The Community Legal Centres NSW Financial Service offers bookkeeping and other financial services to community legal centre clients, so as to increase efficiency and improve quality of bookkeeping and financial understanding across the community legal centre sector in NSW.
The service is designed to support the work of community legal centres, so is based on a cost recovery model and not a profit-generating model.
You can contact the Financial Service team by email via financialservice@clcnsw.org.au.
Free member support
Community Legal Centres NSW Financial Service provides free support to the community legal centre sector as a whole, including the following services.
- Delivering training to finance officers, administrators, coordinators, and community legal centre Board treasurers through quarterly sector events and/or webinars.
- Providing information to community legal centres on particular financial issues such as changes in taxation, salary packaging, reporting to funders, financial reporting to the ACNC, obligations of fundraising and more.
If your finance officer is not on our e-list, get in touch via financialservice@clcnsw.org.au.
Our standard accounting service
Our standard bookkeeping, financial management and advice service is tailored to the needs of subscribers. It includes:
- Paying bills and wages;
- Bookkeeping – data entry and maintaining financial records;
- Preparing budgets and financial reports to the Boards or Management Committees;
- Preparing acquittals to funding bodies;
- Assisting in the development of policies and procedures; and
- Managing audits
When bringing on a new client, we discuss with each subscriber their specific needs, tailoring the Service Agreement (and costs) to reflect the level of service each subscriber requires.
One-off services
We can help subscribers and other community organisations with the following.
- Locum cover for existing bookkeeping staff when they take extended periods of leave.
- Reviewing current financial systems and making recommendations for efficiencies.
- Setting up or reviewing MYOB or Xero accounting software.
- Moving to the National Standard Chart of Accounts for NFPs.
- Supporting the preparation of funder acquittals and budgets.
- Providing input regarding financial policies and procedures.
- Providing financial training to Board Committee members and key personnel.
- Supporting other financial reporting, such as historical payroll records, employee leave entitlements and more, that may be required by Board or management.
Contact us for a quote on one-off services.
What our clients say
'The CLCNSW Financial Service has worked really well for our centre. The systems it has set up are easy to follow as well as the financial reports. They are professional and adaptable, which was very important during the transition period when we moved to their new service. They understand our funding situation and reporting requirements, and most importantly understand CLCs and what they do. We would recommend them to any CLC in NSW.'
— Katherine Boyle, Coordinator, Welfare Rights Centre
'Having the CLCNSW Financial Service staff available to answer questions at almost any time has been a massive improvement compared to a one-day a week bookkeeper. I now feel like I understand the centre’s finances a lot more than previously as they take time to explain things and make sure we understand. Our processes have been streamlined and there is less paper needed.'
— Arlia Fleming, Managing Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre
'NSW Financial Service have freed up both my own and my Administration Manager’s time to focus on supporting our legal service and day to day operations.
The Financial Service has allowed us to develop clear and accountable systems for our financial management. The team are always available to answer questions and have provided me with invaluable support when compiling budgets and reviewing expenditure.'
— Deborah Macmillan, CEO, Central Coast Community Legal Centre
Get in touch
Our team of a service manager, experienced bookkeepers and specialist contractors as required are based at the Community Legal Centres NSW office in Surry Hills.
Phone: 02 9212 7333
Email: financialservice@clcnsw.org.au