Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
located in a neighborhood with residents who speak a language other than English, and you have the
resources, state your disclaimer in all languages that are applicable.
MANAGING THE MONEY
There will be funds associated with your garden or organization. If participants have provided support in
the way of donations or membership fees, they may have an interest in understanding where the money
is going and how it is supporting the organization.
Money Management Basics
The budget
Some people are good at budgets and money, and some are not. If you or members of your
leadership team are not money people, find a volunteer or pro bono resource that can help. A CPA or
someone who does accounting as a day job will be a godsend in this process. At the very least, perhaps
they can set up your accounts and budget. Then other team members can manage things moving for-
ward. The pros can also suggest and set up reports that help you keep the community informed of the
dollars involved in the program and how the money is being used.
An operating budget is your best friend. If you've worked with budgets before, you know they're
more of an art than a science. Most budgets need some flexibility to manage unexpected costs, windfall
donations, or other funding wins and losses. It doesn't matter whether your program is tiny or huge,
a budget is a necessity. This is not only a good management practice for your leadership team; it also
provides documentation that helps the community understand the health of the organization. Nobody
may ask to see it, but if they do, be prepared to share. And a well-articulated budget is a requirement for
most funders.
Checking account
If your garden is teeny tiny, one of your leadership members can potentially manage
the dollars through their personal account—providing you have a lot of oversight and a written agree-
ment that this is all right with the organization, including what checks and balances will be required and
when to determine that all dollars are accounted for. This isn't an ideal situation, but for really small,
intimate gardens, it might be the easiest and least costly option.
A more practical approach is to open a checking account specific to the organization. To open a
business account, you'll need your state nonprofit status or some other form of incorporation. Speak
with someone at your bank of choice to determine what is required. Keep in mind when choosing banks
that sometimes local banks are more likely to help with a small business account than a national bank-
ing chain might be. Small local banks are also a potential funding source; they are as invested in the
community as you are. Often, having an account with a neighborhood bank is required to be eligible
for any community donation funds they may have available. Larger national chains, on the other hand,
might have better online support (potentially allowing multiple people to view account activity and
make transactions) and generally have better reporting features. They may also offer credit cards with
points systems that you can then use for purchasing supplies or other needed materials.
Collecting funds via PayPal, Square, or other payment management systems
If you are working with
a membership-fee structure, chances are you're going to have to have multiple ways to accept fees. Cash
or checks from members work fine. But some gardeners may want to pay using a credit card, or you
may be in a situation where it is difficult to meet people to get their cash or check payments. Pay-Pal
