Fundraising For Your Organization' fact sheet from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs gives you an overview of fundraising, specifically sources of funding, and funding strategies.
- 'Guide to Bookkeeping for Non-Profit Organizations' fact sheet published by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs details how to manage an effective bookkeeping system.
- 'Guide to Special Events Fundraising' Handbook can help your organization expand its share of public support and funds through special events, which have now become one of the most widely used techniques to raise money, attract publicity and educate the public.
- Health Canada, Financial Reporting Guidelines is an informative document that will:
- Help First Nations and Inuit community members and outside parties understand the requirements and obligations with respect to contribution programs; and
- Outline the interaction between the community's administration and Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.
- How Do We Prepare A Budget? is answered by the Alliance for Non-profit Management, in four sections:
- Timing of budget activity;
- Who should be involved in the process;
- The steps in the budget process; and
- Using a monthly budget.
- Policy Brief No. 8: Getting the Incentives Right: Improving Financial Management of Canada's First Nations is a 7-page policy brief published by the Institute On Governance. It looks at different ways to improve First Nation financial management and proposes a certification scheme as a practical, low cost means to improve this key dimension of governance.
- Policy on Transfer Payments describes what transfer payments are and the policy and procedural requirements to implement them.
- Report of the Auditor General for 1997 contains details on:
- Report of the Auditor General - 2000 was published by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and examines whether the federal government is providing better quality of service to Canadians, after a decade of commitments and a series of initiatives to improve it.
- Aboriginal Financial Management courses from the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada are broken down into two levels. You will find program requirements, exemptions, costs and course locations on the Web site.
- 'Accounting 101: An Introduction' three-day course is offered by the Canada School of Public Service. You will learn the principles and basic elements of accrual accounting and how various types of financial transactions are accounted for under an accrual-based system.
- 'Accounting and Control of Expenditures' three-day course offered by the Canada School of Public Service will teach you the steps involved in the expenditure process, including the analysis and interpretation of financial reports.
- Bachelor of Applied Business Administration Program from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology is made up of six academic and two directed field studies semesters. Accounting majors will develop the advanced accounting expertise and management skills needed for careers in financial management. Accounting and Information Technology majors will develop the advanced accounting expertise and management skills needed for financial management careers in an information technology environment. The Web site supplies:
- Course and program descriptions;
- The student guide;
- Program information;
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); and
- Forms.
- Campusdirect portal provides free membership to public service employees, giving you access to e-learning resources designed specifically for the public service. You will have access to:
- A personal learning space with planning and management tools;
- Free products;
- Online resources designed to help you get the most from e-learning; and
- The Campusdirect catalogue of e-learning products, such as Budgeting, Finance Essentials, and Preparing a Business Plan.
- Computer Accounting course offered by the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies gives you training in computerized accounting. You will learn how to access and print current reports and financial statements.
- Derivatives Institute of the Montreal Stock Exchange provides specialized training to the general public and finance professionals on the use and value of derivatives in portfolio and risk management.
- 'Developing Work Plans and Budgets' four-day course offered by the Canada School of Public Service will improve your ability to provide advice and assistance concerning work planning and budgeting to managers. You will learn how to:
- Perform related planning;
- Conduct analysis and control tasks;
- Coordinate the work plan and budget process;
- Draft effective guidelines and directives; and
- Control and report on actual results related to plans and budgets.
- Financial Management and Budgeting course offered by the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies will teach you the budgeting cycle and its role for First Nations in the financial management of Comprehensive and Alternate Funding Agreements
- 'Fundamentals of Budget Formulation and Control' three-day course offered by the Canada School of Public Service will teach you the fundamentals of budget formulation and control. You will learn about:
- Preparing a detailed work plan;
- Transforming the plan into an operating budget; and
- Controlling expenditures against the budget through variance analysis and financial signing authorities.
- Laurentian University Online Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Program offers a new, online program developed for Certified General Accountants (CGAs) and senior CGA students. You will find program requirements, and details about the admission process and costs. You can review the course schedules and the student guide. You can complete an MBA in as little as 15 months with the flexibility of online learning, anywhere, anytime.
- Athabasca University Centre for Innovative Management offers you a joint program with the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, towards a Masters in Business Administration. You will find program information such as:
- Admission requirements;
- Time commitment;
- Costs;
- Frequently Asked Questions; and
- Schedules.
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