The means to the mission
If you think of Toastmasters International as a living body, then it may help to think of the districts as forming the body’s skeleton. Without the work of each individual district, supporting the mission and goals of Toastmasters International, the organization would not be able to stand. To make sure that our districts maintain their health within the organizational structure of Toastmasters, each district is entrusted with Toastmasters International funds. As life blood carries nutrients to bones, so these funds nourish the districts. In this way, each district can carry out its mission and achieve the major goals of the organization.
Your District’s Mission
It’s important that each district’s budget focuses on directing financial resources toward achieving the district mission. Funds are to be used by districts in ways that benefit the clubs and members of Toastmasters International within the district, specifically to promote educational growth, increase membership in clubs, and establish new clubs. When districts follow this plan, everyone succeeds.
District Dollars Mean Success!
Translate the goals, programs and strategies of your district into monetary terms. If you correlate projected expenditures with the goals of the organization, you’re on the right track. In order to help you with this, Toastmasters International may ask your district to resubmit its budget until the major goals of Toastmasters International, or its budget standards, are reflected in the budget.
Check your district success plan. You’ll achieve the greatest success when you match the use of funds in your budget against what your district success plan proposes to achieve. Give more support in your developing budget to the more important goals. It’s easy, once you know how to translate your district success plan into dollars!
The Long Arm of the Law
Of course, you’ll need to document all district expenses, and accuracy and appropriateness are essential. The year-end audits are consolidated with World Headquarters operation and is included in the Form 990 that is filed with the Internal Revenue Service every year. Ensure Toastmasters International maintains its tax-exempt status by keeping your expenditures appropriate and documented correctly.
Toastmasters International takes care never to violate the California Charitable Trust Act. It’s important that the districts do so, as well. Regardless of where your district is, a diversion of charitable trust funds puts the organization at risk because districts are administrative arms of Toastmasters International and are subject to the same laws and guidelines. Make sure all uses of your district funds are authorized and consistent with your district’s mission. This will keep everything legal.
NOTE: Please contact World Headquarters immediately if you become aware of any financial irregularities.
Financial Reports
All districts are required to us the Financial Templates for budgeting and required financial reports.
Audit committee members, please read these guidelines in PDF format:
Audit Committee Guidelines
The following pages will help you to prepare your district’s budget:
District Budget Success Guide (Complete) PDF